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 succumbs to injuries sustained in an Israeli drone strike on Jenin on 2/22. Israeli settlers raid Taybeh, kidnapping 3 elderly Palestinian farmers who are later released from a military base in Tarqumiyah. Israeli forces seize a bulldozer during a raid in Nabi Salih. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers tour the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Dayr al-Balah, Rafah, Khan Yunis, Gaza City, and al-Bureij refugee camp, killing at least 90 people. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb near Baalbek, killing 2 people and injuring 6 others. Israeli forces also bomb al-Sarira, Ayta ash Shab, Majadel, and Wadi al-Dalafa, killing at least 2 people in Majadil. Islamic Jihad says 2 of its fighters are killed in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah shoots down an Israeli drone using a surface-to-air missile and fires 60 Katyusha rockets at an Israeli military site. In Yemen, U.S. forces attack 6 sites. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, HA, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/26; AP 2/27; UNOCHA 2/28)

More than 29,782 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 12,000 children and 7,200 women, and around 70,043 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 8,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 400 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 102 children. More than 4,575 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, 238 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,396 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. 138 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza. Israel allows 10 trucks carrying aid to enter northern Gaza. Jordan and France airdrop aid to Gaza from 4 C-130 planes at 11 sites. The Red Crescent says it has suspended medical missions for the next 48 hours as it is unable to ensure the safety of its staff. (AJ, HA, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA 2/26; AP, UNOCHA 2/27)

PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh resigns on behalf of himself and the rest of the cabinet during the weekly cabinet meeting in Ramallah, saying “the next stage and its challenges require new governmental and political arrangements that take into account the new reality in Gaza and the need for a Palestinian-Palestinian consensus based on Palestinian unity.” Shtayyeh says he submitted his resignation to President Mahmoud Abbas on 2/20 but formally submitted his resignation in writing today. Abbas accepts the resignation of Shtayyeh and the rest of the cabinet, asking him and the rest of the ministers to stay on as caretakers until a new government is formed. Shtayyeh, who has been prime minister since March 2019, also cites the genocide in Gaza and the “unprecedent escalation in the West Bank and Jerusalem” as reasons for resigning. Before Shtayyeh’s resignation, over the weekend it was rumored that the Palestinian government would resign in order to facilitate the formation of a technocratic government to be led by the PA as requested by the U.S. (HA 2/25; AJ, AJ, AP, AX, HA, HA, NYT, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA 2/26; AP, HA 2/27)

The New York Times reports that Israel has agreed to release 15 high-profile Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 5 female Israeli soldiers as part of the potential ceasefire deal. U.S. president Joe Biden says he hopes a ceasefire agreement can be reached by 3/4. Axios reports that Israeli military chief of staff Herzi Halevi and Shin Bet director Ronen Bar traveled to Egypt last week to assure the Egyptian government that Israel will take measures to prevent Palestinians from fleeing to Egypt during its planned invasion of Rafah. A delegation of Israeli officials arrive in Qatar for ceasefire talks. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant says Palestinians will not be allowed to return to northern Gaza until all Israeli captives are released. Jordanian foreign minister Ayman Safadi and U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken discuss the ceasefire negotiations. (AJ, AP, AX, AX, HA, NYT, REU, REU 2/26; AJ, AP, AP, AX, HA, HA, NYT, REU 2/27)

Israeli industry minister Nir Barkat meets with Saudi minister of commerce Majid bin Abdullah Alkassabi on the sidelines of a World Trade Organization meeting in the UAE, saying the 2 countries can “make history together.” (AJ 2/26)

During the sixth and final day of the ICJ hearings on the legality of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, the Arab League calls the occupation an “affront to international justice” and says Israel perpetrates “racial domination and apartheid” against Palestinians. Turkey, Zambia, Spain, Fiji, the Maldives, the African Union, and the OIC also present arguments. During the 6 days of hearings, only the U.S., Fiji, Hungary, and the UK spoke in favor of Israel’s argument that the court should not make a decision on the occupation while 50 other countries and organizations argued, to varying degrees, that the occupation is illegal and has to end. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, NYT, NYT, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/26; WAFA 2/27)

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres says the UN Security Council’s “lack of unity on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and on Israel’s military operations in Gaza following the horrific terror attacks by Hamas on 7 October, has severely—perhaps fatally—undermined its authority,” calling for reform of the council. Arab diplomats meet with Guterres, warning him about Israeli plans to severely limit the number of worshippers allowed at the Haram al-Sharif compound during Ramadan. (AJ, AP, HA, REU, WAFA 2/26)

USAID administrator Samantha Power visits a World Food Programme warehouse in Jordan, saying only around 85 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza a day while around 500 are needed. (AJ, HA 2/26)

President Biden reiterates in an interview his previous claim that without Israel, Jews living throughout the world would not be safe. (AJ 2/27)

Israel submits a report on progress it has made since the ICJ issued provisional measures to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza as part of the South African genocide case against Israel. Human Rights Watch says Israel has ignored the ICJ provisional measures and “in some ways even intensified its repression, including further blocking lifesaving aid.” Amnesty International also says Israel has failed to comply with the measures. (Airwars, AJ, HA, HA, WAFA 2/26; NYT 2/27)

EU high commissioner for foreign affairs Josep Borrell criticizes European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in an interview with El Pais, saying her trip to Israel in October 2023 “with such a completely pro-Israeli position, without representing anyone but herself in a matter of international politics, has carried a high geopolitical cost for Europe.” Borrell also says Israeli prime minister Benjamin “Netanyahu’s plans for Gaza are unacceptable. The seeds of hatred are being sown for generations. It is an open secret that the Israelis funded Hamas and played at dividing the Palestinians.” (AJ, EP 2/26)

19,012 artists sign an open letter calling on Israel to be banned from the Venice Biennale, saying there should not be a “genocide pavilion at the Venice Biennale.” Italian minister of culture Gennaro Sanguiliano rejects the call, saying the letter is “shameful.” The Biennale later issues a statement saying it would “not take into consideration any petition or call to exclude” countries. (AJ, ANGA, HA 2/26; AJ, AJ, REU 2/27; AP, NYT 2/28)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers open fire at Palestinians during a raid in Shaab al-Butum in the Masafer Yatta area; no injuries are reported. Israeli settlers also open fire at 2 commercial structures and an electric transformer in al-Naqura, causing a power outage in the village. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers raid Tuqu’, threatening Palestinian shepherds. Israeli settlers also set up 3 mobile homes in Wadi Rahal. Israeli forces shoot and kill 2 Palestinians after they allegedly shot and killed 1 Israeli settler and injured 10 others on a highway near the Ma’ale Adumim settlement. Israeli forces also bomb Jenin using a drone, killing 2 Palestinians, including a child, and injuring 15 others. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shoot and injure 2 Palestinians during a raid in Balata refugee camp. Israeli forces also shoot and injure a Palestinian during a raid in ad-Doha. Meanwhile, Israeli forces detain 2 10-year-old Palestinian boys for 6 hours in Sinjil. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers tour the Haram al-Sharif compound. Israeli forces assault and arrest 2 Palestinians outside of the compound’s Lions Gate. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Jabalia refugee camp, Dayr al-Balah, Rafah, Gaza City, Khan Yunis, Nuseirat refugee camp, al-Bureij refugee camp, and Maghazi, killing at least 97 people, including 18 people from the same family in a home in Gaza City. 5 patients die at the Nasser Hospital due to the lack of power and oxygen as Israeli forces continue to occupy the hospital. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Kafr Remen, Tayr Harfa, Jbaa, Kafr Kila, Maroun al-Ras, Khiam, Umm al-Tut, and Shehin, killing 4 people in Kafr Remen. Hezbollah attacks an Israeli military building in Kfar Yuval. In the Red Sea, a ship is hit by 2 missiles fired from Yemen. Israel’s Arrow missile defense system shoots down a ballistic missile the Houthi movement says is fired by its forces. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/22; AJ, HA, NYT, REU, UNOCHA 2/23)

More than 29,410 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 12,000 children and 7,200 women, and around 69,465 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 8,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 399 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 102 children. More than 4,530 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, 235 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,396 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. 42 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza. (UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA 2/22; UNOCHA 2/23)

Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich issues a statement after meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, saying the government will submit plans for 2,350 new settlement units in Ma’ale Adumim, 300 in the Keidar settlement, and 694 in the Efrat settlement in response the killing of an Israeli settler earlier in the day. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir says Israeli settlers’ right to freedom of movement in the West Bank overrides that of Palestinians’, adding he will further limit the freedom of movement for Palestinians. (AJ, AJ, HA, HA 2/22; HA 2/23)

Israel confirms its forces are building a new road through central Gaza “to move logistics and soldiers.” (AJ 2/22)

Prime Minister Netanyahu presents his post-war plan for Gaza to the Israeli war cabinet, which includes installing “local officials” to govern the area, “maintain an indefinite freedom to operate throughout” Gaza, enlarge the “buffer zone” inside Gaza, and the complete demilitarization of Gaza before reconstruction is allowed to begin. Netanyahu’s plan also includes the permanent closure of UNRWA and the rejection of “unilateral recognition” of a Palestinian state. The Times of Israel reports that Israel has agreed to allow U.S. flour to enter Gaza. (AJ, AX, HA, NYT, REU, WAFA 2/23)

Defense Minister Gallant meets with U.S. National Security Council coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa Brett McGurk, saying Israel will expand the authority of Israeli negotiators to reach a prisoner exchange deal in Paris over the weekend. U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby calls the meetings McGurk had with Gallant and Egyptian officials “constructive.” (AX 2/21; AJ, AP, AX, AX, HA, HA, REU, REU 2/22; AJ, NYT 2/23)

Jordanian representatives, including Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, give statements to the ICJ on the fourth day of the hearings on the legality of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, saying Israeli policies and practices show that Israel intends for the occupation to be permanent. Japan’s representative argues that even territory that is not internationally recognized cannot be acquired by force. Ireland’s representative says Israel has committed serious breaches of international law during its occupation. China says the issue of Palestinian self-determination is a UN issue, countering a U.S. argument made on 2/21, and argues that because of the occupation the right to self-defense lies more with the Palestinians than with the Israelis. Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Luxembourg, Malaysia, and Mauritius also present arguments. (AJ, AJ, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA 2/22)

UNRWA commissioner-general Philippe Lazzarini writes a letter to UN General Assembly president Dennis Francis, saying Israel is making a “concerted effort” to dismantle UNRWA, including by ordering UNRWA to leave a vocational center in East Jerusalem and pay Israel $4.5 million for using the facility, pointing out that the facility was given to UNRWA by Jordan in 1952. Lazzarini also says Israel is only giving UNRWA staffers visas for 1-2 months, that Finance Minister Smotrich has threatened UNRWA with revoking its tax exemption, that an Israeli bank has blocked the UNRWA account, and that Israeli customs has suspended shipments of goods to UNRWA. (AJ 2/22; AJ 2/23)

The UN Security Council convenes to discuss the situation in Gaza. UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process Tor Wennesland and representatives from Doctors Without Borders brief council members on the situation. (WAFA, WAFA 2/22)

U.S. president Joe Biden says in a tweet that the “overwhelming majority of Palestinians are not Hamas . . . In fact, they’re also suffering as a result of Hamas’ terrorism.” (HA 2/22; HA 2/23)

After a 2-day G20 meeting in Brazil, EU high commissioner for foreign affairs Josep Borrell and Brazilian foreign minister Mauro Vieira say that there is unanimous agreement among the G20 members in support of a 2-state solution. (REU 2/22)

The Houthi movement announces that Israeli, UK, and U.S.-owned ships are banned from the Red Sea. (AJ, AJ 2/22)

Haaretz reports that Israeli forces shot and killed an Israeli citizen and injured his girlfriend on 10/7/2023, mistaking them for Palestinians. (AJ, HA 2/22)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set fire to a home, a vehicle, and 2 agricultural structures in Kisan. Israeli settlers also assault a Palestinian shepherd near al-Bireh. Israeli forces deliver demolition notices for 4 homes and a restaurant in al-Walaja. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces shoot and injure a Palestinian man with a baton round during a raid in Shu’fat, others suffer tear-gas related injuries. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Rafah, Dayr al-Balah, Jabalia refugee camp, Khan Yunis, and Gaza City, killing at least 112 people. 5 people die at the Nasser Hospital after power outages cut oxygen supplies. 2 Israeli soldiers are killed in combat. In Bnei Re’em, a Palestinian man shoots and kills 2 Israelis and wounds 4 others at a bus stop before being shot dead by Israeli forces in East Jerusalem. In Lebanon, Hezbollah fires rockets at Ramya, killing an Israeli soldier. Israeli forces attack Bint Jbeil, Labourna, al-Naqoura, al-Fardis, Rachaya, al-Foukhar, and al-Harbiyah, causing damage. In Yemen, U.S. forces attack 2 sites near Hodeidah. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/16; HA 2/17; UNOCHA 2/19)

More than 28,775 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 12,000 children and 7,200 women, and around 68,552 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 8,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 390 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 100 children. More than 4,499 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, 232 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,361 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. 199 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza. (HA, UNOCHA, WAFA 2/16; UNOCHA 2/19)

The ICJ rejects South Africa’s request for additional provisional measures in the genocide case against Israel but says an Israeli assault on Rafah “would exponentially increase what is already a humanitarian nightmare with untold regional consequences” and orders Israel to adhere to the original provisional measures. Hamas welcomes the ICJ’s “direct and clear order to stop this brutal aggression leading to genocide against defenseless civilians.” (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA 2/16)

The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) denies Israeli allegations that PRCS staff and equipment were involved in the attack on Israel on 10/7/2023, saying Israel deliberately creates a false narrative by circulating a video that clearly shows that the ambulance and staff in question are not from PRCS. (AJ 2/16)

The PA calls for sanctions on Israel, saying Israeli prime minister Benjamin “Netanyahu continues to disregard international demands and resolutions, and continues to kill our people, starve them, thirst them, and destroy their land to push them to emigrate.” (AJ 2/16)

Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant says the Israeli military is “thoroughly planning” its invasion of Rafah and claims that 30 UNRWA employees took part in the events on 10/7/2023. Israeli president Isaac Herzog meets with Qatari prime minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, discussing ceasefire negotiations. (AJ, AP, AX, HA, HA 2/16; REU 2/17)

Lebanon files a complaint with the UN Security Council over Israel’s killing of 11 civilians on 2/14. (AJ 2/16)

U.S. president Joe Biden says that he hopes Israel does not invade Rafah and stresses the need for a temporary ceasefire. At the Munich Security Conference, Vice President Kamala Harris says after Israel’s war on Gaza there should be “no reoccupation of Gaza, no change to its geographic territory, no return of terrorism by Hamas” and the PA should take over governance of Gaza. The foreign ministers of the U.S., UK, Germany, France, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Qatar discuss plans for Gaza after the war. (AJ, HA, REU 2/16)

Russian deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov says Russia has invited all Palestinian factions to Russia for “inter-Palestinian” talks on 2/26. (AJ 2/16; AJ, HA 2/18)

French president Emmanuel Macron meets Jordanian king Abdullah II in Paris. In a joint press statement, Macron says that France will work with the EU and the UN Security Council to recognize a Palestinian state, adding it is no longer taboo in France. (HA, REU, WAFA 2/16; AP 2/17)

The Wall Street Journal reports that the Biden administration is preparing to send Israel around 1,000 MK-82 500-pound bombs and 1,000 KMU-572 JDAMs. (REU 2/16; AJ 2/17)

The New York Times reports that Israel was responsible for a sabotage attack on 2 gas pipelines in Iran on 2/15 and an explosion at a chemical factory near Tehran on 2/16. (HA, NYT 2/16; HA 2/17; AJ 2/18)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers bring their cattle to graze on Palestinian farmland in Khirbet al-Farisiyya, destroying crops. Armed Israeli settlers force 4 Palestinian families to leave their homes in Kisan. Israeli forces shoot 5 Palestinians with live ammunition, killing 1 child and wounding 5, and shoot 8 others with baton rounds during a raid in Beit Umar. Israeli forces also seize building equipment and arrest 4 Palestinians during a raid in Deir Balut. Meanwhile, Israeli forces arrest 18 Palestinians during raids in Jericho, Hebron, Qalqilya, Nablus, and Ramallah. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers tour the Haram al-Sharif compound. Israeli forces demolish the home belonging to the prominent Palestinian activist Fakhri Abu Diab in Silwan, displacing 10 people. The U.S. and EU condemn the demolition. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Nuseirat refugee camp, Dayr al-Balah, Khan Yunis, and Gaza City, killing at least 103 people, including Al Jazeera guest analyst Ayman Rafati and his family in an airstrike on Gaza City. Rockets are fired at Zikim and Ashkelon; no damage is reported. In Lebanon, Israeli forces attack Nabatieh and as-Sawana, killing 11 civilians, including 6 children. Israeli forces also kill a Hezbollah member in Adashit. A Hezbollah strike on a military base in Safed kills 1 Israeli soldier and injures 8 others. (AJ, AJ, HA, HA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/14; AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, NYT, UNOCHA, WAFA 2/15)

More than 28,576 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 11,500 children and 7,200 women, and around 68,291 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 8,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 389 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 100 children. More than 4,475 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, 230 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,352 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. 130 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza. The WHO says Israel has prevented the organization from entering the Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis since 1/29. (AJ, UNOCHA, UNOCHA 2/14; UNOCHA 2/15)

Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir says Palestinian political leader Marwan Barghouti has been moved to solitary confinement, claiming he was encouraging the outbreak of a third intifada. Hamas has demanded that Barghouti be released as part of a ceasefire deal. (AJ 2/14; AJ 2/15)

Peace Now reports that the Israeli housing ministry has issued tenders for 523 housing units in 10 different settlements in the West Bank since the beginning of 2024. (PCN 2/14)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas issues a statement calling on Hamas to quickly finalize a ceasefire deal to avoid an Israeli invasion of Rafah. The PA requests an extraordinary meeting at the Arab League. (AJ, HA, HA, WAFA, WAFA 2/14; HA 2/15)

CIA director Bill Burns meets with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mossad director David Barnea, discussing ceasefire negotiations. Netanyahu orders the Israeli negotiation team not to return to Cairo for further talks. Netanyahu says Israel will “fight until complete victory and this includes a powerful action also in Rafah after we allow the civilian population to leave the battle zones.” Netanyahu speaks with French president Emmanuel Macron, who warns him against invading Rafah. Foreign Minister Israel Katz tells his German counterpart Anna Baerbock that UNRWA cannot be part of humanitarian assistance efforts in Gaza. Finance Minister Bezalel Smtorich and Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer announce a plan to provide cash payments of $550 a month for 2 years to new immigrants who settle in the West Bank and in border regions in the north and south. Communications Minister Shlomo Karni approves the UAE field hospital in Gaza’s use of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service. (AJ, AX, AX, HA, NYT, REU 2/14; AJ, AX, HA, HA 2/15; AJ, HA 2/16)

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi meet in Cairo, calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. (AJ, AP, HA 2/14; HA 2/15)

U.S. president Joe Biden signs an executive order preventing Palestinians from being deported from the U.S. for a period of 18 months. The order also compels the Department of Homeland Security to issue work permits to Palestinians in the U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan confirms that Israel is blocking flour from entering Gaza. The State Department condemns the demolition of Fakhri Abu Diab’s home in East Jerusalem. (AJ, AP, AX, HA, NYT, REU 2/14)

The U.S. House of Representatives passes a resolution 418-0 condemning Hamas over accusations that Hamas used sexual violence during 10/7/2023. (HA 2/14)

Spain and Ireland call on the European Commission to investigate whether Israel is complying with international law. (AJ, AJ, HA, REU, WAFA 2/14)

The Wall Street Journal reports that the U.S. State Department is investigating Israeli usage of white phosphorus in Gaza and Lebanon. (AJ, WAFA 2/15)

The Washington Post reports that the U.S. and several Arab countries will present a long-term plan for establishing a Palestinian state, including Israeli withdrawal from many West Bank settlements, a Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem, the rebuilding of Gaza, and international oversight over the Palestinian governance. (NYT, WP 2/14; HA, HA 2/15; HA 2/16)

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology bans the pro-Palestinian student group Coalition Against Apartheid. (AP, HA 2/14)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers uproot around 50 olive trees in Ein al-Beida. Israeli settlers also steal sheep and a tractor in Kisan. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers throw stones at Palestinian vehicles traveling near Bizarya. Israeli settlers also injure a Palestinian and damage property during a raid in Yasuf. Meanwhile, Israeli settlers throw stones at Palestinian vehicles traveling near Umm Safa. Israeli settlers also demolish an agricultural structure in Qusra. Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian man during a raid in Qalqilya. Israeli forces also shoot and injure a Palestinian child in ‘Azzun. Elsewhere, Israeli forces fire anti-tank missiles at a home in Sir, causing extensive damage and displacing 6 people, and arrest 7 Palestinians. Israeli forces arrest 15 others in Ramallah, Hebron, Bethlehem, and Salfit. Elsewhere, Israeli forces seize a vehicle in the Jordan Valley. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Nuseirat refugee camp, Khan Yunis, Rafah, Dayr al-Balah, Maghazi, and Gaza City, killing at least 133 people. Israeli forces also shoot and kill 3 Palestinians at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, including a man the soldiers beat and cuff before forcing him to tell people at the hospital to evacuate after which he is shot and killed. Israeli forces fly drones over the hospital, ordering people to evacuate. 3 Israeli soldiers are killed in combat. In Lebanon, Hezbollah attacks several Israel sites, including a police building in Kiryat Shmona, injuring 2, including a child. (AJ, HA, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/13; AJ, AJ, INT, UNOCHA 2/14)

More than 28,473 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 11,500 children and 7,200 women, and around 68,146 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 8,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 388 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 99 children. More than 4,475 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, 230 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,346 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. 100 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza. (AJ, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA 2/13; UNOCHA 2/14)

Al Jazeera says Israel intentionally targeted their correspondent Ismail Abu Omar in Rafah, leading to the amputation of his leg and serious injuries to his cameraperson. (AJ, AJ 2/13; AJ 2/15)

South Africa files an urgent request to the ICJ, asking it to consider whether an Israeli invasion of Rafah would breach the provisional measures issued by the court against Israel. (AJ, AJ, AP, AP, HA, NYT, WAFA 2/13; HA 2/14)

Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh meets with Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in Doha. (AJ, HA 2/13)

Hezbollah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah says in a televised speech that the conflict along the Blue Line will end when Israel stops its attacks on Gaza. (AJ, AJ, HA 2/13)

CIA director Bill Burns, Mossad director David Barnea, Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and intelligence chief Abbas Kamal, and Qatari prime minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani meet in Cairo, discussing Hamas’s ceasefire counterproposal. Axios reports that Barnea was only there to listen to the discussions and was sent by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the request of U.S. president Joe Biden. (AJ, AJ, AP, AX, HA, NYT 2/13; HA 2/14)

U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken meets with Jordanian king Abdullah II. (AJ, HA 2/13)

France imposes sanctions on 28 Israeli settlers. France also proposes a truce between Hezbollah and Israel that would see Hezbollah move 6 miles north of the Blue Line and calls for negotiations to resume over delineating the land border between Israel and Lebanon. (REU 2/12; AJ, AJ, HA, HA, HA, NYT, WAFA, WAFA 2/13; HA, HA 2/14)

Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani calls Israel’s response to 10/7/2023 “disproportionate,” saying there are “too many victims who have nothing to do with Hamas.” (AJ 2/13)

Axios reports that Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich is blocking flour shipments to Gaza that Prime Minister Netanyahu had promised President Biden would be allowed in several weeks ago. (AJ, AX, HA 2/13; NYT 2/14)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers shoot and injure 2 Palestinians, including a child, and set a vehicle and a home on fire during a raid in ‘Asira al-Qibliya. Israeli settlers also assault 2 Palestinians and damage their vehicles after raiding their home in Kisan. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers throw stones at Palestinian homes and set a car on fire in Madama. Israeli settlers also demolish 3 structures in Susiya. Meanwhile, Israeli settlers set fire to a vehicle in Huwwara. Israeli forces shoot and injure 4 Palestinians during raid in Tell, al-Ram, Tammun, and Ramallah. Israeli forces also violently disperse a funeral procession in Biddu, injuring 2 people with baton rounds. Elsewhere, Israeli forces arrest 27 Palestinians during raids in and around Hebron, Tubas, Tell, Deir Ghassana, ‘Azzun, and Arrabah. In East Jerusalem, a Palestinian child succumbs to injuries sustained from Israeli forces on 2/11 in the Old City. Israeli settlers tour the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Rafah, Dayr al-Balah, Khan Yunis, and Gaza City, killing at least 164 people, including at least 74 people in Rafah. Israeli forces also shoot and kill 7 and injure at least 14 others at the Nasser Hospital. 3 Israelis soldiers are killed in combat. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb several places, killing 5 members of Hezbollah, including in a home in Chihine. Islamic Jihad says 2 of its fighters were killed by Israel near the Blue Line. In the Red Sea, Houthi fighters attack a cargo ship with naval missiles, saying it is U.S. owned. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, HA, HA, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/12; AJ, AP, HA, HA 2/13; AJ, AP, HA 2/14)

More than 28,340 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 11,500 children and 7,200 women, and around 67,984 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 8,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 387 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 99 children. More than 4,426 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, 227 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,326 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. 9 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza. UNRWA Gaza chief Thomas White says there is an outbreak of hepatitis A and a very high number of Palestinians experiencing diarrhea. (AJ, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA 2/12; UNOCHA 2/13)

Israel says it forces rescued 2 Israeli captives from a building in Rafah. Israel says the large-scale airstrikes on Rafah that killed at least 74 Palestinians were a diversion for the rescue mission. (HA, NYT 2/11; AJ, AJ, AP, AX, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, UNOCHA, REU, REU 2/12; NYT 2/13)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas meets with Qatari emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha, discussing the possibility of a unity government in Palestine. (HA, WAFA 2/12)

Hezbollah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah meets with Islamic Jihad secretary-general Ziad al-Nakhalah. (AJ, HA 2/12)

Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich says, “the Egyptians bear considerable responsibility for October 7.” A spokesperson for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry says Smotrich is trying to divert attention from Israel’s own shortcomings. Foreign Minister Israel Katz and Interior Minister Moshe Arbel say UN special rapporteur on the Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese will be banned from Israel, citing her comments that the “victims of 7/10 were not killed because of their Judaism, but in response to Israel’s oppression.” U.S. representative to the UN Human Rights Council Michele Taylor accuses Albanese of having a “history of using anti-Semitic tropes.” (AJ, HA 2/12; AJ 2/13)

U.S. president Joe Biden meets with Jordanian king Abdullah II at the White House. Biden tells the press that Palestinians in Rafah need to be protected. Abdullah II says a lasting ceasefire is needed to protect Palestinians and an Israeli invasion of Rafah would be a catastrophe. (AJ, AX, HA, NYT 2/12; NYT, WAFA 2/13)

The UN Security Council meets to discuss the situation in Rafah and an Algerian draft resolution calling for a ceasefire. Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, says the UN will not play a part in Israel’s plans for evacuation of Rafah, saying “there is no place that is currently safe in Gaza.” ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan says he is deeply concerned about Israel’s plans in Rafah, adding “[a]ll wars have rules and the laws applicable to armed conflict cannot be interpreted so as to render them hollow or devoid of meaning.” Khan also says Israel has not changed its conduct in Gaza and “those who do not comply with the law should not complain later when my Office takes action pursuant to its mandate.” (AJ, HA, NYT 2/12; AJ, HA 2/13)

The U.S. Senate votes 70-29 to approve a bill which if approved by the House and President Biden would provide $95 billion in military aid to Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel, including $14 billion to Israel, ban funding of UNRWA, and provide $9.15 billion in humanitarian assistance to civilians in conflict zones, including in Gaza and the West Bank. Biden calls on the House to immediately approve the Senate bill, which he says, “provides Israel with what it needs to protect its people against the terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah and others.” Before voting in favor of the bill, Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) says Israel is committing “textbook” war crimes in Gaza. (HA 2/12; AJ, AP, HA, HA, INT 2/13)

EU high commissioner for foreign affairs Josep Borell calls on the U.S. to suspend military aid to Israel saying, “if you believe that too many people are being killed, maybe you should provide less arms in order to prevent so many people being killed.” (AJ, AJ, HA, HA 2/12)

The UK government sanctions 4 Israeli settlers. The PA foreign ministry welcomes the measure but calls it insufficient. (AJ, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA 2/12)

A Dutch court orders the Dutch government to halt exports of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel. The Dutch government says it will appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, NYT, REU, WAFA 2/12)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers throw stones and tear-gas canisters at cars traveling near Bizarya, causing injuries and damage. Israeli settlers also demolish a Palestinian-owned home, a water well, and agricultural structures and raze farmland in Shaghab Farsa in the Masafer Yatta area. Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian man in Battir. Israeli forces also seize a vehicle in Jenin. Elsewhere, Israeli forces arrest 3 Palestinians in Jericho. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces shoot and injure a Palestinian child in the Old City, claiming he tried to stab soldiers. The child succumbs to his injuries on 2/12. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Rafah, Khan Yunis, and Dayr al-Balah, killing at least 112 people, including at least 25 people in an airstrike on a home in Rafah. Israeli forces block the delivery of oxygen cylinders to al-Amal Hospital, resulting in the deaths of 3 patients. Al Jazeera reports that around 100 bodies are retrieved from Tel al-Hawa and Rimal in Gaza City after Israeli forces withdraw, most are killed with live ammunition. 2 Israeli soldiers are killed in combat. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Marwahin, Ramyeh, Yaroun, Houla and Kfarkela, killing a member of the Lebanese Internal Security Forces in Houla. (AJ, HA, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/11; AJ, UNOCHA 2/12; UNOCHA 2/13)

More than 28,176 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 11,500 children and 7,200 women, and around 67,784 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 8,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 387 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 99 children. More than 4,426 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, 227 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,314 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. 45 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza. (WAFA 2/11; UNOCHA, UNOCHA 2/12)

Hamas says 2 Israeli captives are killed and 8 others wounded in an Israeli airstrike. (AJ, REU 2/11)

Ir Amim reports that Israel has advanced 17 plans for 8,400 new settlement units in East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023. Statistics released by the Israeli government show that the settler population in the West Bank grew by 3% in 2023 and by 15% over the past 5 years. (AJ, AP, HA 2/11; HA 2/12)

The Knesset Constitution and Judicial Committee approves a draft bill that would suspend UNRWA’s work in East Jerusalem. (WAFA 2/11)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas appoints General Abed Suleiman Abu Mahmid as the new commander of the PA security forces and Lieutenant Colonel Iyad al-Aqra as his deputy commander. Abbas also flies to Qatar. (AJ, AJ, HA, REU, WAFA 2/11)

U.S. president Joe Biden speaks to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, discussing Israel’s planned invasion of Rafah. According to the U.S. readout of the conversation, Biden said Israel should not proceed without “a credible and executable plan to ensure the safety of and support for more than one million people sheltering there.” Biden also stress the need to capitalize on the ceasefire negotiations. Netanyahu tells the Israeli cabinet that Israel will remain in control of security in all the lands between the Jordan river and the Mediterranean. Axios reports that Biden pressed Netanyahu to agree to release more Palestinian prisoners than in the previous exchange to meet some of Hamas’s demands. (AJ, AX, AX, HA, HA, NYT, REU 2/11; AX 2/12; AX 2/13)

AP reports that Egypt has threatened Israel with the suspension of their peace treaty if Israel invades Rafah. (HA, HA 2/11; AP 2/12)

The U.S. Senate advances a bill providing aid to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan in preparation for a final vote next week. The bill passes 67-27. (AJ, NYT 2/11; NYT 2/12)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers assault a Palestinian shepherd in Burqa. Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian child during a raid in Beita. Israeli forces also shoot and injure 6 Palestinians with live ammunition during a raid in Beit Furik. Elsewhere, Israeli forces arrest 11 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Ramallah, Sinjil, and Tulkarm; 3 vehicles and NIS 2,800 are seized during the raid in Sinjil. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Rafah, Dayr al-Balah, Gaza City, Jabalia refugee camp, and Khan Yunis, killing at least 107 people. Israeli forces also shoot 21 people outside of the Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis. Meanwhile, Israeli forces raid al-Amal Hospital, arresting several medical workers and patients. Israeli tanks also fire at al-Quds Hospital in Gaza City, causing damage. In Lebanon, Hezbollah attacks 5 Israeli military sites in Shebaa Farms, al-Malikiyah, and Blida. Israeli forces bomb Maroun al-Ras, Dhayra, al-Jibin, and Yarin. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/9) HA 11:04)

More than 27,947 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 11,500 children and 7,200 women, and around 67,459 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 8,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 384 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 97 children. More than 4,432 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, 225 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,314 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. Israelis block aid trucks from entering Egypt via the Nitzana crossing. 7 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza. The Gaza Health Ministry says Israeli forces have killed 340 health personnel, arrested 99, and destroyed 123 ambulances since 10/7/2023. UNRWA says a contractor facilitating aid shipments at the Ashdod port will no longer work with the agency, citing instructions from the Israeli government. (AJ, AP, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA 2/9; AJ, HA 2/11; UNOCHA 2/12)

Israel confirms its military killed a captive held in Gaza in an airstrike in January. (AJ, HA 2/9)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders the Israeli military to prepare to move ground forces to Rafah and to evacuate the city. PA ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour tells the Arab Group of ambassadors at the UN that the PA will not allow Palestinians to be forcefully displaced to Egypt, saying it is working with the UN Security Council to prevent the ground invasion. President Mahmoud Abbas says the U.S. and Israel bear full responsibility for the consequences of moving the ground troops to Rafah. UN General Assembly president Dennis Francis expresses shock and deep dismay over the Israeli plans. EU high commissioner for foreign affairs Josep Borell calls the plans “alarming.” Human Rights Watch says the evacuation of Palestinians in Rafah would have “catastrophic consequences.” Amnesty International says “Palestinians in Gaza are at grave risk of genocide.” Dutch foreign minister Hanke Bruins Slot says an Israeli ground force attack on Rafah would be “unjustifiable.” UK foreign secretary David Cameron, Canadian foreign minister Melenie Joly, and German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock express deep concern over the Israeli plans. Saudi Arabia and Qatar call on the UN Security Council to convene over the announcement.  (AJ, AP, HA, HA, NYT, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/9; AJ, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, REU, WAFA, WAFA 2/10; AJ, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/11; REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/12; WAFA 2/13)

The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, the UAE, and Jordan and PLO secretary-general Hussein al-Sheikh meet in Riyadh to discuss the situation in Gaza. (AJ, HA, REU 2/9)

UNRWA commissioner-general Philippe Lazzarini says he did not give due process to the 9 staffers he fired after Israeli allegations that they aided in Operation Al-Aqsa Flood because he determined that UNRWA’s reputation was at stake. (AJ 2/11)

U.S. president Joe Biden meets with German chancellor Olaf Scholz at the White House, discussing the situation in Gaza. (HA 2/9; HA 2/10)

EU diplomats say Hungary and Czechia are stalling EU efforts to impose sanctions on Israeli settlers. (HA, REU 2/9)

Kan reports that Israeli forces have stolen more than 350 bodies from Gaza, allegedly to determine if they are captives. (AJ 2/9)

The credit rating agency Moody’s downgrades Israel’s credit rating from A1 to A2, citing Israel’s war on Gaza. (AJ, HA, NYT, REU 2/9; HA 2/11)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian man, claiming he tried to attack soldiers near the Beit Furik checkpoint. Israeli forces also demolish a home, issue demolition notices for 6 others in al-Nuweimah, and demolish a retaining wall in Bani Na’im. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers tour the Haram al-Sharif compound. Israeli forces demolish part of a Palestinian home in Silwan. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Rafah, Jabalia refugee camp, Dayr al-Balah, Khan Yunis, and Gaza City, killing at least 107 people, including the director of the Palestinian Information Center in the Gaza Strip Rizq al-Gharabli. In Lebanon, Israeli forces attack Jabel Blat and Khula. Hezbollah says it hit “spy equipment” in Shuba Hills. Anti-tank fire injures 2 Israeli soldiers near Mitzpe Adi. In Syria, Israeli forces bomb Homs, killing and injuring several people. In the Red Sea, Houthi forces say they attacked a UK and a U.S. ship with naval missiles. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/6; AJ, AP, AP, HA 2/7)

More than 27,585 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 11,500 children and 7,200 women, and around 66,835 have been injured since 10/7. At least 8,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 376 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 95 children. More than 4,417 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, including Israeli soldiers. In addition, 224 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,304 injured 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. At least 70,000 housing units have been destroyed and 290,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7, constituting over 60% of all housing units. 103 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza via the Rafah crossing. Israelis block the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing, preventing the entry of 132 trucks. UNOCHA says the Israeli evacuation order in Gaza now covers 66% of the area. (AJ, AP, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA 2/6; AJ 2/7; UNOCHA 2/8)

Israel’s public defender’s office issues a report based on visits to the Carmel, Damon, and Eshel prisons and the Russian Compound, saying conditions for all prisoners are deteriorating and noting that half of all prisoners have less than 29.5 square feet of space while around 3,400 prisoners are sleeping on mattresses on the floor. The report says that prisoners are experiencing “[i]ntolerable overcrowding; poor sanitary conditions; hygiene problems and infestations; poor ventilations; a lack of basic equipment.” (HA 2/7)

Hamas responds to the Israeli, U.S., Qatari, and Egyptian ceasefire proposal. Hamas official Ghazi Hamad says Hamas is seeking to have as many Palestinian prisoners released as possible.   Hamas also says its response was delayed due to many issues in the proposal being “unclear and ambiguous.” Qatar calls the response “mostly positive.” Israel says it is “thoroughly” evaluating the response. U.S. president Joe Biden calls the Hamas response “a little over the top.” (AJ, AJ, AP, AX, HA, HA, NYT, REU, REU, REU, REU 2/6; AJ 2/7)

The PA says it will pay civil servants 60% of their December salaries this week as Israel continues to withhold the PA’s tax revenue. (HA, REU 2/6)

The Israeli military opens an investigation into allegation its forces killed Israelis on 10/7/2023. The military also says that it believes that 32 additional captives out of the 136 remaining captives held in Gaza have been killed. Haaretz reports that the Israeli military has begun investigating dozens of incidents in Gaza that are suspected to have violated international law, including killings of civilians and targeting of hospitals, schools, and government institutions. The New York Times releases an investigation showing Israeli soldiers posting videos on social media of themselves gleefully destroying civilian property. (AJ, AP, HA, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, REU 2/6; NYT 2/7)

Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz meets with the UN envoy for humanitarian aid to Gaza Sigrid Kaag, saying the UN must find a way to bypass UNRWA in delivering aid. (AJ 2/6)

U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken meets with Qatari prime minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani in Doha, Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo, and later travels to Israel. At a press conference with Al Thani, Blinken says the U.S. will be promoting steps toward a Palestinian state and Israeli normalization deals after the war in Gaza. He also calls the notion that Hezbollah and the Houthi Movement are acting in solidarity with Palestinians “absolutely wrong,” saying their actions are “fundamentally about Iran’s quest for power.” Al Thani says suspending UNRWA funding would “have catastrophic consequences.” (AJ, AJ, HA, HA, REU 2/6; AJ, NYT 2/7)

The U.S. House of Representatives rejects a standalone bill for $17.6 billion in assistance to Israel, unlike the Senate bill which includes Ukraine, Taiwan, and border funding. President Joe Biden previously said he would veto the House bill. Congressperson Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) calls Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “genocidal maniac.” (HA, NYT, REU 2/6; AJ, AJ, HA, NYT, NYT 2/7)

The ICJ elects Ugandan judge Julia Sebutinde as its vice president for a 3-year period. Sebutinde was the only judge on the 17-member panel to vote against all provisional measures in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel in January. Lebanese judge Nawaf Salam is elected president of the ICJ. (AJ 2/7)

Lebanese foreign minister Abdallah Bou Habib says after a meeting with his French counterpart Stephane Sojourne that he was warned that Israel might launch a war on Lebanon. (AJ 2/6)

Newly elected far-right Argentinian president Javier Milei arrives in Israel, telling Foreign Minister Katz upon his arrival that his plan is to move the Argentinian embassy to East Jerusalem. Milei also meets with President Isaac Herzog. (AJ, AP, HA, HA 2/6; AJ, HA, NYT 2/7)

The regional government of Wallonia in Belgium suspends its 2 ammunition export licenses to Israel. (AJ 2/6)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers uproot 450 olive and almond tree saplings in Deir Sharaf. Israeli forces shoot and injure 4 Palestinians with live ammunition during raids in Tubas, Kafr al-Labad, and Hebron. Israeli forces also seize 3 vehicles in al-Zawiya. Elsewhere, Israeli forces raze 5 dunams of land planted with grape vines, uprooting 300 trees in Battir. Israeli forces also arrest 41 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Tubas, Arrabah, Ein as-Sultan refugee camp, Bethlehem, Salem, Bayt Ibia, and Yatta. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers tour the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Gaza City, Nuseirat refugee camp, Dayr al-Balah, Khan Yunis, and Rafah, killing at least 118 people. Israeli forces also continue to raid al-Amal Hospital in Khan Yunis. In Lebanon, Hezbollah fires rockets at a radar station in Shebaa Farms. Israeli forces bomb Tayr Harfa. In Yemen, U.S. forces bomb a “UAV ground control station” and shoot down a drone over the Gulf of Aden. (HA 1/31; AJ, AJ, HA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/1; UNOCHA 2/2)

More than 27,019 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 10,600 children and 7,200 women, and around 66,139 have been injured since 10/7. At least 8,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 374 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 94 children. More than 4,391 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, including Israeli soldiers. In addition, 222 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,293 injured 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. At least 70,000 housing units have been destroyed and 290,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7, constituting over 60% of all housing units. 200 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza via the Rafah and Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossings. Israelis block trucks carrying aid to Gaza arriving at Ashdod port. The New York Times says its analysis found that Israeli forces have destroyed hundreds of buildings in Gaza in at least 33 controlled demolitions, including schools, mosques, and entire sections of residential neighborhoods. UNRWA commissioner-general Philippe Lazzerini says UNRWA could be forced to shut down all its operations if funding does not resume. (AJ, AP, HA, HA, NYT, REU, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA 2/1; UNOCHA 2/5)

Israel releases 114 Palestinian detainees, taken from Gaza to Israel, via the Karem Abu Salem crossing. (HA 2/1

PA president Mahmoud Abbas speaks to Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in a phone call, discussing the situation in Palestine. (AJ, WAFA 2/1)

Hamas official Osama Hamdan says Hamas is studying the proposed ceasefire deal. (AJ, HA, REU 2/1)

Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant says Hamas’s Khan Yunis Brigade has been disbanded and that Israeli forces will push toward Rafah. Gallant also calls UNRWA “Hamas with a facelift.” (AJ, AP 2/1; AJ, NYT, REU 2/2)

Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed the Israeli military to examine if it could distribute aid in Gaza instead of UNRWA. Channel 7 reports that Foreign Minister Israel Katz called UNRWA a “part of Hamas’s murder machine.” (AJ, HA 2/1)

U.S. president Joe Biden signs an executive order allowing the U.S. to sanction people participating in acts of violence against civilians in the West Bank. The Department of the Treasury subsequently sanctions 4 settlers, David Chai Chasdai, Yinon Levi, Einan Tanjil, and Shalom Zicherman. In response to the sanctions, Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir calls on the U.S. to rethink its policy in the West Bank and calls the settlers “heroic.” Finance Minister Smotrich calls the decision “anti-Semitic.” Axios reports that the Biden administration considered adding Ben-Gvir and Smotrich to the list. (AJ, AJ, AP, AX, HA, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, REU, WAFA 2/1; HA, HA, NYT 2/2; HA 2/4)

UK foreign secretary David Cameron tells AP that UK recognition of the state of Palestine “cannot come at the start of the [peace negotiation] process, but it does not have to be the very end of the process,” saying “[w]hat we need to do is give the Palestinian people a horizon towards a better future, the future of having a state of their own.” Cameron also says that for the UK to recognize the state of Palestine Hamas leaders will have to leave Gaza. Cameron also meets with Lebanese caretaker prime minister Najib Mikati in Beirut. Israeli diaspora minister Amichai Chikli compares Cameron’s statement on recognition of Palestine to UK appeasement of Nazi Germany prior to World War II. (AJ, AP 2/1; AJ, HA, REU 2/2)

Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar tells reporters that Ireland wants the EU to review the EU-Israel Association Agreement on the basis that Israel may be breaching the agreement’s clause on human rights. (REU 2/1)

Belgian minister of development cooperation Caroline Gennez says she and Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib will summon the Israeli ambassador over the bombing of the Belgian development agency’s office in Gaza. (AJ 2/1; REU, WAFA 2/2)

The digital access group Access NOW says at least 30 people in Jordan, including journalists, lawyers, human rights activists, and political activists, have had their cellphones hacked using Pegasus spyware made by the Israeli company NSO Group. (AP 2/1)