The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, a Palestinian man succumbed to wounds sustained from Israeli forces last week in Tura. 2 Israeli settlers were injured in what was said to be an attack by Palestinians near the Rimonim settlement north of Wadi as-Seeq. Israeli settlers assaulted 5 Palestinians during raids in Deir Jarir, Qusra, Bethlehem, and Taybeh. Israeli settlers also vandalized homes, stole items, and assaulted Palestinians in Shaab al-Buum and Khirbet Saddet al-Tha’leh in the Masafer Yatta area. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers left leaflets in Deir Istiya warning Palestinians to flee to Jordan before they are forcefully expelled in the “great Nakba.” Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian child and injured another during a raid in Jalazone refugee camp. Nearly 100 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Biddu, Kobar, Arora, al-Mughayyir, al-Bireh, Bethlehem, Hebron, Sanour, and Marda. In Gaza, Israeli attacks killed at least 481 Palestinians, including 209 children. Israeli tanks entered Gaza, killing several people and damaging buildings. Israel also said it used combat helicopters to assassinate 4 Hamas members, Shadi Barud, Tareq Ma’ruf, Rafat Abbas, and Ibrahim Jadbah in Gaza City. Rockets were fired at Israel; no new injuries were recorded. In South Lebanon, Israeli forces attacked Ayta al-Shaab. (AJ, AJ, AP, AP, HA, NYT, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/26; HA, UNOCHA 10/27)

The Gaza Ministry of Health said at least 7,028 Palestinians have been killed, including at least 4,000 women and children, and 18,482 have been injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since 10/7. It is estimated that 1,600 people, including 900 children, were trapped in rubble. In addition, Israeli media reported that 1,500 Palestinian militants have been killed near Gaza. 104 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 30 children. More than 1,956 have been injured. Israeli officials recorded no new fatalities, leaving the Israeli death toll at around 1,400 Israelis and foreign nationals; 5,431 have been injured since 10/7. The UN reported that over 1.4 million Palestinians, more than half the population in Gaza, have been displaced since 10/7 and that since 11 p.m. on 10/12 there has been a complete electricity blackout due to the Israeli blockade. As of 10/23, at least 27,781 housing units had been destroyed and 150,000 had been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7. At least 45% of all housing units have been either destroyed or damaged in Israeli airstrikes. 12 truckloads of aid entered Gaza. (AJ, HA, WAFA 10/26; UNOCHA 10/27)

The Gaza Ministry of Health published the names and ID numbers of more than 7,000 Palestinians killed, including 2,665 children, in Israeli attacks since 10/7. The publication of the names comes 1 day after U.S. president Joe Biden questioned the reliability of the ministry’s data. (AJ, NYT 10/26)

PA minister of public works and housing minister Mohammad Ziyara said 200,000 housing units have been completely or partially destroyed by Israeli airstrikes since 10/7. Israel said that 224 people are being held captive in Gaza.  (AJ, WAFA 10/26)

Hamas leaders Bassem Naim and Moussa Abu Marzouk and Iranian deputy foreign minister Ali Baghiri Kani met with Russian deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov in Moscow. Israel condemned Russia for hosting members of Hamas. Hamas military spokesperson Abu Obeida said Israeli airstrikes have killed around 50 captives. Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh said in a speech that Israeli attacks on Gaza will “destabilize the entire region” and that the resistance in Gaza was “doing well.” (AJ, HA 10/26; AP, HA 10/27)

At the UN Security Council, PA foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki said Israel was waging “a war of revenge” with no real objective. Al-Maliki also met with ICC prosecutor Karim Khan in The Hague. The UN General Assembly also convened an emergency session. (REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/26)

The UAE, Jordan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, and Morocco released a joint statement, condemning the targeting of civilians, forced displacement, and collective punishment of Palestinians in Gaza. (AJ, HA 10/26)

EU leaders agreed on a final communique after a 7-hour-long meeting on the Israeli attacks on Gaza, calling for “humanitarian corridors” and “pauses.” (AJ 10/26)

Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said of Israeli attacks on Gaza, “it is not war, it is a genocide that has killed 2,000 children.” (AJ 10/26)

A venue in Israel canceled a Palestinian-Jewish conference after Israeli police warned the venue’s owner of “consequences.” The Higher Arab Monitoring Committee said Israel is “persecuting the Arab public, trying to prevent political meetings and silence them.” (HA 10/25; HA, HA 10/26)

The U.S. said it attacked 2 facilities with links to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps in Syria. The U.S. also deployed 900 troops to the Middle East. A Pentagon spokesperson said that they were not going to Israel. (AJ 10/26; AJ, AJ, HA, HA, NYT 10/27)

The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution denouncing anti-Semitism on campuses. In related remarks, senators conflated criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism. The Anti-Defamation League sent 200 letters to campuses in the U.S. requesting that they investigate Students for Justice in Palestine for possibly violating a law prohibiting support for a foreign terrorist organization. (Congress, HA 10/26; INT 10/27)

A Gallup poll found that U.S. president Joe Biden lost 11 percentage points among Democrats since September and that his overall approval rating has dropped from 41 to 37. (AJ, HA 10/26)

Switzerland suspended financial support for 6 Palestinian and 5 Israeli NGOs, including Adalah, Al-Shabaka, Gisha, 7amleh, HaMoked, Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Centre, MIFTAH: The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy, Palestinian Center for Human Rights, Palestinian NGO Network, Physicians for Human Rights, and the Women's Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling. Switzerland said it would analyze the feasibility of the programs. (HA 10/26)

In the West Bank, an Israeli settler was filmed shooting a Palestinian man point-blank in the stomach, critically injuring him during a settler raid in al-Twana. Israeli settlers also shot and injured 3 Palestinians with live ammunition in Nablus, Elsewhere, Israeli settlers vandalized 2 agricultural structures and uprooted fruit trees in Masafer Yatta, damaged vehicles near Nahalin, and homes in Silat ad-Dhahr. Israeli forces shot and killed 15 Palestinians, including 3 minors, during raids in Tulkarm, Beit Furik, Beit Ula, al-Ram, Atuf, Biddu, Bayt Liqya, and Hebron. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Halhul, Dheisheh refugee camp, Qalandia, Huwwara, Budrus, al-Khader, Bethlehem, al-Twana, Jenin, Hebron, and Qalqilya, injuring 53 with live ammunition and baton rounds. An Israeli soldier was killed in friendly fire in Nablus. 36 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Hebron, Fawwar refugee camp, Qalqilya, Dheisheh refugee camp, Beit Umar, and Halhul. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces killed 2 Palestinians children in Isawiya. Israel also refused Palestinians under the age of 35 entry to the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, 70 Palestinians following Israeli evacuation orders were killed and more than 200 wounded in an airstrike on a road. Around 300 others were also killed and more than 1,100 were injured in Israeli airstrikes throughout Gaza. Israeli forces also made incursions into Gaza, retrieving the bodies of several Israelis. Rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza; no deaths were reported. In Lebanon, Israeli forces killed Reuters journalist Issam Abdullah and injured 6 others in a missile strike. Al Jazeera said Israel targeted the group of journalists intentionally. (AP 10/7; AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, HA, HA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/13; AJ, HA, HA, REU 10/14; AP, REU, REU 10/15)

The Gaza Ministry of Health said that as of 2 p.m. at least 1,799 Palestinians had been killed and 7,388 had been injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since 10/7. In addition, Israeli media reported that 1,500 Palestinian militants have been killed near Gaza. Hamas said 13 of the captives from Israel, including foreign nationals, have been killed in Israeli airstrikes in the past 24 hours. Israel said it hit 750 targets overnight and destroyed 12 high-rise buildings within a minute. 51 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 11 children. More than 700 have been injured. Israeli officials said 1,300 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 3,436 injured since 10/7. The UN reported that 423,378 Palestinians have been displaced since 10/7 and that since 11 p.m. on 10/12 there has been a complete electricity blackout due to the Israeli blockade. At least 9,283 housing units have been destroyed in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7. (AJ, AJ, HA, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA 10/13)

The Israeli military told around 1.1 million Palestinians in the northern part of Gaza, including Gaza City, that they should flee south within the next 24 hours. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that would have “devastating humanitarian consequences” and strongly appealed to Israel to rescind the order. Many countries also called on Israel to reverse its order. The WHO called relocating severely ill people a “death sentence.” UNRWA offered its staff and their families shelter at an UNRWA compound in southern Gaza but said it did not have plans to evacuate Palestinians sheltering in UNRWA schools throughout Gaza as it does not have any capacity in the south and has no means of transporting the many thousands of people. Hamas’ refugee affairs authority called on Palestinians to remain in their homes, calling the Israeli evacuation order “disgusting phycological war.” Egypt moved thousands of troops to its Gaza border to prevent Palestinians fleeing Israeli attacks from breaching the border fence. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AP, AP, HA, REU, REU, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/13; AJ, AJ, AJ, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/14; WAFA, WAFA 10/15)

Adalah, the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, Physicians for Human Rights Israel, ACRI, and HaMoked sent letters to National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Attorney General Gali Baharav Miara, and Israel Prison Service head Katy Perry demanding that water and electricity be restored in the security wings of Israeli prisons that hold Palestinians. The Commission for the Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs said on 10/12 that Israel had started collectively punishing prisoners in the Naqab prison on 10/11. (Adalah, WAFA 10/14)

The UN appealed for $294 million in aid to help around 1.3 million Palestinians in Gaza. (REU 10/13)

A Turkish cargo plane with humanitarian aid arrived in Egypt for transfer to Gaza. (AJ 10/13)

PA prime minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. (AJ 10/13)

Israeli president Isaac Herzog blamed Palestinian civilians in Gaza for the Hamas operation, saying “[i]t is not true this rhetoric about civilians [being] not aware, responsible for the attack . . . They could have risen up, they could have fought against that evil regime which took over Gaza in a coup d’état.” (FT 10/13)

Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant said Israel received a second plane carrying U.S. ammunition. (AJ 10/13)

Tens of thousands of protesters demonstrated in Baghdad and Tehran against the Israeli attacks in Gaza. Jordanians marched toward the border with the West Bank in protest against the Israeli attacks. Jordanian police violently dispersed protesters at the border. Large protests were also held in Yemen, Pakistan, and elsewhere. (AJ, AJ, AP, AP, WAFA 10/13)

After meeting Lebanese caretaker prime minister Najib Mikati and Hezbollah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian warned Israel that if it does not stop its attacks on Gaza the war could spread to other parts of the Middle East. (AP, REU, REU 10/13)

U.S. secretary of defense Lloyd Austin III arrived in Israel to meet with Israeli leaders. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Jordan for meetings with Jordanian king Abdullah II and PA president Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas told Blinken that Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people and called for the opening of humanitarian corridors and for aid to enter Gaza. Blinken offered condolences for the Palestinian victims of the Israel-Hamas war. Abbas also spoke with Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau. 55 members of Congress wrote a letter to U.S. president Joe Biden, urging him to pressure Israel to protect civilians in Gaza. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/13)

Russia introduced a draft UN Security Council resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire. President Vladimir Putin compared the siege of Gaza to the Nazi siege of Leningrad during World War II. (HA 10/13)

Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia had frozen normalization talks with Israel and the U.S. due to the attacks on Gaza. (HA, HA 10/13; AJ 10/14)

The New York Times and NBC News reported that they had obtained documents that allegedly show how Hamas instructed militants to target schools and seize captives during its 10/7 operation. Israeli schools were closed on 10/7 as it was a Saturday. The documents were allegedly found on the bodies of militants killed by Israel and were labeled “top secret” in Arabic. Other media outlets questioned whether the documents were fabricated. (HA 10/13; HA 10/14)

The Huffington Post reported that the U.S. State Department was telling its diplomats not to use the terms “de-escalation/ceasefire,” “end to violence/bloodshed,” and “restoring calm,” when referring to Israel and Gaza. (AJ 10/13)

New South Wales police force said it has sought legal advice on if it can use special stop-and-search powers for the first time since 2005 to demand the identities of pro-Palestinian protesters attending an unauthorized demonstration in Sydney, Australia on 10/15. (REU 10/13)

In the West Bank, about 50 Israeli settlers from the Oz Tzion settlement outpost shot and killed 1 Palestinian, injured 4 others, and set fire to 2 vehicles in Burqa. 2 of the settlers involved were arrested, including Elisha Yered, a former spokesperson for Otzma Yehudit party MK Limor Son Har-Melech. Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called the arrested settlers heroes, while National Unity leader Benny Gantz called the incident “Jewish terrorism.” The U.S. condemned the incident as a “terror attack by Israeli extremist settlers.” 4 Palestinians were later arrested on 8/7. An Israeli settler also rammed a Palestinian child in Hebron, causing fractures. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers set up a tent on Palestinian-owned land near Tulkarm. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian during a raid in Nur Shams refugee camp. Israeli forces also raided Biddu, injuring Palestinians with tear gas and arresting 2. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Beit Dajan; tear-gas related injuries were reported. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 2 with baton rounds and others with tear gas. Meanwhile, Israeli forces assaulted 2 Palestinians in the Masafer Yatta area. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Deir Istiya, assaulting 1 Palestinian official and causing tear-gas related injuries. In Gaza, Palestinians demonstrated against poor living conditions in several cities and towns. 1 Palestinian minor was injured by an unexploded ordnance that detonated when he touched it. (AJ, AP, HA, MEE, REU, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/4; JP, MEE, NYT, PCHR, REU, WAFA 8/5; ALM, CNN, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, MEE, PCHR, REU, TOI 8/6; ALM, ALM, HA, HA, HA, HA, NYT, WAFA 8/7; AJ, ALM 8/8; HA 8/9; PCHR 8/10; HA, UNOCHA 8/11)

12 Palestinian families comprised of 89 people fled their homes in Ras al-Tin following Israeli settler violence in the area. (WAFA 8/12; AP 8/24)

The UN humanitarian coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory Lynn Hastings said the UN has launched an assessment of how to aid 60 Palestinian herding communities that are affected by Israeli settler violence. (WAFA 8/4)

An open letter, titled “The Elephant in the Room,” began circulating among academics and public figures and received more than 1,100 signatures by 8/11. The letter stated that “[t]here cannot be democracy for Jews in Israel as long as Palestinians live under a regime of apartheid,” and called for an end to Israeli impunity at the UN and restrictions on U.S. military aid. The letter was primarily signed by Israeli and Jewish academics and public figures, including Benny Morris, Avraham Berg, Avi Shlaim, and Ilan Pappe. (Letter 8/4; HA 8/7; MEE 8/8; TOI 8/9; WAFA, WP 8/11; WAFA 8/12; MDW 8/28)

In the West Bank, 1 Israeli police vehicle was shot at in Nablus, no injuries were reported. Israeli settlers set fire to olive trees in Burin. Israeli settlers also set fire to olive trees and haybales in Bayt Dajan. Israeli forces issued stop-work orders for 6 Palestinian homes in Umm Lafsa in the Masafer Yatta area. 10 Palestinians were arrested, including 7 during late-night raids in Biddu, Nablus, Bethlehem, and 3 at a checkpoint near Hebron. 5 rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza in response to the large-scale Israeli attack on Jenin on 7/3 and 7/4; all were intercepted. Israeli forces launched 2 airstrikes on Gaza City and Beit Lahiya, causing damage. (NYT 7/4; AJ, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/5; PCHR 7/6; UNOCHA 7/8; UNOCHA 7/29)

Palestinians at a funeral procession for some of those killed during the Israeli attack on Jenin refugee camp on 7/3 and 7/4 forced 3 PA officials to leave over the PA’s inaction in protecting Palestinians in the camp from the Israeli soldiers. Palestinians also threw stones at the PA governor of Jenin’s office. (AJ, MEE, WAFA 7/5; MEMO 7/6; MDW 7/7)

PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh and UK foreign secretary James Cleverly spoke via phone, discussing the Israel attack on Jenin. (WAFA 7/5)

Israeli-Russian academic Elizabeth Tsurkov was reported to have been kidnapped, allegedly by Kata’ib Hezbollah in Baghdad in March. The Iraqi government said on 7/7 that it had opened an investigation into the kidnapping. (AJ, ALM, AP 7/5; REU 7/6; AP, HA, HA, MEE 7/7)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces raided Ramallah to punitively demolish the family home of a Palestinian accused of planting 2 bombs in Jerusalem in November 2022; 35 Palestinians were injured, including 20 by live ammunition and others with baton rounds, including 2 clearly marked press photographers who were hospitalized with baton round injuries to their head and stomach. Israeli forces also raided Zweidin in the Masafer Yatta area, firing tear gas at Palestinians and seizing 1 bulldozer. Elsewhere, Israeli forces issued stop-work orders for 5 residential structures in al-Burj. Israeli forces also issued notifications to residents of al-Zawiya that Israel will seize 96 dunams (23.7 acres) of Palestinian-owned land. 27 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Beita, Arrabah, Yatta, Beit Umar, and Biddu. (REU 6/7; AJ, ALM, AP, HA, MDW, MEE, MEMO, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/8; NA, WAFA 6/9; AJ 6/10; PCHR 6/15; UNOCHA 6/18)

A delegation of EU diplomats visited the Ghaith-Sub Laban family in the Old City of Jerusalem to show their support as the family is threatened by expulsion from their home this month. (QDS, WAFA 6/9)

Haaretz reported that Lehava chairperson Bentzi Gopstein was advising National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and others in the Israeli police. Gopstein is facing charges for inciting racism and terrorism against Palestinians and has been barred by the High Court of Justice from running for a seat in the Knesset. (HA, JP, TOI 6/8)

Saudi foreign minister Faisal bin Farhan told reporters that Saudi-Israeli normalization would have “limited benefits” without agreement on a “pathway to peace for the Palestinian people,” after a meeting with U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken. Farhan also said that Saudi Arabia is developing its own nuclear program and would prefer U.S. help in its development but had other bidders too. (AP, AX, REU, REU 6/8)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Secretary of State Blinken that Israel does not consider itself bound by any agreement made between Iran and the U.S. during a phone call. It has been reported that Iran and the U.S. are close to getting back on track on Iran deal renegotiations after secret meetings in Oman last month. According to a State Department spokesperson, Blinken also said that Israel needs to uphold commitments made during the summits in Aqaba and Sharm El Sheikh in the spring. (AX, HA, MEE 6/8)

The UN Human Rights Council’s Commission of Inquiry said in its annual report that Israel is seeking to silence Palestinian civil society by labeling rights groups as terrorists. The report also said that Israel violates Palestinian human rights to ensure its permanent occupation. The commission also criticized Hamas and the PA for limiting expression of freedom. (AP, REU 6/8)

Adalah issued a position paper titled The Acceleration of the Annexation of the West Bank under the 37th Israeli Government led by Prime Minister Netanyahu, outlining the ways the Israeli government is accelerating policies to annex the West Bank. The paper mentions transferring management of settlements to Ministry of the Negev, the Galilee, and National Resilience, the appointment of Bezalel Smotrich as a minister in the Defense Ministry in charge of settlements, legalizing 10 settlement outposts, building over 7,000 new settlement units, re-establishing evacuated settlements, and introducing legislation that applies to the occupied territories. (Adalah, Adalah 6/8) 

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian minor and critically injured 1 other during a raid in ‘Azzun.  Israeli forces also demolished 1 house in Idhna, displacing 8. Elsewhere, Israeli forces set up checkpoints on 3 roads leading to Jericho. 15 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in al-Eizariya, Biddu, Kafr ‘Aqab, al-Khader, Beit Fajjar, Masafer Yatta, Jenin, and Jaba’. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/2; AJ, HA, MEE 3/3; PCHR 3/9; UNOCHA 3/19)

The Israeli police closed its special department to fight crime in Palestinian communities in Israel, despite the murder rate continuing to increase. (HA 3/2)