The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, a Palestinian man succumbs to wounds sustained from Israeli forces in Nur Shams refugee camp on 10/19/2023. An Israeli settler shoots and kill a Palestinian man after he shoots and kills 2 Israeli settlers at a gas station near the Eli settlement. Israeli settlers also throw stones at Palestinians at the Za’atra checkpoint, injuring a man. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers ram a Palestinian man in al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya, causing minor injuries. Israeli settlers also raid Arab al-Milehat, throwing stones at homes. Meanwhile, Israeli settlers disassemble and steal 2 agricultural structures in Kisan. Israeli forces shoot and kill 2 Palestinians and injure another while they are picking gundelia flowers near Bayt Awa. Israeli forces also shoot and kill a Palestinian child during a raid in Beit Furik. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shoot and injure a Palestinian man during a raid in Jalazone refugee camp. Israeli forces also shoot and injure a Palestinian man in Jenin. Meanwhile, Israeli forces demolish a home and 2 agricultural structures during a raid in Ein ad-Duyuk al-Tahta. Israeli forces also arrest 20 Palestinians during raids in and around Hebron, Ramallah, and Bethlehem. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Nuseirat refugee camp, al-Bureij refugee camp, Khan Yunis, Jabalia refugee camp, and Beit Hanun, killing at least 81 people. Israeli forces also open fire at an aid convoy where thousands of Palestinians are seeking to gather aid. Eyewitnesses report that Israel used live ammunition, tank shells, and drone-fired missiles to attack the crowd, at least 112 people are killed and 760 are injured. Israeli tanks also run over the bodies of the dead and injured. The attack is dubbed the Flour Massacre. 4 children die of starvation at the Kamal Adwan Hospital. Israeli settlers storm the Beit Hanun (Erez) crossing, attempting to create a settlement in Gaza. In Lebanon, Hezbollah fires 2 rockets at Goren. In Yemen, U.S. forces attack a missile launch site and shoot down a drone. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AP, AX, HA, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/29; AJ, AJ, HA, HA, HA, NYT, REU, WAFA 3/1)

More than 30,147 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 13,230 children and 8,860 women, and around 71,217 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 7,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 409 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 103 children. More than 4,606 people have been injured. Israel reports that 1,139 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,400 have been injured in Israel since 10/7/2023, including Israeli soldiers. In addition, 240 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,431 injured in Gaza since the ground invasion began on 10/27/2023. Over 1.93 million Palestinians, nearly 85% of the population of Gaza, have been displaced since 10/7/2023. There has been a complete electricity blackout in Gaza since 10/12/2023 due to the Israeli blockade. At least 70,000 housing units have been destroyed and 290,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7/2023, constituting over 60% of all housing units. The Red Crescent says its medical clinic in Jabalia is receiving 100-150 cases of patients with Hepatitis A daily. (AJ, HA, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, UNOCHA 2/29)

22-year-old Palestinian prisoner Assef al-Rifai dies in an Israeli prison, becoming the 11^th Palestinian to die in Israeli prison since 10/7. Al-Rifai, who had been imprisoned since 2022, suffered from cancer. (WAFA 2/29)

In response to the Flour Massacre (see above), Israel’s military first says Palestinians were killed in a stampede trying to get aid, blaming the aid truck drivers, then later said that Israeli soldiers had opened fire due to fear of the crowds but that most of the Palestinians had been killed in a human stampede and by the aid trucks. In its defense, Israel releases edited drone footage which appears to show hundreds of Palestinians taking cover from Israeli bullets. The PA calls the incident an “ugly massacre” and Hamas calls the attack an “unprecedented war crime.” UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres labels the incident appalling and calls for an independent investigation. EU high commissioner for foreign affairs Josep Borrell calls it “totally unacceptable,” Colombia denounces Israel’s genocide, suspending weapons purchases from Israel. French president Emmanuel Macron expresses “[d]eep indignation at the images coming from Gaza where civilians have been targeted by Israeli soldiers. I express my strongest condemnation of these shootings and call for truth, justice, and respect for international law.” Spain, Belgium, Turkey, Portugal, Italy, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, China, Canada, Yemen, Australia, and other countries express shock and contempt for the Israeli actions. The U.S. blocks an Algerian statement at the UN Security Council that assigns blame to Israel for the incident, saying it needs to be “thoroughly investigated.” The Israeli newspaper Haaretz for the first time calls on Israel to end its war, citing the incident. (AJ, AJ, AP, AP, HA, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA 2/29; AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, HA, NYT, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA 3/1) 

Representatives from Hamas, Fatah, and many other Palestinian parties meet in Moscow for reconciliation talks and about forming a technocratic consensus government that will lead the PA. Palestinian National Initiative secretary-general Mustafa Barghouti says, “I have never seen the atmosphere so close to unity as it is today.” Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov tells the Palestinian representatives at the meeting that if they can announce a unity position on the basis of the PLO those who use the lack of Palestine unity to prevent “the settlement in the Middle East, will lose their winning cards.” Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh meets with Chinese ambassador to Qatar Zhou Jian, discussing “ways to stop the war” in Gaza. President Mahmoud Abbas meets with UN senior coordinator for humanitarian aid and reconstruction in Gaza Sigrid Kaag and USAID administrator Samantha Power in Ramallah. (AJ, AJ, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA 2/29; AJ 3/1)

The Israeli Civil Administration declares 2,640 dunams (652 acres) of land in Abu Dis and al-Eizariya Israeli state land. 120 Palestinian families live on the land. The area declared state land connects the Ma’ale Adumim settlement and the Keidar settlement. (AJ, REU, WAFA 2/29; HA 3/1)

Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Store says the PA has received $114 million from Israel as part of the tax revenue payments and that more money will be dispersed in “the coming days.” (REU 2/29)

UNRWA says it has not received $89 million from the European Commission that was due on 2/29. 17 rights and aid organizations, including Save the Children and Oxfam, call on the EU to disperse the funds. The UN says Israel has not provided evidence about its claims against 12 UNRWA staffers for the independent investigation by the UN. Germany says it will increase aid to Gaza by $21.6 million and that its military will start taking part in aid airdrops if enough aid cannot be dispersed by land. (AP, AP, REU 2/29)

Israel claims it has killed more than 13,000 militants in Gaza since its ground invasion. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls Hamas’s demands for a ceasefire “delusional,” saying he will not accept them and that he rejects international calls for a ceasefire. The Israeli negotiators who had been in Qatar this week return to Israel. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich calls for a “massive” settlement expansion in response to the killing of 2 Israeli settlers near the Eli settlement. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir says aid to Gaza must stop as it endangers Israeli soldiers, citing the Flour Massacre where no Israeli soldiers were injured while more than a 100 Palestinians were killed. The Israeli government says it is still reviewing whether it will severely limit the number of Muslim worshippers it will allow to enter the Haram al-Sharif compound during Ramadan. (AJ, REU 2/29; AJ 3/1)

U.S. president Joe Biden walks back his comment that a ceasefire will happen by 3/4 but says that he is still hopeful. Biden also issues a statement calling on Republicans to pass a bill providing aid to Israel to “help ensure Israel can defend itself against Hamas and other threats.” Biden speaks with Qatar emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, discussing the need for aid and a ceasefire in Gaza. Secretary of State Blinken speaks with Qatari prime minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, discussing the same issues. White House deputy press secretary Olivia Dalton says the U.S. is deeply concerned that it has not received an Israeli plan for how it will provide security for Palestinians in Rafah if the Israeli military invades the city. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) calls on Israel to end its military operations in Gaza, citing the Flour Massacre. (AJ, AX, HA, NYT, REU, REU 2/29; AJ, HA 3/1)

UN high commissioner for human rights Volker Turk condemns Israel’s war on Gaza, calling it “carnage” at the UN Human Rights Council and says that war crimes have been committed by both Israel and Hamas, calling for accountability for the perpetrators. (AJ, HA, REU, WAFA 2/29)

New Zealand says it will impose travel bans on “a number” of violent Israeli settlers. New Zealand also designates the entirety of Hamas as a “terrorist group.” (AJ, HA, NYT, REU, WAFA 2/29)

British politician George Galloway of the Workers Party of Britain wins a seat in the UK parliament in the by-election in Rochdale, telling Labour Party leader “Kier Starmer, this is for Gaza.” The Labour Party held the seat in Rochdale until last month when MP Tony Lloyd died. (NYT, NYT 2/29; AJ, AJ, HA 3/1)

Haaretz reports that AIPAC has spent $4.5 million in attack ads against Dave Min in the Democratic primary for a congressional seat in California. (HA 2/29)

The heads of 36 international news outlets sign a letter in support of journalists in Gaza, calling for their protection. (AJ, AP 2/29)

In the West Bank, a Palestinian man succumbed to injuries sustained from Israeli forces in al-Fara’a refugee camp on 12/8. Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles traveling near al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya; no injuries were reported. Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian man, claiming he had stabbed an Israeli soldier with a knife during an Israeli raid in Dura. Israeli forces also shot and killed a Palestinian child during a raid in ‘Azzun. In East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities delivered evacuation orders to several Palestinian families living on around 9 dunams (2.2 acres) of land in the Moroccan Gate area of the Old City, giving them 60 days to file objections. In Gaza, Israeli forces bombed Rafah, Khan Yunis, Nuseirat refugee camp, Gaza City Dayr al-Balah, Maghazi, Jabaliya refugee camp, and al-Bureij refugee camp, killing more than 200 people. Israel continued its siege of al-Awda Hospital in Jabalia refugee camp for the third day in a row, injuring 2 health workers. Israeli forces also shot and injured 2 paramedics in an ambulance outside of the European Hospital in Khan Yunis. The Red Crescent delivered medical supplies to al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City and evacuated 19 patients; 1 of the patients died during the evacuation and 1 Red Crescent staffer was beaten and interrogated for 4 hours by Israeli forces. 4 Israeli soldiers were killed in combat. In Tzrifin, an Israeli soldier was injured after being hit by a car; 2 were arrested, including a man from Rahat and a man from Qalqilya in the West Bank. In Lebanon, Israel attacked several targets and Hezbollah said it had attacked an Israeli naval base. In the Red Sea, France said a French warship had shot down 2 drones near Yemen. (AJ, AJ, AJ, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/9; AJ, AP 12/10)

More than 17,700 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 7,729 children and 5,153 women, and around 49,300 have been injured since 10/7. At least 7,000 people were missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 267 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 69 children. More than 3,387 people have been injured. Israel reported that 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,400 have been injured since 10/7. 101 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the ground invasion began on 10/27. Over 1.93 million Palestinians, nearly 85% of the population of Gaza, have been displaced since 10/7. There has been a complete electricity blackout in Gaza since 10/12 due to the Israeli blockade. As of 12/3, at least 52,000 housing units had been destroyed and 253,000 had been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7, constituting 60% of all housing units. The World Food Programme reported that 91% of Palestinians in Gaza were experiencing hunger, with 36% experiencing severe hunger. The Palestinian Civil Defense said it only had 1 vehicle left operating in northern Gaza. Around 100 trucks carrying aid entered Gaza. (AJ, AJ, AJ, HA, REU, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA 12/9)

Haaretz reported that the autopsy reports for at least 2 of the 6 Palestinian prisoners that have died in Israeli detention since 10/7 showed that their bodies were bruised and had broken bones, suggesting that violence may have killed them. (HA 12/9)

Videos by Israeli soldiers of Palestinians in the underwear surrendering to Israeli forces in Jabalia refugee camps circulated in the media. However, the videos were reportedly staged as in 1 video a man is shown surrendering a weapon while holding it in his right hand while a nearly identical video shows the same man surrendering a weapon while holding it in his left hand. Videos of Israeli soldiers vandalizing Palestinian property and raising Israeli flags in Gaza also circulated. (HA, UNOCHA 12/9; AJ, HA, UNOCHA 12/10; HA 12/11)

Responding to videos of hundreds of Palestinians detained by Israeli forces in Gaza stripped to their underwear, advisor to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mark Regev, said the Middle East is warmer than Europe so “to be asked to take off your shirt, it might not be pleasant, but it is not the end of the world.” Israel later claimed that 10-15% of the Palestinians in the videos were Hamas operatives or identified with the Hamas. Israeli national security advisor Tzachi Hanegbi claimed that Israel has killed 7,000 members of Palestinian militant groups during its attacks on Gaza. Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant visited Israeli soldiers in northern Gaza. (HA 12/9; AJ, HA 12/10)

A UN official said Israel was testing the screening process for the delivery of aid to Gaza through the Karim Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing. (HA, REU 12/9)

The PA issued corrections to an interview given by Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh to Bloomberg News on 12/7, saying Shtayyeh had not said that the PA and the U.S. were discussing “a plan to manage Gaza.” (WAFA 12/9)

The foreign ministers of the PA, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia met with Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau in Ottawa. (WAFA 12/9; AJ 12/10)

German chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu, calling for more aid to be delivered to Gaza and expressing concern over settler violence. (HA 12/9)

Yemen’s Houthi-led government said it would prevent Israeli ships and ships traveling to Israeli ports from operating near Yemeni maritime borders but would respect other international seafaring. (AJ, AJ, HA, HA, NYT 12/9; HA 12/10)

In the West Bank, a Palestinian man succumbed to injuries sustained from Israeli forces during a raid in Tulkarm on 11/7. Israeli settlers opened fire at Palestinian vehicles near Bethlehem; no injuries were reported. Israeli settlers also began constructing a settlement road on Palestinian-owned land in Birin. Israeli forces shot and killed 4 Palestinians, including 2 children, and injured 17 others during raids in al-Fara’a refugee camp, Ya’bad, and Balata refugee camp. Israeli forces also opened fire at a Palestinian vehicle and detained the driver in Husan. Elsewhere, Israeli forces also demolished a home in Umm Rukba near al-Khader and 2 homes and 2 agricultural structures in Umm Qissa in the Masafer Yatta area. 42 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Jenin, Ramallah, Nablus, Bethlehem, Qalqilya, and Tubas. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. Israeli forces demolished parts of a home in Silwan. In Gaza, Israeli forces bombed Maghazi, Khan Yunis, Jabalia refugee camp, Rafah, Nuseirat refugee camp, and Gaza City, killing hundreds of people, including more than 100 in Jabalia. Prominent Palestinian poet and academic Refaat Alareer was also killed along with several family members in Gaza City. 3 Israeli soldiers were killed in combat. Rockets were fired at Israel, injuring 1 in Nir Yitzhak. In Lebanon, rockets were fired at Israeli military sites and soldiers in Tal Shaar and Karm al-Tuffah and Israel attacked several places. In Yemen, the Houthi-led government said it had fired ballistic missiles at Israeli military posts near Eilat which were shot down by Israel’s Arrow missile defense system. The U.S. said it had shot down a drone launched by Yemen. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/6; AJ, AJ 12/7; AJ 12/8)

The casualty numbers for Gaza were not updated, leaving the number at more than 16,248 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 6,387 children and 4,257 women, and around 43,616 injured since 10/7. At least 7,000 people were missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 257 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 67 children. More than 3,325 people have been injured. Israel reported that 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,431 have been injured since 10/7. 90 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the ground invasion began on 10/27. Over 1.9 million Palestinians, nearly 85% of the population of Gaza, have been displaced since 10/7. There has been a complete electricity blackout in Gaza since 10/12 due to the Israeli blockade. As of 11/18, at least 45,000 housing units had been destroyed and 233,000 had been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7, constituting 60% of all housing units. The Red Crescent said its ambulance center in the northern province of Gaza has stopped working due to a lack of fuel. Patients and staff were evacuated from the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Jabalia as the hospital had stopped working. 20 patients that could not be evacuated stayed at the hospital. 80 trucks carrying aid, including 15 gallons of fuel, entered Gaza. Only Rafah received aid for the fourth day in a row. 23 wounded Palestinians and 680 foreign nationals were evacuated to Egypt. (AJ, HA, NYT, UNOCHA, WAFA 12/6)

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter, forcing the UN Security Council to convene on 12/8 on the basis of threats to “international peace and security,” saying a ceasefire is needed in Gaza to avoid “irreversible implications for Palestinians as a whole and for peace and security in the region.” Israeli ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan said Guterres had reached “a new moral low.” Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen called Guterres a “danger to world peace.” After the invocation of Article 99, the UAE circulated a draft resolution calling for “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” and for all parties to comply with international law. (AJ, AP, AX, HA, NYT, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA 12/6; AJ, AJ, AJ, HA, REU, WAFA 12/7; AP, WAFA 12/8)

The Israeli security cabinet approved an increase in the amount of fuel entering Gaza from around 13,000 gallons to 26,000 gallons a day. Axios reported that the decision was made after pressure from the Biden administration, which had called on Israel to allow 39,000 gallons to enter Gaza daily. The decision was opposed by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. (AJ 12/6; AX 12/7)

Birzeit University published pictures of the central archive of the Gaza municipality, saying Israel had deliberately destroyed thousands of valuable documents to erase the history of Gaza. (AJ 12/6)

The PA Wall and Settlements Commission said it had recorded 610 Israeli settler attacks, which killed 10 Palestinians, since 10/7. (AJ 12/6)

Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant signed an administration detention order for an Israeli settler who was arrested on 10/3 for attacking Palestinians. (HA 12/7)

PA UN envoy Riyad Mansour addressed the assembly of parties to the Rome Statute, saying “Israel has effectively destroyed every single requirement for live in the Gaza Strip” and complaining that the ICC has not delivered justice for Palestine. (AJ, WAFA, WAFA 12/6)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with U.S. vice president Kamala Harris’ National Security Advisor Phil Gordon in Ramallah, discussing the future of the political situation in Gaza after Israel’s war. (HA, WAFA 12/6; HA 12/7)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the PA will not govern Gaza as long as he is prime minister. (AJ 12/6)

Israel revoked the residency visa for UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process Lynn Hastings, saying she did not condemn Hamas’ Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. The UN said on 12/1 that Hastings would be replaced in anticipation of the visa revocation. The PA condemned the revocation of Hastings’ visa. (AJ, WAFA, WAFA 12/6)

Israel’s military discussed closing the “Desert Frontier” unit made up of Israeli settlers in the West Bank after a series of incidents where soldiers from the unit attacked and abused Palestinians and Israeli activists. (HA 12/6)

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) said Israel has established 100 “Community Security Squads” equipped with M16 rifles, adding the members of the militias have only received 7 hours of training and lacked proper oversight. ACRI also said there have been reports of Palestinian citizens of Israel being rounded up by the militias to show their identity cards. (AJ, HA 12/6; HA 12/7)

UN high commissioner for human rights Volker Turk said he had asked Israel for weeks to have his team investigate Israeli allegations of sexual violence committed by Hamas militants in Israel on 10/7 but said Israel had not responded. (AJ, WAFA 12/6)

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said “I consider even the debating of this plan as disrespectful to my Palestinian siblings. For us, this is not a plan that can be debated, considered, or discussed,” referring to Israeli suggestions that a buffer zone should be made within Gaza. U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller also said the Israeli plan was in violation of U.S. policy, suggesting Israel could make a buffer zone in its own territory. (AJ, HA, REU, REU 12/6)

Russian president Vladimir Putin met with UAE president Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi and Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh, discussing energy cooperation, the situation in Gaza, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Saudi state media reported that Putin and bin Salman shared “deep concern” for the situation in Gaza. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA 12/6; AJ, REU 12/7)

The U.S. Senate failed to pass a $111 billion bill to provide $50 billion to Ukraine and $14 billion to Israel in a 49-51 vote. All Republicans and Democratic senators Bernie Sanders (D-VT) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) voted against the bill. Republicans sought to separate the aid for Israel from the aid for Ukraine as many Republican senators are opposed to significant spending on Ukraine, while Sanders opposed spending on Israel given the Palestinian death toll in Gaza. Schumer changed his vote from in favor to against to allow him to bring the bill up again at a later date. (HA, NYT 12/6; AJ, HA 12/7)

Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo said his government will work with the U.S. to sanction “individuals involved in actions that undermine peace, security, and stability” in the West Bank. (AJ 12/6; HA, HA, REU, WAFA 12/7)

Reuters reported that an “orientation note” circulated among EU foreign ministers ahead of a meeting showed the EU was considering tougher sanctions on Hamas and imposing sanctions against violent Israeli settlers. EU commissioner for crisis management Janez Lenarcic condemned an Israeli settler attack in Khirbet Zanuta which destroyed an EU-funded school. Nils Schmid, foreign policy spokesperson of Germany’s ruling Social Democratic Party, said imposing sanctions on settlers was a good idea. (HA, REU, REU, REU 12/6)

Haaretz reported that Foreign Minister Cohen had bypassed objections from foreign ministry staff to issue diplomatic passports for Prime Minister Netanyahu’s son Yair, Likud politician and settlement leader Israel Gantz, and senior Likud member Benny Biton. (HA 12/7)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian family in their home in the Masafer Yatta area, causing bruises. Israeli settlers also opened fire at Palestinians harvesting olives in Kafr Ni’ma; no injuries were reported. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers opened fire at Palestinian homes in Hebron; no injuries were reported. Israeli settlers, reportedly disguised as soldiers, also attacked Palestinians west of Jericho with stones and clubs, causing injuries and damage. Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian during a funeral procession in Beit Umar, injured 1 other with live ammunition; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters at al-Jalamah checkpoint, killing 2 and injuring 2 others. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Aqabat Jaber refugee camp, injuring 3 with live ammunition. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Bethlehem, injuring a minor with a baton round. Meanwhile, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters near Far’un, injuring 1 with live ammunition. Israeli forces also shot and injured 3 Palestinians near the separation wall west of Attil. Separately, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in al-Bireh, injuring 2 with live ammunition. Israeli forces also demolished 2 agricultural structures in Mughayyir al-Abeed in the Masafer Yatta area. Additionally, Israeli forces fired tear gas near a hospital in Dura, causing tear-gas related injuries. A rocket, either launched from Gaza or an Iron Dome interceptor, hit Baqa ash-Sharqiya, killing 1 Palestinian and injuring 6 others. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces shot and killed 2 Palestinians in Silwan after they allegedly fired fireworks at Israeli forces. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinians in Isawiya and Ras al-Amud. Elsewhere, Israeli forces arrested 13 Palestinians on suspicion of incitement and supporting Hamas. In Gaza, Israeli naval forces fired shells at a port west of Gaza City and Khan Yunis, damaging the port and fishing boats. Israeli airstrikes also killed hundreds of Palestinians and caused damage, especially to the Rimal, al-Karama, and al-Furqan neighbourhoods and Jabaliya. Gaza economy minister Juad Abu Smallah was reportedly assassinated by Israel. It was reported that white phosphorus bombs were dropped on al-Karama. UNRWA said its headquarters in Gaza was hit by Israeli bombs. Hundreds of rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza. Near Gaza, Israel said it had killed 4 militants at a beach north of Gaza and 2 in Kibbutz Re’im. Militants were also reported to have attacked Mefalsim, causing casualties. In Lebanon, militants fired anti-tank missiles at an Israeli vehicle and Israeli forces attacked militants with a helicopter and artillery. Rockets were also fired toward Israel. In Syria, rockets were launched at the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Israel fired artillery and mortar shells at Syria. (AP 10/7; AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, HA, HA, REU, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/10; AJ, AP, AP, AP, HA, REU 10/11)

Israel claimed to have regained full control of the area around Gaza, saying the bodies of approximately 1,500 Palestinian militants were found in the area. The Gaza Ministry of Health said 830 Palestinians had been killed in Israeli airstrikes and 4,250 wounded since 10/7 as of 5.30 p.m. 22 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 4 children; 332 have been injured. Israeli media reported that as of 9 p.m. more than 1,000 Israelis and foreign nationals had been killed and 2,806 injured since 10/7. The UN said 263,934 Palestinians have been displaced, with 175,486 people sheltering at UN facilities. All but 1 mobile communications tower was destroyed in Israeli strikes. More than 610,000 people in Gaza were disconnected from the water supply due to Israeli actions. The Gaza Power Plant was reported to run out of fuel by noon on 10/11, with electricity currently limited to 3-4 hours per day. (AJ 10/9; AJ, AJ, ALM, AP, AP, AP, AP, HA, HA, HA, REU, REU, REU, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/10; AJ, AP, AP, REU 10/11)

The Gaza Ministry of Health called for the opening of a “safe corridor” to allow medical aid as hospitals are overwhelmed. 4 ambulances and 1 hospital in Beit Hanun were targeted by Israeli airstrikes, closing the hospital. PLO secretary-general Hussein al-Sheikh said Israel was refusing to allow aid from the West Bank to enter Gaza. (AJ, AJ 10/10; WAFA 10/11)

Israeli military spokesperson Richard Hecht said Israel may not use the same “level of fidelity” in warning civilians before striking homes and apartment buildings. It had been reported that Israel no longer used smaller munitions to “knock” on the roofs of apartment buildings or call building managers before demolishing them with larger bombs. Hecht also called the parliament and ministries in Gaza legitimate targets. Hecht further said Palestinians in Gaza should flee to Egypt via the Rafah crossing, first saying that it is open and later tweeting that he did not know if it was open. Israel bombed the crossing on 10/9 after which it was closed. Israel also hit the crossing today. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the Israeli military would release “all constraints” on its attacks on Gaza and is “transitioning to a full-scale offensive.” The Israeli military said it had dropped hundreds of tons of bombs on Gaza and is emphasizing “damage, not precision.” (AJ 10/9; AJ, AJ, HA, HA, REU, REU 10/10)

The Israeli military began sending planes to Europe to collect reservists that have been called up. More than 300,000 Israeli military reservists were called in to participate in the Israeli assault on Gaza. (REU 10/9; AJ, HA, REU 10/10)

Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said Israel would hand out 10,000 rifles to volunteers in Israeli border communities and in Israeli settlements. (AJ, REU 10/10)

A plane carrying U.S. ammunition arrived in Israel. The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier reached the eastern Mediterranean. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized the U.S. for moving the carrier near Israel, warning of a massacre in Gaza. (AJ, HA, REU 10/10; AP 10/12)

Thousands of Jordanians protested in Amman against the Israeli attacks on Gaza, demanding the Israeli embassy be closed and that Jordan end its peace treaty with Israel. (REU 10/11)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke with Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre about the Israeli attack on Gaza. PA envoy to the UN Riyad Mansour wrote a letter to the UN Security Council calling Israeli actions, including intentional starvation of Gaza, “genocidal.” (REU, WAFA 10/10)

The Likud Party said the leaders of the parties in the Israeli government coalition have agreed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can form an emergency unity government. Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman said on 10/8 that he will only join the unity government if the Israeli leadership commits to ending the policy of constraining Hamas and eliminates the organization. (HA, REU 10/10)

U.S. president Joe Biden gave a televised speech calling the Hamas operation on 10/7 “pure, unadulterated evil,” recounting unconfirmed Israeli narratives of militants committing rapes. Biden also compared Hamas to ISIS, attributed the operation to anti-Semitism, rather than resistance, and reiterated his stance in support of Israel, saying Israel has a “duty to respond,” despite the mass civilian casualties in Gaza. Biden further stated that the U.S. is sending ammunition and interceptors for the Iron dome to Israel. Lastly, Biden warned other countries and organizations against getting involved against Israel. Hamas called Biden’s speech deplorable and inflammatory, saying Hamas launched its operation to defend the Palestinian people and put an end to the occupation. Biden also spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu about U.S. assistance. 392 members of the U.S. House of Representatives co-sponsored a resolution in support of Israel, calling the Hamas operation “barbaric.” It is unknown if the resolution will pass, as it is unclear if the acting speaker of the House Patrick McHenry (R-NC) has the authority to bring the resolution to the floor. (AJ, AJ, AJ, HA, HA, HA 10/10; FWD, HA, REU, REU 10/11)

U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan said the U.S. was in talks with Egypt and Israel to create a humanitarian corridor for residents of Gaza. (HA, REU 10/10)

The U.S. State Department said Secretary of State Antony Blinken will arrive in Israel on 10/12 for meetings with Israeli leaders. Blinken will also travel to Jordan. UK foreign secretary James Cleverly is also scheduled to arrive in Israel on 10/11. (AJ, HA, REU 10/10; REU 10/11)

U.S. homeland security advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall said the U.S. is working on different options to ensure that all U.S. citizens can leave Israel by air, sea, and land. There are currently no direct flights from Israel to the U.S. Many other countries, including France, Germany, and Canada, said they are planning on offering their citizens flights out of Israel. (AJ, HA 10/10)

President Erdoğan spoke with Russian president Vladimir Putin about measures to halt the Hamas-Israel conflict and deliver humanitarian aid. Erdoğan also said he is having talks with regional leaders to negotiate a halt to the war. Egyptian president Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and Qatari emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani spoke about protecting civilians in Gaza. (AJ, HA, HA, REU, REU, REU 10/10; AJ, AJ 10/11)

Houthi leader Abdel Malek al-Houthi said that if the U.S. intervened in the attack on Gaza it would respond with drones and missiles. (AJ, HA 10/10)

Berlin police banned pro-Palestinian demonstrations planned for 10/11, saying expressions of solidarity with Palestine pose a threat to public order. Australian police said a planned pro-Palestinian protest scheduled for 10/15 will be an unauthorized activity. (HA 10/10; REU 10/11)

UK home secretary Suella Braverman sent a letter to English and Welsh police, saying that waiving Palestinian flags may in some instances be illegal in cases where it is “intended to glorify acts of terrorism.” (AJ 10/10)

EU high commissioner for foreign affairs Josep Borell said he had invited PA and Israeli foreign ministers Riyad al-Maliki and Eli Cohen to an EU foreign ministers meeting to discuss the situation in Palestine and Israel. Borell also said that Israel must adhere to international law, saying Israel violates the law by imposing a total blockade on Gaza. Borell further said that the “overwhelming majority” of EU states are against cutting aid to Palestinians, as suggested by some EU officials. (AJ, HA, REU 10/10)

The UN high commissioner for human rights Volker Turk said the total siege of Gaza imposed by Israel was illegal under international law as it deprives civilians of goods essential to their survival. Turk also said Israeli airstrikes had struck residential and UN buildings as well as UN schools. (AJ, REU 10/10)

The UN Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Israel said that there was clear evidence that war crimes had been committed in Israel and Gaza. (AJ, UN, WAFA 10/10)

The office of the ICC prosecutor said the court mandate to investigate “the situation in the State of Palestine” extends to the current attacks. (REU 10/10) 

Sweden and Denmark suspended aid to Palestinians. (AJ, HA, REU 10/10)

The UAE donated $20 million in aid to Palestinians via UNRWA. (AJ 10/10)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers shot and injured 2 Palestinians in Qusra. Israeli settlers also stole 70 olive trees saplings in al-Khader. Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian during a raid in Beit Umar, others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinians marking the 29th anniversary of al-Ibrahimi Mosque massacre, injuring 1 with a concussion bomb to his face and others with tear-gas. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Beita and Bayt Dajan, injuring 40 with tear-gas. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 2 with baton rounds. Meanwhile, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Rammun, injuring 1 with a baton round, 1 by physical assault, and others with tear gas. Israeli forces also sealed several roads leading to Huwwara. 1 Palestinian minor was arrested during a raid in al-Khader. In East Jerusalem, 3 Palestinians were arrested in the Old City. In Gaza, Israeli forces shot and injured 2 Palestinian protesters near Jabaliya and 2 near Khan Yunis. (AP, HA, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/24; WAFA 2/25; PCHR 3/2; UNOCHA 3/4)

PA prime minister Mohammad Shtayyeh met with a delegation of U.S. senators led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in Ramallah. (WAFA 2/24)

Members of GLOW linguistics voted to cancel its plans to hold its 47th conference in Israel after objections to the plan were raised within the organization. Several members had voiced opposition to Israel as a venue due to Israel’s policies in the West Bank. (GLOW 2/24; HA 3/2)

In the West Bank, 1 Palestinian minor succumbed to wounds sustained from Israeli live ammunition on 5/18. Israeli settlers leveled land in Kisan. Israeli settlers also set up mobile homes south of Hebron. Israeli forces also raided Jaba‘, injuring 4, including 1 minor, when Palestinians confronted the forces. Israeli forces also raided ‘Araqa, injuring 1 minor with live ammunition, when Palestinians confronted the forces. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Bethlehem, injuring 7 with rubber-coated bullets and others with tear gas. 11 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Nablus, Jenin, and Jericho. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces raided al-Makassed Hospital, leaving without making arrests. 8 Palestinians were arrested during raids in the Old City, al-Tur, Silwan, and Shu‘fat. In Gaza, 4 Palestinians were killed and many were injured, raising the comprehensive death toll since 5/10 from 232 to 236, including 65 children and 3 pregnant women. The casualties included: 1, and 9 wounded, including 3 children, during an air strike on a house in Khan Yunis; 1, and 1 wounded in an air strike on Bayt Lahiya; 2 in an air strike on a car traveling in Jabaliya. Israeli air strikes also hit power lines near Rafah, causing a total electricity blackout in the city. Israeli forces attacked 1 house in Khan Yunis, causing damage, but the missile remained unexploded as it landed on a bed, saving the family living in the house. 4 factories were also destroyed by Israeli air strikes in an industrial zone east in al-Muntar. In Israel, 1 Israeli soldier was injured by an anti-tank missile rocket fired from Gaza at a military bus. 1 rocket from Gaza hit a house in Ashkelon, causing damage; no injuries were reported. Israeli forces violently dispersed a funeral procession for 1 Palestinian-Israeli who was killed by Israeli police on 5/19 in Umm al-Fahm; 3 were arrested; a general strike was also called in Umm al-Fahm in protest over the killing. (AJ, HA, HA, PCHR, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/20; MEE, PCHR 5/21; NYT 5/26; PCHR 5/27)

It was reported that a ceasefire between Hamas, Islamic Jihad in Palestine, and Israel had been brokered by Egypt and would take effect at 2 a.m. on 5/21. Prior to the reporting, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu had called a meeting at the security cabinet. Shortly after the 2 sides announced the ceasefire, U.S. president Joe Biden praised Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for his role in the ceasefire and Prime Minister Netanyahu for agreeing to it. Biden said in remarks that “Palestinians and Israelis equally deserve to live safely and securely and to enjoy equal measures of freedom, prosperity, and democracy,” in what can be viewed as a slight shift in the paradigm of U.S. statements on Israel and Palestine. President al-Sisi also praised President Biden for his work on the ceasefire agreement. Several prominent Democrats in the U.S. House and Senate welcomed the news of the ceasefire, but said it was time to do more to resolve the roots of the conflict. PA foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki called for the world to address the core issues, saying that the ceasefire is not enough. (AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AP, AP, AX, AX, GDN, HA, REU, REU, WAFA 5/20; AM, AP, CNN, FOX, HA, HA 5/21)

Haaretz reported that 90% of the Israeli citizens charged for the violence in Israeli towns and cities since the start of the Hamas-Israel escalation were Palestinian citizens of Israel. District prosecutors have been criticized for not indicting Jewish-Israelis. (HA 5/20)

Adalah filed a petition on behalf of Palestinians in Shayk Jarrah to have Israeli police remove checkpoints around the neighborhood, which are severely impeding the residents’ freedom of movement. The checkpoints are also meant to block entry of Palestinians who are not residents of the neighborhood, as many residents remain threatened by evictions. (Adalah, HA 5/20)

The Israeli Electric Company said it would not restore the damaged power lines in Gaza until 2 Israelis, believed to be held captive by Hamas, and the bodies of 2 dead Israelis are returned to Israel. (HA 5/20)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke with German chancellor Angela Merkel about efforts to get a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel. President Abbas also met with German foreign minister Heiko Maas in Ramallah. (AJ, WAFA, WAFA 5/20)

Before the ceasefire was announced, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh wrote a letter to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, asking for “mobilization of Arab, Islamic and international support” in ending Israeli air strikes. (AP 5/20)

Iran’s president Hassan Rouhani said that the country had reached an agreement in principle with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action signatories about complying with and having the U.S. rejoin the deal. (HA 5/20)

U.S. senator and chair of the Senate budget committee Bernie Sanders (D-VT) said he would introduce a resolution of disapproval of a $735 million arms sale to Israel. (AJ, ALM, HA, REU 5/20)

At the UN, U.S. ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that the U.S. had “not been silent,” despite blocking UN security council statements criticizing the violence from the latest escalation between Hamas and Israel. UN general-secretary António Guterres said he was “deeply shocked by the continued air and artillery bombardment” of Gaza and said that Gaza’s children lived in “hell on Earth.” No unified statement was released by the UN general assembly. (AJ, AJ, ALM, HA, REU 5/20)

1 Jewish AP reporter was fired after Stanford University College Republicans criticized her for pro-Palestinian activism while she was a student at the school, before she was hired at AP. Later, more than 100 AP journalists wrote an open letter to AP criticizing the decision. (SFGATE 5/20; FOX, MEE, MEMO 5/21; MEE 5/22; MEE 5/24)

The foreign minister of Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia visited Israel upon the invitation of Israeli foreign minister Gabi Ashkenazi to be briefed on the Israeli-Hamas escalation. In meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the 3 foreign ministers were shown parts of a drone that had been shot down on 5/18 that Netanyahu claimed was Iranian. (ALM, HA 5/20)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers opened fire at Hizma, causing damage. Israeli settlers also attacked a Palestinian TV crew near Hebron covering the killing of 1 Palestinian woman (see below). Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian near Hebron, claiming that she had opened fire at soldiers and settlers with an M16 rifle; no Israelis were injured. Israeli forces seriously wounded 1 Palestinian near Jaba‘. Israeli forces also sealed off the entrances to Silwad and Kafr al-Dik. Elsewhere, Israeli forces fired tear gas and stun grenades at a car repair shop near al-Za‘ayyem, causing a fire damaging several vehicles. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Huwwara, injuring 2 with rubber-coated bullets and 15 with tear gas. Separately, Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Qalqilya, al-Arqa, and al-Bireh, leading to tear-gas related injuries. 29 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Bani Na‘im, al-Dhariyya, al-Ubaydiyya, Tuqu‘, al-Ram, Birzeit, Bil‘in, Beita, Madama, Tell, Qabatiya, Silat al-Harithiyya, al-Tamun, Tubas, and Qalqilya. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers assaulted church officials at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, causing injuries and 1 hospitalization. 8 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Shu‘fat and Shaykh Jarrah. In Gaza, 13 Palestinians were killed, including 2 children and 1 pregnant woman, and many were injured, raising the comprehensive death toll since 5/10 from 219 to 232, including 65 children and 3 pregnant women. The casualties included: 4, including 1 pregnant woman and 1 child, and 2 were wounded in air strikes on 2 houses in Dayr al-Balah; 2, including 1 child, during air strikes in Jabaliya; 2 in air strikes on apartment buildings in Gaza City; 1, and 1 child wounded in artillery shelling in Bayt Hanun; 1 by live ammunition while on agricultural lands east of Juhur al-Dik; 1 Palestinian succumbed to wounds sustained on 5/13 during an air strike on Bayt Hanun; 2 bodies of unidentified Palestinians arrived at al-Shifa Hospital. 7 residential buildings and 1 youth center were demolished in Israeli attacks on Khan Yunis. In Israel, 1 Palestinian-Israeli minor who was shot and injured by Israeli police while sitting in a car with friends in Umm al-Fahm on 5/18 succumbed to his injuries. 1 Israeli man stabbed and injured 1 Palestinian worker from the West Bank in Holon. 58 Palestinian citizens of Israel were reported arrested after the general strike and mass protest on 5/18. 1 Israeli was lightly wounded by a rocket from Gaza in Sderot, 2 other rockets caused damage. 4 rockets were fired at the Haifa and ‘Akka areas from Lebanon; no damage or injuries were reported. Israel subsequently shelled areas of Lebanon; no damage or injuries were reported. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, HA, MEE, PCHR, REU, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/19; AJ, AJ, HA, HA, MEMO, PCHR, PCHR, WAFA 5/20; HA, MEE, MEMO 5/21; NYT 5/26)

Hamas said it estimated that $92 million’s worth of damage was sustained to residential buildings and non-governmental offices since 5/10. $22 million’s worth of damage was sustained to the power grid as people in Gaza only are receiving 3-4 hours of electricity a day. Hamas also said that Gaza’s water supply is hard hit with 95% of the water unfit for drinking. (HA 5/20)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas said in a speech that his efforts to hold elections are ongoing, and that he is “ready to form an internationally accepted unity government.” President Abbas also discussed the situation in Gaza and East Jerusalem with UN secretary-general António Guterres. (WAFA, WAFA 5/19; ALM 5/21)

PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh spoke with EU representative Sven Kühn von Burgsdorff in Ramallah, calling on the EU to pressure Israel to stop its aggression in East Jerusalem and Gaza. Prime Minister Shtayyeh also spoke with Facebook executives about Facebook’s censuring of Palestinian voices on its platforms. (WAFA, WAFA 5/19)

An Israeli court ruled that Israeli forces had violated international law when they shot and killed 1 Palestinian 14-year-old in 2004 near Rafah, but that the family was not entitled to compensation, citing a wartime action principle. The Israeli soldiers shot her after she ran away from them as they fired warning shots. After she ran from the soldiers, they fired at her back and the commander shot her again as she lie dead on the ground. The commander was acquitted of all charges at an Israeli military court the year after. (HA 5/20)

A spokesperson for the Israeli military said that it had been trying to assassinate the head of Hamas’s military division Mohammed Deif throughout the duration of the ongoing attack on Gaza. Hamas later told AP that Deif is still alive and in charge of its military operations. (HA 5/19; AP 5/20)

1 Israeli journalist from Channel 20 was fired after saying, during a live broadcast, that “[o]ne [rocket] has fallen on a soccer field in a large Arab community [Shefa-Amr, a Palestinian-Israeli community]. Regretfully for us, it did not result in mass deaths there.” The rocket that the Israeli journalist Kobi Finkler was referring to was fired from Lebanon. (AJ, HA 5/20)

Haaretz reported that applications for gun licenses in Israel had risen 7-fold in the past weeks as violence had been rising in Israel. (HA 5/19)

The UNRWA appealed to have the Erez and Kerem Shalom crossings opened for humanitarian access. (AJ 5/19)

U.S. president Joe Biden spoke to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging him to de-escalate the violence, according to a White House readout. It was the 4th time the 2 spoke in a week. Prime Minister Netanyahu said later in a statement that he was “determined to carry on with the attacks until calm and security are restored to Israeli citizens.” It was also reported that Egypt had secured a ceasefire agreement in principle between Hamas and Israel. Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said calm could only be restored if Israel stopped its attack on Jerusalem and Gaza. Netanyahu also told some 70 foreign diplomats that he is considering sending group troops to Gaza to “conquer” it. (AJ, AJ, ALM, AP, AX, HA, HA, MEE, REU 5/19; AP, AP, AX 5/20) 

A letter circulated among House Democrats by Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) called for the U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken to work toward a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, and to provide humanitarian relief to Gaza. The letter also called for more than doubling the U.S. funding to the UNRWA, bringing the U.S. funding back to the level it was before the Trump administration ended all funding. Separately, more than 130 members of the House called on an immediate ceasefire. 3 Democrats in the House, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Mark Pocan (D-WI), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) also introduced a resolution aimed at blocking the $735 million’s worth of arms to Israel. In the Senate, senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) introduced a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire, saying that every Palestinian and Israeli life matters; 8 other Democrats later co-sponsored the resolution. (AJ, HA, HA, HA, REU, Twitter 5/19; AJ 5/20)

Facebook said it has set up a center to monitor Arabic and Hebrew content deemed inflammatory or otherwise violating Facebook’s policies. Facebook has been criticized for silencing Palestinian voices on its social media platforms, including Instagram and WhatsApp. (WAFA 5/19; HA 5/20)

250 employees at Alphabet, the parent company of Google, wrote an open letter calling for Alphabet to review all business contracts, terminating those “with institutions that support violations of Palestinian rights,” including the Israeli military. The letter also called for not stifling free speech on Palestine. (AJ, HA, MEE, WAFA 5/19)

At the UN, the U.S. again refused to support a UN security council (UNSC) statement calling for an immediate ceasefire after intensified pressure from France. This was the 4th time the UNSC had met to discuss the escalation between Hamas and Israel since it began and the 4th time that the U.S. has blocked a statement. (AX 5/18; AJ, REU 5/19; HA 5/20)

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa said to France24 that the situation in Gaza, particularly the bombing of homes and confinement to the strip, reminded him of apartheid in South Africa. When asked if Israel was an apartheid state, President Ramaphosa said that the country is an apartheid type of state. (F24 5/19; MEMO, WAFA 5/20; AM 5/21)

Norway’s wealth fund divested from 2 companies, Shapir Engineering and Industry Ltd. and Mivne Real Estate KD Ltd., due to the companies’ involvement in Israeli settlement activity. (AJ 5/20; MEMO 5/21)

Ireland announced $1.83 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza. (WAFA 5/20)

The Iranian Red Crescent said it would donate $100,000 to the Palestinian Red Crescent to help treat the wounded in Gaza. (WAFA 5/19)

UNRWA called for extra funding of $38 million to help the organization with its humanitarian efforts after the attacks on Gaza. (WAFA 5/19; AJ 5/20)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked 2 Palestinians in al-Zubeidat. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian minor using live ammunition during a confrontation in al-‘Arub refugee camp. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Husan, leading to tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Hebron, leading to tear-gas related injuries. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians protesting in Jenin, leading to tear-gas related injuries. Palestinian protests were also held in Qabatiya and Rumana. 8 Palestinians were arrested, including 7 during late-night raids in Dayr Abu Mash‘al, Jenin, Jericho, and Bayt Rima; 1 was arrested while in a park in Jenin. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers raided the Bab al-Rahma cemetery at the Haram al-Sharif compound. 3 Palestinians were arrested during raids in al-Tur, the Old City, and Silwan. In Gaza, 13 Palestinians were killed, including 2 children, and dozens were injured, raising the comprehensive death toll since 5/10 from 203 to 216, including 62 children and 2 pregnant women. The casualties included: 1 in an air strike on a house in Jabaliya; 1 while driving a car near Gaza City; 4 by an Israeli air strike near a seaside café west of Gaza City; 2, including 1 child, in an air strike on an apartment building in Gaza City; 1 child, and 1 child was wounded during an air strike at a house in Dayr al-Balah; 1, and 1 injured in an air strike in Abasan; 2, and 2 injured in a drone strike in Bayt Lahiya; 1 succumbed to wounds sustained on 5/13 during an air strike on the American Hospital west of Bayt Lahiya; 1 Palestinian was found in rubble from a massive air strike that killed 43 in Gaza City on 5/16, raising the death toll from that strike to 44. Israel also conducted large-scale air attacks on al-Bureij, Nuseirat refugee camp, Dayr al-Balah, Gaza City, and Khan Yunis, causing extensive damage and injuries; among the buildings damaged was the Gaza COVID-19 vaccination center and a large bookstore. It was reported that several power lines had been destroyed, making the electricity supply to Gaza even worse. In Israel, 1 Jewish-Israeli man was killed by Palestinian-Israeli stone-throwers in Lydda. Israel said 6 rockets were fired from Lebanon toward Israel, but landed in Lebanese territory; Israel subsequently attacked areas of Lebanon. (AP, HA 5/16; AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, HA, MEE, MEE, PCHR, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/17; PCHR 5/18; HA, MEE 5/19; PCHR 5/20; MEE 5/21; NYT 5/26)

The Fatah central committee called for a general strike to protest evictions of Palestinians from East Jerusalem and the Israeli attacks on Gaza on 5/18. A similar call was made by the High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of Israel on 5/16. (MEE, WAFA 5/17)

PA civil affairs minister Hussein al-Sheikh, general intelligence chief Majid Faraj, and advisor for the president on diplomatic affairs Majdi Khaldi met with U.S. deputy assistant secretary for Israel and Palestinian affairs Hady Amr in Ramallah. The trio urged the U.S. to pressure Israel to stop its attack on Gaza and evictions of Palestinians in East Jerusalem. Deputy Assistant Secretary Amr also met with PA president Mahmoud Abbas and PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh. (AJ, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/17)

U.S. president Joe Biden called for a ceasefire during a phone call with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (AJ, AX, NPR, REU 5/17; AJ, AP, HA 5/18; AP 5/19)

Amnesty International said Israel’s attacks on Gaza must be investigated as war crimes, given their targeting of residential homes. (AI 5/17; WAFA 5/19)

In the West Bank, 1 Palestinian minor, shot by Israeli forces on 5/12, succumbed to his wounds. Israeli settlers shot and injured 1 Palestinian while raiding Bani Na‘im. Israeli settlers with military escort also raided Silat al-Harithiyya, leading to confrontations; no injuries were reported. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers also blocked a main road to al-Bireh and threw stones at Palestinian vehicles, causing damage. Israeli settlers also threw stones at Palestinian vehicles near Bayt Jala and al-Walaja. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian using live ammunition during a Nakba Day protest in Zeita, near Tulkarm. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Aida refugee camp, causing tear-gas related injuries. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Tura, injuring 1 with live ammunition. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters at a checkpoint near Huwwara, injuring 1 with a rubber-coated bullet; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Separately, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Hebron, injuring 1 with live ammunition and 1 with rubber-coated bullets; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Bayt Umar, leading to tear-gas related injuries. 7 Palestinians were arrested, including 2 during house raids in al-Khadir and Dura, and 5 during protests near Jenin. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers with military escort raided Bayt Hanina and Shu‘fat refugee camp, leading to confrontations; 2 Palestinians were injured by the Israeli forces in Bayt Hanina. Israeli settlers later raided Shu‘fat refugee camp again, injuring 2 Palestinians with live ammunition. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian, saying he had intentionally rammed 7 officers, who were lightly injured, in Shaykh Jarrah; 1 journalist was physically assaulted at the scene and others had stun grenades thrown at them. 25 Palestinians were arrested. In Gaza, 50 Palestinians were killed, including 19 children, and dozens were injured, raising the comprehensive death toll since 5/10 from 153 to 203, including 60 children and 2 pregnant women. The casualties included: 43, including 19 children, and dozens wounded in air strikes hitting residential buildings in Gaza City; 1, and 2 wounded in a drone strike in Jabaliya; 1, and 11 injured in air strikes on a residential buildings in Nuseirat; 3 in air strikes on Bayt Hanun; 2 in a drone strike on a house in Rafah. Israel also attacked and demolished the homes of Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar and his brother in Khan Yunis; no injuries were reported in the air strikes. In Israel, rockets from Gaza hit 1 house in Ashdod and damaged 5 vehicles in Ashkelon; no injuries were reported. Israel’s defense minister Benny Gantz extended the state of emergency in Lydda for 48 hours. Israel arrested 1 Palestinian-Israeli imam Shaykh Kamal Khatib, the deputy leader of the northern faction of the Islamic Movement in Israel, saying he had made incendiary remarks about Israel’s attacks on al-Aqsa Mosque. 28 people were wounded in a subsequent protest in Kafr Kana where he was arrested, including many by Israeli live ammunition. 8 Palestinian-Israelis were arrested in Taiba and Qalansawe. 2 Jordanian citizens were arrested in Gilboa after having crossed from Jordan into Israel. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, CNN, HA, HA, NPR, NYT, PCHR, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/16; PCHR 5/17; ALM 5/19; HA, PCHR 5/20; MEE 5/21; HA 5/25; NYT 5/26; AP 6/2; NYT 6/24)

Egypt opened the Rafah crossing 1 day earlier than planned to allow the passage of students and medical patients. 95 Palestinians were reported to have been evacuated to Egypt for treatment of injuries before the border officially reopened. (HA, REU 5/16)

2 Israeli settlers were killed and 150 were injured when a structurally unsound seating area collapsed in a synagogue in Givat Ze’ev. (AJ, AP, CNN, HA, REU 5/16)

The High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of Israel announced a general strike on 5/18 to protest attacks on members of its community. (HA 5/16)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke to Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte about the Israeli escalation of violence in the Palestinian territories. (WAFA 5/16)

Haaretz reported that Israeli senior officials did not consider a ceasefire option at its latest security cabinet meeting. (HA 5/16)

Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz met with U.S. deputy assistant secretary for Israel and Palestinian affairs Hady Amr. U.S. president Joe Biden said in an Eid holiday speech that his “administration is going to continue to engage Palestinians and Israelis and other regional partners to work toward sustained calm.” Later, secretary of state Antony Blinken said that “the violence must end immediately.” Earlier in the day, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu had reiterated that his government has no plans for a ceasefire, saying the attacks on Gaza “will take time.” (AJ, HA 5/16; HA 5/17)

Jordanian king Abdullah II said that Jordan has been involved in intense diplomacy with its allies in Europe and the U.S. to put pressure on Israel to stop its attacks on Gaza. (HA, REU 5/16)

28 U.S. Democratic senators, led by Jon Ossoff (D-GA), called for an immediate ceasefire “[t]o prevent any further loss of civilian life and to prevent further escalation of conflict in Israel and the Palestinian territories.” (HA, NYT 5/17)

At a UN security council (UNSC) meeting on Israel-Palestine, UN secretary-general António Guterres said that the situation was “utterly appalling,” calling for an immediate ceasefire. He said the UN is actively involved in facilitating a ceasefire. This was the 3d time in a week that the UNSC met about the situation and the 3d time the U.S. stalled any joint statement. PA foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki said that “[e]ach time Israel hears a foreign leader speak of its right to defend itself it is further emboldened to continue murdering entire families in their sleep.” (AJ, AP, HA, WAFA, WAFA 5/16; TOI 5/17)

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation called for an immediate halt of Israeli attacks on Gaza and “systematic crimes” against Palestinians. Saudi Arabia also condemned Israel’s “fragrant violations” of Palestinian rights. PA foreign minister al-Maliki criticized the countries that had normalized relations with Israel, saying, “running towards this colonial Israeli system without achieving peace and ending the Israeli occupation of Arab and Palestinian lands represents support for the apartheid regime and participation in its crimes.” (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA 5/16)

Pope Francis, for the 2d Sunday in a row, denounced the escalation of violence in Israel and Palestine, saying that the death of children was a “sign that they don’t want to build the future but want to destroy it.” (HA 5/16; WAFA 5/17)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers vandalized 1 solar panel and 15 olive seedlings near ‘Urif. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Dura and Bayt Umar, leading to tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Hebron, injuring 13, including 5 with live ammunition and 8 with rubber-coated bullets; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Elsewhere, Israeli forces seized a caravan in Sabastiyya. 5 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Tarqumiyya and Jenin refugee camp; Israeli forces also seized a vehicle during a house raid in Aqraba. In East Jerusalem, 1 Israeli settler rammed Palestinians with his vehicle near the Old City, causing injuries; Palestinians were throwing stones at the vehicle but it was unclear what transpired before the ramming, which appeared in a video. Israeli settlers also attacked Palestinians in Shaykh Jarrah during a tour of the neighborhood by 2 Israeli lawmakers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. Israeli forces attacked Palestinian worshipers with tear gas, sound bombs, and rubber-coated bullets at the Haram al-Sharif compound, injuring more than 305 people, including inside of al-Aqsa Mosque where a sound bomb caught a carpet on fire. Israeli forces prevented the Palestinian Red Crescent from entering the compound. Israel also reversed its decision from 5/9 to allow Jewish worshipers to enter the Haram al-Sharif compound for the Israeli celebration of Jerusalem Day. The Jerusalem Day march was later canceled by its organizers as Israeli police decided to prevent the settler march to go through the Damascus Gate plaza. Israeli forces also confiscated the keys to the al-Aqsa Mosque from the Islamic Waqf. Also at the Haram al-Sharif compound, Israeli police were filmed beating up an Israeli-accredited Palestinian journalist covering the events for Anadolu Agency. The Palestinian Red Crescent said that 612 Palestinians were injured throughout Jerusalem, including 333 who were hospitalized. In Gaza, Israeli started a military operation later dubbed “Guardian of the Wall” after Hamas fired rockets at Israel, giving Israel hours to leave the Haram al-Sharif compound. Hamas had earlier in the day warned Israel that it would fire rockets at 6 p.m. if Israel did not remove its forces from the holy places. 20 Palestinians were killed, including 9 children, and dozens were injured. The casualties included: 2, including 1 child, in 1 drone strike at Jabaliya; 10, including 6 children in 2 drone strikes at Bayt Hanun, with 32 others wounded, including 12 children; and 1, with 2 injured, in an Israeli air strike in Khan Yunis. 7 were also killed, including 1 child, and 34 were injured in Jabaliya in an explosion that was not conclusively attributed to an Israeli air strike. Additionally, damage was sustained in al-Bureij refugee camp, al-Qarara, and Rafah. In Israel, 1 Palestinian citizen of Israel was shot dead and 1 other injured by 1 Jewish-Israeli in Lydda; 3 Jewish-Israelis were arrested. Israeli forces later violently dispersed Palestinian-Israeli protesters at the Lydda city hall. In Ramla, Jewish-Israelis threw stones at Palestinian-Israelis and their property and set fire to trash cans. Israeli police dispersed Palestinian-Israeli protesters in Nazareth, Kafr Kana, Kafr Manda, Shefa-Amr, Majdal Krum, Dayr Khana, Umm al-Fahm, Baka al-Garbiyeh, Taiba, Jaffa, Haifa, and Jaljulya; 46 were arrested. The Knesset was evacuated after a rocket from Gaza landed in the vicinity of Jerusalem. (HA 5/9; AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AX, FOX, GDN, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, MEE, MEE, MEE, MEE, MEMO, NYT, PCHR, REU, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/10; ALM, HA, HA, MEE, PCHR, PCHR 5/11; ALM, HA, WAFA 5/12; WAFA 5/19; MEE 5/21; NYT 5/26)

Israel closed all crossings to Gaza and the sea for fishing as collective punishment for rockets fired at Israel. (PCHR 5/10)

The PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh and the PA presidency condemned Israel’s attack on the Haram al-Sharif compound and called on the international community to take action. The PA civil affairs minister Hussein al-Sheikh said the Palestinian leadership is “examining all options to respond to this heinous aggression against the holy sites and the citizens.” PA president Mahmoud Abbas also discussed the situation with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/10)

Leader of the Ra’am (United Arab List) Mansour Abbas said that he had broken off contacts with Israeli opposition leaders Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett just before he was to have a joint meeting with them, citing the violence in Jerusalem and Gaza. Mansour Abbas met with Naftali Bennett on 5/9. (ALM, HA 5/10; ALM, HA, MEMO, NBC 5/11)

Israel attacked Syria in the Quneitra region with a helicopter, injuring 1. (HA 5/10)

Iran confirmed that it is in direct talks with Saudi Arabia to resolve the issues between the 2 countries. A Saudi official confirmed the talks on 5/7. (AJ, HA, REU 5/10)

The U.S. said 1 of its Coast Guard ships had fired 30 warning shots at 13 Iranian vessels that came too close to the ship and 6 other U.S. navy vessels. Iran said that it was the U.S. that had acted recklessly in the encounter. (AJ, HA, REU 5/10; AP, MEMO 5/11)

UN security council members met at an emergency session to discuss the situation in Palestine-Israel. No statement was issued after the meeting. U.S. state department spokesperson Ned Price said that the U.S. administration wanted to make sure that a statement would “not escalate tensions.” Spokesperson Price also refused to say if the U.S. condemned the Israeli air strike that killed 9 Palestinian children, and suggested that Palestinians, contrary to Israelis, do not have the right to defend themselves, saying that only states recognized by the U.S. have that right. (HA, MEE 5/11)

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian farmlands near Rafah and Khan Yunis, causing no damage. They also arrest 2 Palestinians attempting to cross into Israel near Jabaliya refugee camp. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries (1 fisherman is arrested and his boat is confiscated). In the West Bank, Israeli settlers raze a swath of Palestinian land to set up an illegal settlement outpost near Nablus. Also near Nablus, settlers also uproot 33 olive trees from a Palestinian grove and throw stones at Palestinian vehicles, causing no reported damage or injuries. Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian barn and uproot a number of nearby trees outside al-‘Arub refugee camp near Hebron. They also deliver stop-work orders to a Palestinian home under construction near Hebron. IDF troops arrest 10 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Qalqilya, Ramallah, Salfit, Jenin, and Nablus; and patrol near Nablus and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, dozens of right-wing Jewish activists tour Haram al-Sharif in the morning. Israeli forces arrest 1 Palestinian during raids in the Old City. (MNA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/10; MNA, MNA, WAFA 3/11; PCHR 3/14)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas appoints senior Fatah official Mohammed Shtayyeh prime minister, replacing outgoing prime minister Rami Hamdallah. Abbas calls on Shtayyeh to form a new government that can work toward reuniting Gaza and the West Bank and prepare for a new round of elections. Meanwhile, PA finance minister Shukri Bishara announces that the PA will only be paying 50% of its civil servants’ salaries for 2/2019 due to budget constraints stemming from Israel’s decision to withhold a fraction of the tax revenues transferred monthly to the PA. (AP, HA, MNA, REU, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, YA 3/10; MNA 3/11)

A Palestinian minor succumbs to injuries sustained when IDF troops violently dispersed Palestinian demonstrations along Gaza’s border fence on 2/22. This brings the death toll stemming from the Great March of Return to 208. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 3/11; EI 3/13)

Hours after the Israeli Air Force bombed several Hamas sites across Gaza, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that Hamas should not expect Israel to abstain from a full-scale assault on Gaza because there is an Israeli election coming up on 4/9. “I suggest to Hamas—don’t count on it,” he adds. “We will do everything necessary to restore security and quiet to the area adjacent to the Gaza Strip and to the south in general.” (TOI 3/10)

In response to an Israeli television personality saying that Israel is a country for all its citizens, Israeli prime minister Netanyahu says that Israel is a state for Jews alone. “Israel is not a state of all its citizens. According to the Nation-State Law that we passed, Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish People—and them alone.” (HA 3/11)

Japan announces a $7 million contribution to UNRWA to support Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and Syria. (MNA, WAFA 3/10)

Unidentified Palestinians launch an incendiary balloon from Gaza into southern Israel, where it lands in an open area, causing no damage or injuries. Later, hundreds of Palestinians gather along the border fence near Jabaliya refugee camp to continue the Great March of Return. IDF troops violently disperse them, injuring 3 protesters (1 Israeli soldier is reportedly injured when a Palestinian throws an explosive across the border fence). Israeli artillery then shell 2 Hamas observation posts in the area, causing damage. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Khan Yunis, Jabaliya refugee camp, and Rafah, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers assault a Palestinian shepherd and steal 2 of his sheep in the northern Jordan Valley. Settlers also assault a Palestinian vegetable vendor in Jenin, causing minor injuries. IDF troops arrest 4 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Tubas, Hebron, Tulkarm, and Jenin; and patrol near Qalqilya and Hebron. One raid in Tulkarm sparks minor clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian minors; there are no reported injuries or arrests. In East Jerusalem, Israeli police seal al-Rahma Gate leading into Haram al-Sharif. The move reportedly comes in response to certain Palestinian officials praying at the gate last week. (MNA, MNA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 2/17; HA, JP, MNA, MNA, TOI 2/18; PCHR 2/21)

Implementing legislation passed in 7/2018, Israel’s security cabinet approves a deduction to the monthly transfers of tax revenues to the PA equal to that which the PA distributes in stipends to Palestinians imprisoned in connection with serious crimes against Israelis and the families of Palestinians killed in connection with such crimes. The cuts are expected to total NIS 502,697,000 (approximately $138 million) over a 12-month period. In response, a PA spokesperson calls the Israeli decision “arbitrary” and says that it will be “given a priority” in the Palestinian leadership’s discussions in the coming days. (HA, MNA, TOI, TOI, WAFA, YA 2/17)

Hamas security forces forcibly prevent PA security forces from staffing the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom border crossing, according to the PA (Hamas claims that the PA troops left of their own free will). A senior Hamas official says that Hamas is carrying out “necessary security measures.” Sources in Gaza say that Hamas suspects the PA security forces are allowing Israel to transfer espionage equipment into Gaza. Hamas is reportedly demanding that PA staffers in Gaza submit to questioning and background checks. (HA, TOI 2/17)

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian shepherds working near Khan Yunis, causing no damage or injuries. Later, they open fire on Palestinian minors approaching the border fence near Gaza City, injuring 1. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli forces cut down or uproot at least 520 olive trees in a Palestinian grove outside Bardala village near Jericho. They also demolish a recently repaired road outside Hebron and a Palestinian home between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. IDF troops arrest 2 Palestinian brothers at a checkpoint in central Hebron when one of them is found with a knife on his person; arrest 8 more Palestinians during late-night raids near Salfit, Jenin, Tulkarm, and Hebron; and patrol near Hebron. The raids in Jenin refugee camp spark clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; 1 Palestinian is lightly injured. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian imam while he is leaving his mosque in Silwan and demolish a Palestinian home in al-Walaja village. (MNA, MNA, MNA, TOI, WAFA, WAFA 2/11; MNA 2/12; PCHR 2/14)

Two Palestinians suffocate to death and several others are injured when Egyptian forces pump unidentified gases into a smuggling tunnel running from Gaza into northeastern Sinai Peninsula. (JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 2/11)

A U.S. official denies that the Trump administration has asked U.S. and international financial institutions to stop transactions with the Palestinians, denying a charge leveled by a senior PA official on 2/10. “The U.S. has not requested that foreign donors restrict assistance to the Palestinians, nor has it requested that financial institutions cease transfers to Palestinian Authority (PA) bank accounts,” the official says. (AFP, TOI 2/12)

U.S. representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) apologizes for her 2/10 tweet about Israeli influence in U.S. politics. “Anti-Semitism is real and I am grateful for Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the painful history of anti-Semitic tropes,” she writes in an apology statement. “At the same time, I reaffirm the problematic role of lobbyists in our politics, wither it be AIPAC, the NRA, or the fossil fuel industry.” (NYT 2/11; CNN 2/12)

Israeli forces strike a demolished hospital and an observation post along the Syria-Israel border in Qunaytra, causing moderate damage, according to the Syrian press. An IDF spokesperson declines comment. (HA, JP, REU, TOI, YA 2/11)

Unidentified Palestinians fly an incendiary device from Gaza into southern Israel attached to a cluster of balloons, where it lands in an open area in the Sdot Negev Regional Council. IDF troops detonate the device, causing no damage or injuries. In response, the Israeli Air Force conducts 3 air strikes on Hamas sites in Khan Yunis, Gaza City, and Bayt Hanun, causing extensive damage. Also along Gaza’s border, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians gathering to continue the Great March of Return near al-Bureij refugee camp; 1 Palestinian is injured. They also open fire on Palestinian farmland near Rafah, Gaza City, Bayt Hanun, and Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, following the shooting attack on an Israeli settler vehicle at the nearby Beit El checkpoint on 1/5, IDF troops conduct raids in al-Bireh overnight, confiscating surveillance tapes and sparking clashes with stone-throwing residents of the area throughout the day; several Palestinians are injured (1 critically). They also arrest 5 Palestinians and issue 1 arrest summons during late-night raids near Ramallah, Jenin, Hebron, and Tubas; and patrol near Hebron and Nablus. Israeli settlers uproot 60 olive and almond trees from a Palestinian grove near Hebron. (HA, JP, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, YA 1/6; PCHR 1/10)

Following a week of increasing tensions between Fatah and Hamas, the Fatah-dominated PA announces plans to remove its staff from the Rafah border crossing on 1/7. “This decision comes in the light of recent developments and brutal practices of the de facto gangs,” reads the PA statement. “Since we took over the Rafah crossing, Hamas has been obstructing the work of our crew there. We had to bear a lot in order to give the opportunity for the Egyptian effort to end the division.” The PA took control of the Gaza side of the Rafah border crossing in the context of the 10/12/17 Hamas-Fatah reconciliation agreement, which was never fully implemented. (JP, REU, WAFA 1/6)

U.S. ambassador to Israel David Friedman says that the Trump administration’s long-awaited Palestinian-Israeli peace plan will likely not be released for at least several more months. “We want to release it a way that gives it the best chance of getting a good reception,” he says, adding that the upcoming Israeli elections on 4/9 are “a factor, but not the only factor.” Meanwhile, U.S. national security advisor John Bolton meets with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. Following the meeting, Bolton says that the U.S.-Israel relationship has never been stronger than it is now under Netanyahu and U.S. president Donald Trump. (HA, JP, JP, TOI 1/6)

In an interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes, Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi says that Egypt’s military coordination with Israel is at its “closest ever.” He adds, “We have a wide range of cooperation with the Israelis.” (AJ, CBS, HA 1/6)

Approximately 1,500 right-wing Jewish activists visit Joseph’s Tomb near Nablus overnight, sparking clashes between their IDF escort and Palestinian residents of the area; 20 Palestinians are injured, including 2 journalists. Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops raid a Palestinian boys school near Nablus, sparking minor clashes; there are no reported injuries. They also arrest 3 Palestinians during raids in Qalqilya; and patrol near Hebron and Tulkarm. Separately, PA security forces arrest dozens of Hamas affiliates during raids across the West Bank. The raids come one day after Hamas security forces summoned dozens of Fatah members for interrogation in Gaza. In East Jerusalem, approximately 1135 right-wing Jewish activists tour Haram al-Sharif to commemorate Sukkot, sparking minor confrontations between their Israeli security escort and Palestinian worshippers; there are no reported injuries or arrests. Israeli forces arrest 8 Palestinians during raids in Qalandia refugee camp, Biddu, and the Old City. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct limited incursions to level land near Khan Yunis and Bayt Lahiya. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. (MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, TOI, TOI, WAFA, WAFA 9/27; PCHR 10/4)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas addresses the UN General Assembly in New York City, calling on the Trump administration to reverse its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, reinstate aid to UNRWA, and oppose Israel’s settlement enterprise. “It is ironic that the [Trump] administration still talks about what they call the ‘Deal of the Century,’” he says. “But what is left for this administration to give to the Palestinian people?" He also calls on Hamas to implement their 12/7/17 reconciliation agreement and give up control of Gaza to the PA. In response, Hamas releases a statement calling Abbas’s speech a “declaration of failure” on the stalled Palestinian reconciliation process. (HA, TOI, YA 9/27; DPA, HA, HA, JP, MNA, MNA, TOI, YA, YA 9/28)

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi says that Germany, Sweden, the EU, Japan, and Turkey, as well as a number of other countries, collectively pledged $118 million to UNRWA at a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York City this week. Meanwhile, the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee, the main policy-level fundraising body for the Palestinians, meets in New York to discuss an proposed humanitarian aid package for Gaza. (HA, JP, MNA 9/28; TOI 9/29)

After meeting with Rwandan president Paul Kagame, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu announces that Israel and Rwanda will soon open embassies in each other’s countries. Netanyahu also says Kagame wants to start a direct flight between Kigali and Tel Aviv. (TOI 9/29)

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops violently disperse dozens of Palestinians gathering near Rafah, Khan Yunis and Jabaliya refugee camp to continue the Great March of Return; 5 Palestinians are injured. Amid the demonstrations, an Israeli aircraft conducts an air strike on a protest camp near Rafah, causing damage. Separately, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land near Jabaliya refugee camp. On the other side of the border fence, Israeli firefighters put out 7 fires that were reportedly sparked by incendiary balloons and kites flown from Gaza. In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct raids in Rumana village near Jenin overnight, sparking minor clashes; several Palestinians are injured. They also arrest 5 Palestinians during further raids in and around Hebron, Qalqilya, and Nablus; and patrol near Hebron throughout the day. In East Jerusalem, approximately 362 right-wing Jewish activists tour Haram al-Sharif to commemorate Sukkot. Late at night, Israeli forces assault and arrest 2 Palestinians in Silwan. (MNA, MNA, MNA, WAFA, WAFA 9/26; MNA, PCHR 9/27)

On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York City, U.S. president Donald Trump meets with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. At a joint press conference, Trump says he thinks a “2-state solution will work best.” His statement marks the first time he has publicly expressed a preference for the 2-state solution while in office. Later in the day, Trump says that Netanyahu was “very nice” to him and that a 2-state solution is “more likely,” but that he would be “OK with 1 state, 2 states, whatever they want.” Netanyahu, for his part, tells Israeli reporters that Trump accepts that Israel should retain a military presence in the West Bank even if a 2-state solution is agreed upon. (HA, TOI, WAFA, YA 9/26; HA, HA, JP, WAFA, YA, YA 9/27)

Ahead of PA president Mahmoud Abbas’s planned address to the UN General Assembly on 9/27, Hamas denounces Abbas as an illegitimate representative of the Palestinian people. According to sources close to Hamas’s leadership, the statement stems from the Egyptian delegation’s visit to Gaza last week for talks on the stalled Palestinian reconciliation process. The Egyptians reportedly backed Abbas’s position that there could be no long-term cease-fire with Israel until Hamas and Fatah reconcile and the PA resumes control of Gaza. “Most of the donor countries, including the Arab countries, have adopted this line,” the source says. “So it looks like Hamas is losing the momentum to advance calm on a separate track from reconciliation, and the situation in Gaza is getting worse.” Meanwhile, Hamas security forces summon dozens of Fatah members for interrogation in Gaza. According to some reports from Gaza, they also threaten at least 1 print shop owner with “arrests and beatings” should he print any materials in support of PA president Abbas’s planned speech to the UN General Assembly on 9/27. (HA 9/26; TOI 9/27)

One day after the UK Labour Party endorsed a freeze on UK arms sales to Israel, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn says that he intends to recognize the State of Palestine if he is elected to lead the UK. (TOI, YA 9/26)

Along Gaza’s border, 10 Palestinians cut through the border fence near Rafah and set fire to an IDF post. They then return to Gaza. Israeli tanks shell a Hamas observation post in the area, causing no major damage or injuries. Late at night, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) conducts air strikes on Gaza City’s port and an allegedly Hamas-built tunnel east of the city; 2 boats are damaged and there are no major injuries. Meanwhile, IDF troops open fire on the Great March of Return tent camp near Khan Yunis, injuring 1 Palestinian. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp and Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, unidentified armed assailants open fire on an Israeli vehicle near Ramallah, causing no major damage or injuries. IDF troops arrest 2 Palestinians during late-night raids in Nablus and near Hebron and patrol in and around Qalqilya and Hebron. The raid in Nablus sparks minor clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; 1 Palestinian is injured. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 5/22; PCHR 5/24)

PA FM Riyad al-Maliki submits a formal request to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for an investigation into Israeli settlement policies in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which he calls “grave crime[s].” In response, ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda says that her office’s preliminary examination of alleged war crimes committed in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt), which began on 1/16/15, has seen “important progress.” (JP, MNA, NYT, TOI, WAFA, YA 5/22)

Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Bayt Lahiya on 2 separate occasions, causing no damage or injuries. Along Gaza’s border fence, IDF troops open fire on a Great March of Return tent camp near Khan Yunis, causing no damage or injuries. Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land near Jabaliya refugee camp. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 7 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 8 Palestinians during raids in Issawiyya and the Old City. (MNA 5/21; PCHR 5/24)

One week after the U.S. and Guatemala formally opened their new embassies in Jerusalem, Paraguayan president Horacio Cartes attends a similar ceremony to inaugurate the new Paraguayan embassy in the city. Meanwhile, a senior PA official says that the Palestinians are urging Arab states to cut ties with Guatemala and Paraguay over their embassy relocations. “A similar request was made regarding America after it relocated its embassy, but it was clear that no Arab nation would cut its ties with the U.S.,” the official says. (HA, JP, TOI, WAFA, YA 5/21)

Today, Great March of Return demonstrations see tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza gathering along the border fence to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Nakba, to protest the opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem today, and to call for the Palestinian refugees’ right to return to their homes. IDF troops violently disperse demonstrations near Khan Yunis, Rafah, Gaza City, al-Bureij refugee camp, and Jabaliya refugee camp; 58 Palestinians are killed, including 3 who allegedly attempted to plant an explosive along the border near Rafah, and more than 1,300 are injured. After unidentified assailants open fire on IDF patrols along the border near Jabaliya refugee camp, the IAF conducts air strikes on Hamas posts near Jabaliya refugee camp, al-Bureij refugee camp, and Gaza City, causing moderate damage. The killings today bring the death toll related to the Great March of Return to 102. Elsewhere in the oPt, thousands of Palestinians gather across the West Bank and Jerusalem to protest the official opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem today. They also release 70 black balloons in Ramallah, marking the 70th anniversary of the Nakba. IDF troops violently disperse the protests at Qalandia checkpoint, Bethlehem, and Hebron; at least 2 Palestinians are injured. Meanwhile, IDF troops arrest 19 Palestinians during latenight raids in and around Bethlehem, Jenin, Nablus, and Hebron; and patrol near Jenin and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 7 Palestinians during late-night raids in Issawiyya and the Old City. (AJ, EI, HA, JP, MEE, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 5/14; PCHR 5/17)

Hours after Israeli troops open fire on peaceful Palestinian protesters along the border fence in Gaza, senior U.S. and Israeli officials gather for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. In a recorded video, U.S. president Trump celebrates the opening and says the U.S. “remains fully committed to facilitating a lasting peace agreement” between Israel and the Palestinians. Outside the ceremony, Israeli police violently disperse approximately 200 protesters, including Joint List MKs Ahmad Tibi, Dov Khenin, Jamal Zahalka, Yousef Jabareen, and Masud Ganaim; 12 Palestinians are arrested. (AJ, BBC, JP, MEE, NYT, TOI 5/14; EI 5/15)

In the evening, the Palestinian leadership convenes in Ramallah to discuss the opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem and the violence in Gaza. PA president Abbas calls the new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem a “settlement outpost” and reiterates that he has no plans to engage in any U.S.-mediated peace talks “in any way, shape, or form.” The assembled officials decide to file a war crimes complaint against Israel to the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague over settlement construction in the West Bank. According to PLO secretary-general Erakat, they also agree to a number of other unspecified responses. (TOI 5/14; AP, YA 5/15)

The South African government recalls its ambassador to Israel and Turkey recalls its ambassadors from Israel and the U.S. in protest of the killings in Gaza today. “The victims were taking part in peaceful protests against the provocative inauguration of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem,” a South African statement reads. Meanwhile, the U.S. blocks the UNSC from adopting a Kuwait-backed statement condemning the deadly violence in Gaza and calling for an “independent and transparent investigation” into Israel’s actions. (ANA, TOI, WAFA 5/14; HA, TOI 5/15)

The Egyptian authorities open the Rafah border crossing in both directions for the 3d consecutive day. (AHR 5/14; OCHA 5/24)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers chop down approximately 30 olive trees in a Palestinian grove near Bethlehem, and assault a number of Palestinian students on their way home from school in Yatta near Hebron. Undercover Israeli soldiers conduct a raid in Burqin near Jenin, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; 6 Palestinians are injured and 1 is arrested. IDF troops arrest 13 Palestinians and confiscate 1 vehicle during late-night raids near Ramallah, Hebron, Tulkarm, Bethlehem, and Nablus; and patrol near Tulkarm, Qalqilya, and Hebron. One of the raids near Ramallah sparks clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; 1 Palestinian is injured. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 20 Palestinians during late-night raids in Shu‘fat refugee camp and 2 during raids in Issawiyya. A Palestinian demolishes his own home in Jabal Mukabir to avoid paying Israeli demolition fees. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian farmers working near Khan Yunis, causing no damage or injuries. Israeli forces conduct limited incursions to level land near Khan Yunis, Jabaliya refugee camp, and Dayr al-Balah. (WAFA 3/20, 3/21; PCHR 3/22)

The PA releases a statement calling on Hamas to transfer control of Gaza “all at once.” The statement comes 1 day after PA president Abbas accused Hamas of perpetrating the 3/13 assassination attempt on PM Hamdallah and threatened further restrictions on Gaza. (JP, TOI 3/20)

For the 6th consecutive Friday, Israeli forces violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international activists at protests against U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, as well as the killing of 2 Palestinians on 1/11, Israel’s settlements, separation wall, and occupation in Abu Dis, al-Bireh, Kafr Qaddum near Qalqilya, Budrus village near Ramallah, central Hebron, northern Bethlehem, 2 villages near Nablus (Beita and Bayt Furik), and along Gaza’s border near Gaza City, Khan Yunis, al-Bureij refugee camp, and Jabaliya refugee camp; 65 Palestinians are injured and at least 2 are arrested. Also along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian workers collecting plastic and other scraps from a landfill near Juhur al-Dik, causing no injuries. Meanwhile, IDF troops arrest 4 Palestinians during latenight raids in and around Hebron, Nablus, and Jenin; and patrol near Tulkarm and Nablus. Israeli forces raze a tract of land near the site of the 1/9 deadly shooting. They also arrest 5 Palestinians as they exit Haram al-Sharif. Israeli settlers throw stones at a Palestinian home south of Nablus, breaking a number of windows. Thousands of Palestinian mourners march through Iraq Burin and al-Maghazi refugee camp in funeral processions for the 2 Palestinians killed on 1/11. (MNA, WAFA 1/12; HA, MNA 1/13; PCHR 1/18)

U.S. pres. Trump announces that he is formally extending the waivers on U.S. sanctions on Iran, upholding the U.S. obligations under the 7/14/2015 nuclear agreement one last time. This last extension, he says, will give the U.S. time to negotiate a “follow on” agreement with its European allies before the next deadline for extending sanctions relief, 120 days hence. “In the absence of such an agreement, the U.S. will not again waive sanctions to stay in the Iran nuclear deal,” he says. “And if at any time I judge that such an agreement is not within reach, I will withdraw from the deal immediately,” At the same time, the U.S. Treasury imposes sanctions on 14 Iranian individuals, including the head of Iran’s judiciary, Sadeq Larijani. (AP, BBC, NYT, TOI 1/12)

For a 2d day in a row, Palestinians gather across the oPt to protest U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Israeli forces violently disperse them in al-Bireh, Hebron, Qalqilya, Bethlehem, Ramallah and nearby Nabi Salih, Nablus, Tulkarm, across East Jerusalem (Issawiyya, al-Tur, and the Old City), and along Gaza’s border near Khan Yunis, Jabaliya refugee camp, al-Bureij refugee camp, Rafah, and Gaza City; 2 Palestinians are killed, approximately 100 are injured (including 4 journalists), and at least 20 are arrested. Meanwhile, IDF troops shoot, injure, and arrest a Palestinian at the entrance to al-Bireh near Ramallah. Israeli soldiers also arrest 1 Palestinian, assault a 2d, and issue an arrest summons to a 3d during a late-night raid near Hebron; and patrol near Hebron throughout the day. In 3 separate incidents off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp and Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. (AP, HA, NYT, TOI, WAFA 12/8; EI, MNA, TOI, WAFA 12/9; PCHR 12/14)

Unidentified parties fire 3 rockets from Gaza toward Israel: 1 falls short of the border fence; 1 is intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system; and 1 lands in Sderot, damaging a number of cars. The IAF launches air strikes on 4 Hamas and PIJ sites in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza City, and Jabaliya refugee camp, killing 2 Hamas fighters and injuring at least 20 Palestinians, including a 6-month-old child. (EI, HA, MNA, REU, TOI, WAFA 12/9)

PLO secy.-gen. Saeb Erakat says that the Palestinians have decided not to engage in any talks with the U.S. until Pres. Trump reverses his 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. He also says that they are still evaluating what other steps to take in response. (AJ, TOI 12/8)

The UNSC convenes a special session to discuss Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. UNSC members England, France, Italy, Bolivia, Uruguay, Senegal, China, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, and Russia jointly reject the new U.S. policy on Jerusalem. Later, PA pres. Abbas welcomes “the international consensus condemning Trump’s announcement, as was apparent at the [UNSC] session this evening.” (HA, WAFA 12/8)

The Czech Foreign Ministry denies rumors that Pres. Zeman intends to move the Czech embassy to Jerusalem and reaffirms Czech commitment to European Union (EU) policy regarding the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, including the issue of Jerusalem. Later, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini confirms that the Czech Republic intends to conform to the EU’s position on Jerusalem. (HA, WAFA 12/8)

Thousands of Palestinians gather across the oPt to protest U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The IDF deploys additional battalions in the West Bank to quell the protests, and Israeli forces violently disperse them in Tulkarm, Bethlehem, Nablus, Jenin, Shu‘fat refugee camp, at a checkpoint near Ramallah, in the Old City of Jerusalem, and along Gaza’s border near Khan Yunis and al-Bureij refugee camp; at least 30 Palestinians are injured, including 9 with live ammunition, and 16 are arrested. Palestinians also observe a general strike throughout most of the oPt. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 14 Palestinians during raids in Issawiyya, Ras al-Amud, and Wadi al-Juz. (HA, MNA, NYT, REU, TOI, WAFA 12/7; PCHR 12/14)

Unidentified parties fire 3 rockets from Gaza toward Israel; 2 fall short of the border, and 1 lands in an open area in southern Israel, causing no damage or injuries. The IDF targets 2 Hamas positions in Gaza with artillery shelling and air strikes. (HA, MNA, WAFA 12/7)

In response to U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the Palestinian delegation at the UN files a formal complaint, requesting that the UN Security Council (UNSC) work toward reversing Trump’s decision. Senior PA official Jibril Rajoub says that U.S. VP Mike Pence, who is set to visit Israel and the oPt later this month, is “unwelcome in Palestine.” He says the Palestinians “will not welcome Trump’s deputy in the [oPt].” The response from the international community is near-universal condemnation, with few exceptions. Israeli PM Netanyahu says that some countries have reached out to discuss similar recognitions of Jerusalem. “I have no doubt than when the U.S. embassy will move there, and even before that, many embassies will relocate to Jerusalem,” he adds. Czech Republic pres. Miloš Zeman says Trump’s announcement made him “truly happy.”(HA, REU, TOI, WAFA 12/7; HA 12/8)

IDF troops conduct raids in Abu Dis nr. Jerusalem, sparking clashes with students at Al-Quds University; 6 students are injured. Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops raid the Silwad home of the family of the Palestinian driver who allegedly rammed and killed an Israeli on 4/6. They confiscate NIS 85,000 (approx. $23,000) and a vehicle during raids nr. Jenin; and patrol nr. Ramallah and Hebron. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land nr. Khan Yunis and arrest a Palestinian attempting to cross into Israel nr. Jabaliya r.c. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Jabaliya r.c. and again nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces ban 7 Palestinians from Haram al-Sharif for periods as long as 6 mos. (They have banned more than 40 Palestinians from the sanctuary in the past few weeks.) Meanwhile, 385 Jewish settlers tour the sanctuary; when a handful of them perform religious rites, guards escort them from the area. (JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 4/13; PCHR 4/20)

PA pres. Abbas says that he may take “unprecedented steps” to end the Hamas-Fatah rivalry that prevents the PA from taking control of Gaza. “These days, we are in a dangerous and tough situation that requires decisive steps, and we are [ready] to take these decisive steps. Therefore, we are going to take unprecedented steps in the coming days to end the division,” he says. Some analysts say that Abbas’s moves come in response to Hamas’s 3/16 announcement of the formation of a new comm. to administer Gaza. (TOI 4/13)

The Gaza-based Ministry of Interior announces that it will begin accepting applications for jobs in the security forces from female Palestinians. The change in policy marks the first time females will be hired as security forces since 2014. (MNA 4/13)

In Beijing, PA FM al-Maliki calls on China to play a more active role in the Palestinian peace effort, including support for Palestinian initiatives in international forums. China’s FM Wang Yi says that the fact that the Palestinians do not have a sovereign state yet is a “terrible injustice.” (HA, REU, WAFA 4/13)

Human Rights Watch (HRW) calls on the Egyptian govt. to “immediately disclose” whether or not it is detaining the 4 Palestinian men, all reportedly Hamas affiliates from Gaza, who were abducted on 8/19/2015 as they traveled by bus from the Rafah border crossing to Cairo. HRW says that Al Jazeera published a photograph purporting to show 2 of the men in a Cairo facility in 8/2016. The report reads, “incommunicado detention violates basic protections for both civilians and fighters under Egypt’s code of criminal procedure, which requires authorities to bring criminal suspects in front of a prosecutor within 24 hours and prosecutors to charge the detainee based on evidence or release the person immediately. It also violates international law, which requires that all detainees, regardless of their particular status, be brought ‘promptly’ (i.e., within days) before a judicial officer or equivalent to review the legality and necessity of their detention.” (HRW 4/13)

In Gaza, a Palestinian youth dies of an electric shock in a tunnel nr. Rafah. On 3 occasions, IDF troops stationed e. of Khan Yunis and e. of Jabaliya fire warning shots at Palestinian farmers approaching the border fence, causing no injuries. Off the coast nr. Jabaliya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage. In the West Bank, an Israeli military jeep hits and injures a Palestinian youth nr. Nablus. The IDF conducts house searches and raids in and around Hebron, 1 village nr. Jenin, and nr. Bethlehem, arresting 4 Palestinians and issuing summons to 2; patrols in and around Hebron, and 1 village each nr. Jenin and Jericho. Israeli forces level 18 dunams of land nr. Bethlehem. The PASF conducts raids in and around Tubas, arresting 22 Palestinians. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 3 Palestinians walking n. of the city. In Israel, an Israeli stabs a Palestinian worker at a construction site nr. Tel Aviv, moderately injuring him. In the Negev, Israeli forces demolish buildings in 2 bedouin villages nr. Beersheba. (JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 4/20; MNA, WAFA 4/21; PCHR 4/23)

The PA unity govt. delegation that arrived in Gaza on 4/19 departs for Ramallah, cutting short the planned weeklong visit that was meant to resolve ongoing issues, including the wage crisis. PA PM Hamdallah reportedly orders them to leave in response to Hamas officials’ obstructionism and makes plans to visit Gaza himself in 5/2015. (MNA, JP, YA 4/20; MNA 4/21)

IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Jabaliya fire warning shots at Palestinian farmers approaching the border fence, causing no damage or injuries. Off the coast nr. Jabaliya and later nr. Khan Yunis, Israeli naval vessels open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing damage. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and raids at night in and around Bethlehem, Hebron, and 1 village each nr. Jericho and Jenin, arresting 13 Palestinians; patrols in 5 villages nr. Ramallah and al-Fawar r. c. nr. Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces deliver demolition notices to 2 Palestinian homes; arrest 4 Palestinians on night raids in Silwan. (WAFA 4/19; EI 4/22; PCHR 4/23)

A PA unity govt. delegation travels to Gaza to address the ongoing wage crisis. Inter alia, they are tasked with counting the number of PA employees from before 2007 to determine how many of the Hamas-run govt.’s civil servants hired after 2007 can remain employed. Meanwhile, the Gaza Chamber of Commerce organizes a hearing about the National Solidarity Tax Law, which Hamas passed on 4/18 to levy a new import tax on “non-basic” goods. A number of local merchants criticize the new law, saying they will have to reduce their imports. (AFP, TOI 4/19; TOI 4/21, 4/22)

A PA court rules corruption charges against exiled Fatah leader Mohammad Dahlan “inadmissible,” concluding a high-profile trial that began in 12/2014. (AFP, MNA 4/19)

IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Jabaliya fire on Palestinian agricultural land nr. the border fence, causing damage. Meanwhile, IDF troops stationed e. of Khan Yunis fire on Palestinian protesters approaching the border fence, causing several to suffer from tear gas inhalation. Off the coast nr. Jabaliya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage. In the West Bank, IDF troops briefly detain the gov. of Ramallah and threaten her with “direct targeting” if she continues her participation in the weekly nonviolent protests in Nabi Salih. They also arrest a senior PA official at a demonstration in Nabi Salih nr. Ramallah commemorating Land Day (upcoming on 3/30). (He will be released on 3/29.) The IDF conducts house searches and raids in 1 village nr. Tulkarm; patrols in 3 villages nr. Ramallah, 2 each nr. Jericho and Hebron. Israeli settlers assault 4 Palestinian farmers in another village nr. Hebron, causing no injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct a raid in Silwan late at night. (MNA, WAFA 3/28; MNA 3/29; PCHR 4/2)

The 26th Arab League summit begins today, with reps. of all the mbrs. as well as UN Secy.- Gen. Ban, gathering in Sharm al-Shaykh, Egypt, to discuss the recent violence in Yemen, Palestinian affairs, and other issues. At the summit, PA Pres. Abbas says that Israel has not yet released the tax revenues that PM Netanyahu’s office said would be unfrozen on 3/27 and that the PA is still set to “to reevaluate our economic, political and security relationship with Israel.” (MNA 3/27; AFP, AP, HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 3/28; JP, JTA 3/29)

IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Khan Yunis fire on a group of Palestinians approaching the border fence, causing 3 to suffer from tear gas inhalation. Separately, IDF troops stationed e. of Rafah open fire on agricultural lands nr. the border fence, causing damage. In 2 incidents off the coast nr. Jabaliya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at demonstrations to commemorate Land Day, upcoming on 3/30, and protest Israel’s occupation in 6 areas nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih, Silwad, outside Ofer Prison, and Jalazun r.c.), and Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya; 10 Palestinians are moderately injured. The Israeli soldiers also cut off a main waterline into Kafr Qaddum, denying the village water for several hours. IDF troops also violently disperse Palestinian and international activists gathering in Abu Dis at the site of the “Gate of Jerusalem” protest tent camp. The IDF conducts house searches and raids in and around Hebron, arresting 1 Palestinian; conducts patrols in 2 villages nr. Hebron and 1 each nr. Jenin and Jericho. (MNA 3/27; PCHR 4/2)

The Israeli PM’s office announces that it is unfreezing tax revenue transfers to the PA that it has held as a punitive response to the Palestinian accession to the ICC since 1/2015. A statement announcing the move says that the total will be reduced by an undisclosed amount to pay portions of the PA’s debts to Israeli utility providers, such as the IEC. The PA FM criticizes the announced deductions, saying in a statement that they are “an unjustified and illegal procedure that could cause complications.” (AP, HA, JP, NYT, TOI 3/27; AFP, WAFA 3/28; JP 3/29)

French FM Fabius announces that, now that the 3/17 Israeli election has passed, he plans to explore the prospect of introducing another United Nations Security Council (UNSC) res. laying out parameters for a new round of Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. Meanwhile, an EU spokesperson announces that Hamas will remain a designated terrorist organization pending a decision on an appeal of the General Court’s 12/17/2014 removal of Hamas from the list. Similarly, the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, which the U.S. claims funneled money to Hamas, has been removed from the list since it was last published in 7/2014. (AFP, AP, HA, REU, TOI 3/27; AFP 3/28)

The PA unity govt. delegation led by PM Hamdallah meets with Fatah and Hamas officials in the Gaza Strip, concluding its 3-day trip. (MNA 3/26) The Egyptian attorney, Samir Sabri, who filed the original motion to designate Hamas a terrorist organization in Egypt withdraws his case, saying he hopes to remove “obstacles which Egypt’s political leadership might face in serving its role in the Palestinian reconciliation.” The Court of Urgent Matters, which designated Hamas a terrorist organization 2/28, is expected to reconsider its initial ruling, though it was only in part based on Sabri’s motion. (AHR, MNA 3/27)

The 28th regular session of the UNHRC concludes today after a mo. of meetings, with the council having agreed on 3 res. on the Palestinians. They reaffirm the Palestinians’ right to self-determination, confirm Palestinian rights to sovereignty over their natural resources, and condemn ongoing settlement growth in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. (TOI 3/27; MNA 3/28)

PA Pres. Abbas arrives in Sharm al-Shaykh, Egypt, to participate in an Arab League summit on 3/28 and 3/29. Ahead of the summit, the Arab League agrees to send a delegation to Washington to lobby the U.S. Congress and promote the Arab Peace Initiative. (WAFA 2/25; MNA 3/27; HA 3/28)

In the Gaza Strip, the IDF continues its assault with attacks on 41 targets, killing 11 Palestinians and injuring dozens. Israeli fighter jets and drones strike targets in n. Gaza, as well as nr. Gaza City, Khan Yunis, and Rafah, while IDF troops fire smoke bombs and live ammunition across the Israel-Gaza border in 1 location and Israeli artillery shelling hits 2 others. The armed Palestinian groups fire over 100 projectiles into Israel; of which, 3 land in urban areas, 73 land in open areas, and 17 are intercepted by Iron Dome batteries. Meanwhile, Hamas executes 4 alleged collaborators with Israel in the courtyard of a mosque in Jabaliya r.c. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts patrols in Hebron and 2 nearby villages, as well as 1 village nr. Ramallah. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces clash with a group of Palestinian youth outside a checkpoint nr. Shu‘fat, and 1 Palestinian is wounded when the soldiers open fire with tear gas and rubbercoated metal bullets. (AFP, AP, HA, MNA 8/23; PCHR 8/28)

Following talks between Hamas leader Mishal and PA Pres. Abbas in Doha on 8/21 and 8/22, Hamas publicly agrees to support Abbas’s application to join the ICC. According to PLO chief negotiator Erakat, only Islamic Jihad has not yet approved the document Abbas is asking all Palestinian factions to sign before he moves forward. (AFP, AP, MNA 8/23)

On the diplomatic front, Abbas travels to Cairo for talks with Egyptian pres. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. After their meeting, Abbas says “my main goal is for the truce talks to resume in Egypt as soon as possible.” In an interview on Egyptian television, Abbas says that he is planning a major diplomatic initiative and that he will present the plan to U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry, who is scheduled to visit the region in the coming days. The plan reportedly includes asking the UN to set a timetable for the Israeli occupation and signing the Rome Statue on behalf of the PA, which would give the ICC jurisdiction over cases relating to the occupation. For its part, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry releases a statement after the Abbas/al-Sisi meeting inviting the Israelis and Palestinians to return to Cairo for further cease-fire negotiations. (AJ, HA, WSJ 8/23)

Israeli PM Netanyahu holds talks with UN Secy.-Gen. Ban Ki-moon. Netanyahu compares Hamas to ISIS, in reference to the group’s 8/22 execution of collaborators, and blames the group for the latest escalation in violence. (AJ, HA, REU 8/23)

In the evening, 2 rockets are fired from Lebanon into n. Israel. No group claims responsibility for the attack, though Lebanese military officials suspect a small, local Palestinian group. Late at night, 5 rockets are fired from Syria into the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Israeli military officials say that a Palestinian group, not Syrian govt. forces, is responsible. Between the 2 sets of rocket attacks, 8 Israelis are lightly injured. (DS, JP, REU 8/23; AFP, HA, YA 8/24)

The IDF launches dozens of air strikes across the Gaza Strip, killing 28 Palestinians and wounding approximately 550. There are fatal strikes in Gaza City, Rafah, Dayr al-Balah, Jabaliya, Khan Yunis, and Bayt Lahiya, among others. Palestinians fire dozens of projectiles into Israel, with 1 rocket hitting a house in Ashdod, causing damage. Other targeted towns include Beersheba, Ashqelon, and Sdot Negev in the s., and Rehovot, Yavne, Lod, Ramle, and Gadera in the c. Iron Dome batteries intercept 2 rockets fired at the Jerusalem area and 2 others fall in open areas. A mortar shell injures 2 Israeli soldiers close to the border. (AFP, AP, HA, JP, MNA, REU 7/10; PCHR 7/11)

Israeli PM Netanyahu says that attacks will continue to “expand and continue until the fire on our communities is over and the quiet returns.” The PM also tells mbrs. of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Comms. that a cease-fire with Hamas is not on the agenda. Islamic Jihad spokesperson Abu Ahmad says the “factions in Gaza are not going to surrender.” At an emergency meeting of the UNSC in New York, UN Secy.-Gen. Ban says that “it is now more urgent than ever to try to find common ground for a return to calm and a cease-fire understanding,” and that he has been in contact with Israel, the PA, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, the Arab League, the U.S., and the EU. Palestinian UN amb. Riyad Mansour tells the meeting that the international community is obliged to ensure protection of Palestinian civilians, and accuses Israel of violating its responsibility as an occupying power. Israeli UN amb. Ron Prosor says Hamas is “committing a double war crime: targeting Israeli civilians while hiding behind Palestinian civilians.” Pres. Obama telephones PM Netanyahu and tells him that the U.S. is willing to help negotiate a cease-fire. State Dept. spokesperson Psaki says that Kerry has been “reaching out to countries in the region” including Qatar and Egypt, which “can play a role in bringing an end to the rocket fire from Hamas.” (AFP, AP, HA, JP, MNA, REU 7/10)