RAMALLAH/JERUSALEMUNITED NATIONS/CAIRO – The Israeli government has declined permits for Palestinian Central Elections Commission (CEC) teams to enter Gaza and East Jerusalem to monitor preparations for legislative elections, the Palestinian News and Information Agency (WAFA) reported Tuesday.

Citing an official Palestinian source, WAFA said the move could complicate efforts to hold the elections simultaneously in the three Palestinian areas.

Israel's refusal comes as the CEC prepares to complete technical arrangements for the upcoming legislative elections on Nov 28. The status of East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip has raised questions over whether the elections can be held on schedule with the participation of all Palestinian areas.

A Palestinian source familiar with the matter told Xinhua earlier that failing to hold elections in East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip at the same time as in the West Bank would lead to a postponement of the elections.

The participation of East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip is a key issue in holding Palestinian elections. Tensions between Hamas and Fatah since 2006 have led to political and geographical divisions between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, preventing regular elections from being held for years.

East Jerusalem, meanwhile, was captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed, a move not recognized by the majority of the international community.

The source added that a delegation from Fatah will begin comprehensive talks with Palestinian factions in Cairo to reach an agreement on arrangements for holding the elections and to discuss the restructuring of the Palestinian National Council.

Israel threatens offensive against Palestinian Authority

In another development, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened on Tuesday to launch "a full-scale offensive" against the Palestinian Authority if Palestinian security forces "turn their weapons against" Israeli settlers and troops, amid continued Israeli military operations, demolitions and settler violence in the West Bank.

Briefing the cabinet, Katz said the Israeli military was preparing for such a scenario involving Palestinian security forces and Fatah-linked armed groups.

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"In such a case, war will be declared against the Authority and the military will launch a full-scale offensive," he said.

Largest number of people displaced in single demolition

Meanwhile, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the demolition by Israeli authorities of a residential building in East Jerusalem on Tuesday displaced the largest number of people in one demolition since 2009, UN humanitarians said.

According to OCHA, its partners said that 69 people, over half of them children, were living in the structure in the At Tur area of East Jerusalem.

"The UN and its partners visited the area, and families there said that Israeli forces had prevented them from retrieving their belongings, which were left buried under the rubble," said OCHA.

Israeli authorities demolished or sealed 73 Palestinian-owned structures between Sept 22 and 28, displacing 93 people, including 55 children, according to OCHA, which recorded 53 settler attacks causing casualties or property damage during the same period.

Egypt sends over 2,600 tons of aid to Gaza

Also on Tuesday, the Egyptian Red Crescent dispatched a new humanitarian aid convoy to the Gaza Strip, carrying more than 2,653 tons of supplies.

The convoy carried food baskets, flour, relief and medical supplies, and petroleum products needed to operate hospitals and other vital facilities in Gaza, the Egyptian Red Crescent said in a statement.

It was the 290th convoy sent from Egypt to Gaza since the Egyptian Red Crescent launched its pro-Gaza humanitarian aid initiative in late July 2025, the statement said.

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The total amount of humanitarian and relief aid delivered from Egypt to Gaza since the crisis began in October 2023 has exceeded 1 million tons, through the efforts of more than 75,000 volunteers, it added.