Winter 2026 saw continued Israeli bombing of Gaza in densely populated areas. Homes, hospitals and sanitation systems have been repeatedly hit, raising concerns among humanitarian agencies about civilian protection and the long-term viability of essential services.
At the same time, aid delivery has tightened significantly. Israeli authorities moved to restrict or bar dozens of humanitarian organizations from operating in Gaza toward the end of 2025, prompting warnings that such limits could block life-saving assistance during harsh winter conditions. Observers have also pointed to militarized buffer zones — sometimes referred to as a “Yellow Line” — that constrain civilian movement and complicate aid distribution, worsening shortages of food, water and medical care. This Yellow Line is shifting constantly, forcing residents to re-learn boundaries on an almost daily basis. Many have been shot by Israeli soldiers for crossing the line.
In the occupied West Bank, violence has intensified in parallel. The Israeli military has increased raids of Palestinian homes and troops remain deployed in Palestinian population centres. Israeli settler attacks have also become more frequent and violent, often occurring in the presence of Israeli military forces and sometimes with their protection, according to multiple monitoring groups. On March 15, Israeli forces killed four members of the Bani Odeh family — both parents and two of their young children — and wounded two others as the Palestinian family drove home from a shopping trip.
In Canada, the NDP proposed Bill C-233, the proposed “No More Loopholes Act,” which would stop the flow of Canadian-made military exports going to Israel via the U.S. The bill was voted down 22 to 295 in Parliament.
This article appeared in the 2026 Apr/May issue.