Gaza Strip
Some Palestinian militants celebrated the withdrawal of the last Israeli troops and settlers from Gaza this week by torching abandoned synagogues and looting appliances. Meanwhile, armed militias representing various Palestinian factions, prominent among them Hamas, patrolled the ruins of the former settlements. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that the first order of business would be to disarm such militant groups. “There is no Israeli presence in Gaza, so carrying arms in the streets and having militias isn’t justified,” said Abbas’ spokesman, Rafiq Husseini. But Hamas official Mahmoud Zahar said it was his group’s violent resistance that forced Israel out of Gaza. The next step, he said, is “an effective armed resistance in the West Bank.”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
5 fairly vain cartoons about Vanity Fair’s interviews with Susie WilesCartoon Artists take on demolition derby, alcoholic personality, and more
-
Joanna Trollope: novelist who had a No. 1 bestseller with The Rector’s WifeIn the Spotlight Trollope found fame with intelligent novels about the dramas and dilemmas of modern women
-
Codeword: December 20, 2025The daily codeword puzzle from The Week
