The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers physically assault and pepper spray a Palestinian man in Nablus during a raid near Joseph’s Tomb. Israeli settlers also begin constructing a settlement outpost in al-Muarajat. Israeli forces shoot and kill an 11-year-old child and injure 2 others during a raid in Burin. Israeli forces also shoot and kill a 16-year-old child during a raid in al-Am’ari refugee camp. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shoot and injure a Palestinian child in Fawwar refugee camp. Israeli forces also punitively demolish the home in Jenin of a Palestinian man killed by Israeli forces in May 2023. Meanwhile, Israeli forces raid Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camp, uprooting streets. Israeli forces also arrest 55 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Tubas, Bethlehem, Qalqilya, and Ramallah. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers tour the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Khan Yunis, Gaza City, Rafah, Bayt Lahiya, Jabalia refugee camp, and Nuseirat refugee camp, killing at least 124 people. A Palestinian child dies of hunger at the Abu Youssef al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah. Al-Awda Hospital in Jabalia refugee camp partially resumes operations after receiving fuel. In Lebanon, Hezbollah forces attack Israelis near the Blue Line, killing an Indian national and injuring 7 others near Margaliot. Israeli forces bomb al-Adisa, Chihine, Hula, Markaba, and Ayta ash Shab, killing 3 medics in al-Adisa. (AJ, AP, HA, HA, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/4; UNOCHA 3/5)

More than 30,534 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 13,400 children and 8,900 women, and around 71,920 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 7,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 413 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 107 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, 244 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,453 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. 170 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza. (REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA 3/4; UNOCHA 3/6)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas meets with Guinea-Bissau president Umaro Sissoco Embalo in Ramallah. Embalo met with Israeli officials in Israel on 3/3. Abbas later travels to Turkey for a 3-day visit. (WAFA, WAFA 3/4)

3 Palestinian members of the Knesset, Ayman Odeh, Ahmad Tibi, and Youssef Atauna, meet with Jordanian king Abdullah II in Amman, discussing Israel’s war on Gaza and planned Israeli restrictions on Palestinian entry to the Haram al-Sharif compound during the month of Ramadan. (AJ, HA 3/4)

At the UN General Assembly, countries discuss the U.S. decision to veto a 2/20 ceasefire resolution at the Security Council and are briefed by UNRWA commissioner-general Philippe Lazzarini. (AJ, WAFA 3/4)

U.S. president Joe Biden tweets that he will not give up on pushing for a 6-week ceasefire. Vice President Kamala Harris meets with Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz. A White House readout of the meeting says Harris reiterates Israel’s right to defend itself, expresses deep concern for the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and urges Hamas to accept a 6-week ceasefire. Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich says Gantz is in the U.S. to advance U.S. plans to establish a Palestinian state. Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Adviser for Energy and Investment Amos Hochstein meets with Lebanese Parliament speaker Nabih Berri in Beirut, discussing the escalation between Hezbollah and Israel. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby says “some members of the Israeli cabinet” are working to obstruct aid entering Gaza. (AJ, AP, HA, NYT 3/4; AJ, AX 3/5; AJ 3/6)

UNRWA says some of its staff have been forced to give confessions under torture and ill-treatment by Israeli forces. The statement follows an Israeli claim that there are more than 450 Hamas and Islamic Jihad affiliated people working for UNRWA and the release of audio files purporting to be evidence that 2 UNRWA workers confessed to taking part in events on 10/7/2023. Commissioner-General Lazzarini says Israel “seeks to eliminate [UNRWA’s] role in protecting the rights of Palestinian Refugees.” (AJ, AP, HA 3/4; AJ, HA, UNOCHA 3/5)

UN special representative of the secretary-general on sexual violence in conflict Pramila Patten says during a press conference that a UN investigation team has found that Palestinians in the West Bank are subject to “cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment” in detention and are subject to “disproportionate physical and sexual violence, including sexual harassment and threats of rape during house raids, including at night, and at checkpoints.” Patten also say that the team has “found clear and convincing information that sexual violence, including rape and sexual torture” has been committed against Israeli captives released after being held in Gaza and that there are “reasonable grounds to believe conflict-related sexual violence” occurred on 10/7/2023 in at least 3 locations. Patten says some highly publicized allegations of sexual violence were determined to be unfounded and stresses that the report is not the result of an investigation as Israel did not share any evidence of allegations. (AJ, AJ, HA, INT, NYT, REU 3/4; AP, NYT 3/5; UNOCHA 3/6)

The Israeli National Social Security Agency says 806 Israeli civilians have been killed since 10/7/2023, including 38 children. (HA 3/4)

Spain announces sanctions on 12 violent Israeli settlers. (WAFA 3/4; AJ 3/5)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers assault 2 Palestinian children in Susiya in the Masafer Yatta area. Israeli settlers also assault a Palestinian man with their rifles south of Hebron. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers demolish a tent and uproot 20 olive trees in the Fatih Sidra area of Masafer Yatta. Israeli settlers also ram Palestinian-owned sheep in al-Muarajat, killing and injuring several. Meanwhile, Israeli settlers attack Palestinian shepherds in Shaab al-Butum, forcing them to flee. Israeli forces open fire at a Palestinian vehicle before assaulting Palestinians in the car and seizing it in Tuqu’. Israeli forces also demolish a Palestinian home in Tarqumiyah. 15 Palestinians are arrested during late-night raids in and around Qalqilya, Nablus, Bethlehem, Qalandia refugee camp, and Kharbatha Bani Harith. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers tour the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Rafah, Khan Yunis, Gaza City, Beit Hanun, Jabalia refugee camp, and Nuseirat refugee camp, killing at least 150 people. Israeli forces also shoot and kill 12 people at al-Amal Hospital. An Israeli soldier is killed in combat. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Blida, Hanine, at Tiri, Aitaroun, Naqoura, al-Dhahira, Majdalzon, and Labouneh, killing a person and destroying an ambulance. Hezbollah says it attacked 3 Israeli military sites. In Yemen, U.S. forces bomb a missile launch site. (AJ, HA, HA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 1/31; AJ, NYT 1/2)

More than 26,900 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 10,600 children and 7,200 women, and around 65,946 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 4,387 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. (UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA 1/31)

The PA calls for the formation of an international field committee to investigate Israeli crimes in Gaza, referring to the 30 bodies that were found in Beit Lahiya on 1/30 who appear to have been killed and dumped in a mass grave while blindfolded and with their hands tied. (WAFA 1/31)

The UN Security Council meets to discuss the ICJ ruling on provisional measures. PA ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour says a ceasefire is needed to implement the provisional measures instituted by the ICJ on 1/26. UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordination Martin Griffiths calls the relief entering Gaza “grossly inadequate.” UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres calls UNRWA the “backbone of all humanitarian response in Gaza” and iterates his call for countries that have suspended funding for the agency to reverse their decisions. EU high commissioner for foreign affairs Josep Borell calls UNRWA’s role in Gaza “irreplaceable” and critical to preserve. (AJ, AJ, AP, AP, NYT, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 1/31; NYT 1/2)

Israeli Channel 12 reports that Mossad director David Barnea briefed the Israeli cabinet on the ceasefire negotiations held over the weekend. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu writes on X that his “red lines” on an agreement are that Israel will not end the war and will not release “thousands of terrorists,” refering to Palestinian prisoners. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir writes a letter to Netanyahu calling on him to block aid from entering Gaza. Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer meets with U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan at the White House. (AJ, HA, REU, REU 1/31)

South African foreign minister Naledi Pandor says Israel is ignoring the ICJ ruling on provisional measures. Pandor also says she asked ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan why he was able to issue an arrest warrant for Russian president Vladimir Putin but not for Prime Minister Netanyahu. (AP, AP, HA 1/31)

The U.S. House of Representatives passes H.R. 6679, preventing entry to the U.S. of members of the PLO, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad in a 422-2 vote. The bill would need to be approved by both the Senate and the president. PLO secretary-general Hussein al-Sheikh calls the bill a “dangerous decision” and demands a response from the Biden administration. The PA presidency condemns and denounces the bill for banning the entry of PLO members. (AA, WAFA, WAFA 2/1; WAFA 2/2)

Haaretz reports that Israeli commanders have instructed soldiers to set fire to Palestinian homes in Gaza and that in the past months hundreds of homes have been destroyed by Israeli soldiers setting fire to them. A photo of a note left behind by Israeli soldiers reads “[w]e are not burning the house so you can enjoy it, and when you leave – you will know what to do.” (HA 1/31)

Haaretz also reports that in the aftermath of 10/7/2023, Zaka community emergency response volunteers staged scenes in Israeli villages that were attacked to attract donations for the organization instead of properly handling bodies of deceased Israelis and spread accounts of atrocities that never happened to garner media attention. The Israeli military decided from 10/7/2023 to let Zaka handle the bodies of the dead instead of using its unit trained in the identification and collection of human remains. (HA 1/31)

Ynet reports that Prime Minister Netanyahu told the UN envoys from Malta, Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Romania, Ukraine, Slovenia, and Sierra Leone that UNRWA must be replaced during a meeting in Jerusalem. (AJ, AP, REU 1/31)

Axios reports that U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken has instructed the State Department to review and present policy options on U.S. and international recognition of a Palestinian state. A senior U.S. official tells Axios that some people in the Biden administration think that recognition of a Palestinian state should be the first step toward ending the Israeli occupation rather than the last. (AX, REU 1/31)

U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby says the U.S. is looking for an extended pause in fighting in Gaza. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller says the U.S. has warned Israel about reducing the size of Gaza. (AJ, HA 1/31)

A federal judge in Oakland, California, dismisses a lawsuit brought by Palestinian Americans seeking to end U.S. support for Israel’s campaign in Gaza on the basis of genocide, saying he would have issued an injunction but is legally not able to do so due to a lack of jurisdiction. The judge, Jeffrey White, instead implores the Biden administration to “examine the results of their unflagging support” of Israel on the basis that “it is plausible that Israel’s conduct amounts to genocide.” (NYT 1/31; AJ, INT, HA 2/1)

The city of Chicago follows a number of other U.S. cities in calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Some 70 cities in the U.S., including Atlanta, Minneapolis, Seattle, Detroit, and St. Louis, have passed resolutions on the Israeli attacks on Gaza with most calling for a ceasefire. (AJ, HA, NYT, REU 1/31; AJ, NYT 2/1)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers assault a Palestinian man at his home in Kisan. Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian man in Tammun during a raid. Israeli forces also continue the raid in Nur Shams refugee camp for the second day in a row. The raid ends after 40 hours with 13 Palestinians suffering from broken bones during Israeli interrogations, 400 Palestinians detained, and vast destruction caused by bulldozers and drone-fired missiles on its second day; 3 Israeli soldiers are reportedly injured during the raid. Elsewhere, Israeli forces begin constructing settler roads in the Masafer Yatta area near Umm al-Khair. Israeli forces also arrest a child and confiscate 60 sheep he is herding. Israeli forces arrest 27 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Tulkarm, Salfit, Qalqilya, Hebron, Bethlehem, Jenin, Nablus, Tubas, and Ramallah. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Khan Yunis, Rafah, Maghazi, Nuseirat refugee camp, killing at least 125 people, including at the Palestinian Red Crescent Society’s headquarters in Khan Yunis for the third day in a row. Palestinians in Maghazi report that Israeli forces massacre Palestinian civilians with snipers and bulldozers. Jabalia refugee camp floods after heavy rain, leading to sewage mixing with the standing water. An anti-aircraft missile fired at an Israeli helicopter hits a clinic in Kibbutz Nirim. In Lebanon, Hezbollah fires rockets at Israeli soldiers near al-Marj and Israeli forces target Hezbollah in Maroun al-Ras. (AJ, AP, HA, HA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 1/4; AJ 1/5; AJ 1/6)

More than 22,438 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 8,800 children and 6,300 women, and around 57,697 have been injured since 10/7. At least 7,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 318 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 80 children. More than 3,949 people have been injured. Israel reports that 1,139 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,400 have been injured since 10/7, including Israeli soldiers. In addition, 173 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,003 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. As of 12/23, at least 65,000 housing units had been destroyed and 290,000 had been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7, constituting over 60% of all housing units. 177 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza via the Rafah and Karim Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossings. (UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA 1/4)

Israel’s military publishes on Facebook that it has closed the evacuation corridor on Salah al-Din Street and opened a new corridor on al-Rashid Street. Movement is only allowed from north to south between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. (AJ, UNOCHA 1/4)

The Palestinian Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs Authority names 51 Palestinian women and children who had been abducted by Israeli forces in Gaza and taken to the Damon Prison. (AJ, WAFA 1/4)

Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant releases a framework for post-war Gaza in which a Palestinian entity that is not hostile to Israel and is not Hamas nor the PA is in control of Gaza, Israeli settlers do not return to Gaza, but the Israeli military will be able to operate in Gaza and oversee the borders. Gallant also says an international coalition will be responsible for rebuilding Gaza. The PA rejects Gallant’s framework. Gallant also meets with U.S. deputy assistant to the president and senior adviser for energy and investment Amos Hochstein, saying the window for diplomacy with Lebanon is closing. Hochstein also meets with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who tells him that Israel is seeking “a fundamental change on its border with Lebanon.” Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz says Israel will return its ambassador to Spain. (AJ, AJ, AP, AX, HA, HA, REU 1/4; AJ, HA, NYT, WAFA 1/5)

Lebanon files a complaint with the UN Security Council over the Israeli assassination of Saleh al-Arouri and over Israel’s usage of Lebanese airspace to attack Syria. (AJ, HA 1/5)

Jordan says it backs South Africa’s case against Israel at the ICJ. (AJ 1/9)

The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, France, Japan, Germany, Slovenia, the Netherlands, and Qatar condemn statements made by Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir calling for the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the resettling of Gaza by Israeli settlers. UN high commissioner for human rights Volker Turk says he is “very disturbed” by the statements. (AJ, HA, WAFA, WAFA 1/4; AJ, WAFA, WAFA 1/5)

U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby says the U.S. has “not seen anything that would convince us that we need to take a different approach in terms of trying to help Israel defend itself.” Kirby also says that Israel should release the PA tax revenue to the PA, saying it is “Palestinian money,” and defends UNRWA from attacks by Israel and U.S. Republicans, saying “UNRWA does important work.” (AJ, HA 1/4; HA 1/5)

U.S. forces conduct an airstrike in Baghdad, killing Popular Mobilisation Forces commander Hajj Mushtaq Talib al-Saidi. Iraqi prime minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani condemns the attack, calling it a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and later on 1/5 says the government will start the process of removing the U.S.-led coalition from Iraq. (AJ, AP, HA, REU 1/4; AJ, AP, REU 1/5)

Israel chooses British lawyer Malcom Shaw to represent the country at the upcoming genocide hearings at the ICJ. Axios reports that Israel’s Foreign Ministry has sends out a cable to its embassies instructing its diplomats to pressure countries into issuing statements against South Africa’s case against Israel at the ICJ. (HA, HA 1/4; AX 1/5)

A political appointee at the U.S. Department of Education, Tariq Habash, resigns over U.S. support for Israel’s attacks on Gaza, saying he will not be quietly complicit. Habash was the political advisor in the department’s Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development. (HA, NYT 1/4)

Peace Now issues a report saying settlement activity in the West Bank has surged at unprecedented levels since 10/7. The report says Israeli settlers have created 9 new settlement outposts, made 18 paved roads, returned to the Amona outpost, closed roads for Palestinian vehicles, and built fences outside settlements. (PCN, PCN 1/4; NYT, WAFA 1/5)

The Intercept reports that all CNN stories related to Israel and Palestine are being reviewed at the CNN Jerusalem bureau before publication, where the stories are subject to the Israeli military’s censor. The Intercept also says CNN has issued directives to its journalists on language to avoid, directed them not to relay statements from Hamas, and has hired a former Israeli soldier from the Military Spokesperson Unit to serve as a reporter. (INT 1/4)

Former U.S. vice president Mike Pence tours northern Israel, writing a message on a bomb intended to be dropped on Lebanon. (HA 1/5; HA 1/6; HA 1/7)

In the West bank, Israeli settlers plowed 10 dunams (2.5 acres) of Palestinian farmland in al-Kharouba. Israeli forces punitively demolished the family home of a Palestinian prisoner in Aqraba. Israeli forces also shot and injured a Palestinian using a baton round and seized a vehicle in Ramallah. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and injured 2 Palestinians, including a child, in Deir Nizam. Israeli forces also raided Carmel, assaulting a Palestinian and seizing vehicles. Meanwhile, Israeli forces made 15 Palestinians close their shops in ‘Azzun. Israeli forces also seized a tractor in Qaryut. Separately, Israeli forces demolished a well and issued stop-work notices for 3 homes in Beit Umar. 23 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Ramallah, Qalqilya, Salfit, Nablus, and Jericho. In Gaza, Israeli forces bombed Rafah, Khan Yunis, Nuseirat refugee camp, Gaza City, al-Bureij, Jabalia refugee camp, and Dayr al-Balah; it was unclear how many casualties there were. Israeli forces also raided al-Awda Hospital, arresting all boys and men over the age of 16 and stripping them to their underwear, including 6 Doctors Without Borders staffers, and bombed the UNRWA headquarters in northern Gaza. In Lebanon, Israeli forces shelled several sites, killing 4 Hezbollah members. 2 Israeli soldiers were injured in Malkia. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/19; AJ 12/20)

More than 19,667 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 7,729 children and 5,153 women, and around 54,000 had been injured since 10/7. At least 8,000 people were missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 294 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 74 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. 132 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 719 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. 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. 104 trucks carrying aid entered Gaza via the Rafah crossing and 60 entered via the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing. (UNOCHA 12/19)

A survey conducted by the Euro-Mediterranean Monitor said 71% of Palestinians in Gaza suffer from extreme hunger. 98% said they were not able to eat enough food. 64% said they had eaten grass and expired food. (AJ 12/19)

Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh met with Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Qatar. (AJ, HA 12/20)

Islamic Jihad released a video of 2 Israeli captives who called on Israelis to pressure the Israeli government to get them released. (AJ, REU 12/19; HA, HA 12/20)

Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant visited Israeli soldiers in southern Gaza, saying the Israeli ground invasion would expand to other areas beyond Khan Yunis in the south. President Isaac Herzog said Israel is willing to negotiate a new temporary ceasefire with Hamas. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, REU 12/19)

UN Security Council members negotiated for the second day in a row over the wording of a resolution. The U.S. opposed language calling for a ceasefire and putting the UN in charge of inspecting aid deliveries to Gaza instead of Israel. The vote was postponed until 12/20. U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said a ceasefire would “validate” Hamas’ Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. (AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AP, HA, NYT, REU, WAFA 12/19; NYT, WAFA 12/20)

French foreign minister Catherine Colonna said that France will sanction violent Israeli settlers, saying she had witnessed the violence they commit during her trip to the West Bank last week. The PA called the decision a step in the right direction. (AJ, WAFA 12/19)

Senior Houthi official Mohammed al-Bukhaiti said the Yemeni government would not cease its attacks on Israel-linked ships until Israel stops its attacks on Gaza, even if it means war with the U.S.-led naval coalition. (AJ, HA, REU 12/19; NYT 12/20)

The Foreign Press Association in Jerusalem said it has filed a petition with the Israeli Supreme Court to gain “immediate access” to Gaza for international media. (AP, HA, REU 12/19; NYT 12/20)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians harvesting olives in Qaryut. Israeli settlers also vandalized Palestinian property, including water tanks, solar panels, and a vehicle in al-Rakiz and al-Mafqara in the Masafer Yatta area. Israeli forces shot and killed 6 Palestinians during raids in Halhul, Beit Fajjar, and Tulkarm. Israeli forces also shot and injured 8 Palestinian during raids in al-Khader, Tulkarm, Ya’bad, Beit Fajjar, and Halhul. Elsewhere, Israeli forces assaulted 1 Palestinian in ‘Azzun. 70 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Ramallah, Dura, Nabi Salih, Qalqilya, Shu’fat refugee camp, ‘Anata, Hebron, and Nablus, including prominent activist Ahed Tamimi and senior Fatah member Marouf Rifai. The Palestinian Prisoners Commission said 2,150 Palestinians have been arrested since 10/7. In East Jerusalem, Israeli police shot and killed 1 Palestinian minor after he allegedly stabbed 2 Israeli soldiers in the Old City. 1 of the soldiers later died of her wounds. In Gaza, telecommunications were gradually restored in the morning after Israel cut the internet and phone connection on 11/5. 252 Palestinians were killed and 1,200 injured in Israeli airstrikes. Israel said it had attacked 450 sites overnight and assassinated Hamas member Jamal Musa. Israeli airstrikes targeted al-Shifa Hospital, killing 1 and injuring 170 others, and the Nasser Medical Complex, killing at least 8. Bombardments also caused mass casualties in az-Zawaidah and Tel as-Sultan. In Lebanon, Hamas claimed responsibility for firing 16 rockets near Haifa. Israel said it attacked the launch sites. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AP, HA, HA, HA, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/6; AJ, AJ, REU 11/7)

The Ministry of Health in Gaza said at least 10,022 Palestinians have been killed, including 4,100 children and 2,550 women, and 25,408 have been injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since 10/7. At least 2,260 people were buried in rubble, including 1,270 children. 151 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 44 children. More than 2,386 people have been injured. Around 1,400 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,431 injured since 10/7. 30 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the ground invasion began. Over 1.61 million Palestinians, around 70% 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 Israel blockade. At least 40,000 housing units have been destroyed and 220,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7. 4 ambulances carrying 17 injured Palestinians entered Egypt through the Rafah crossing. 50 trucks carrying aid entered Gaza via the Rafah crossing. PA health minister Mai al-Kaila said 175 medical personnel and 34 civil defense workers have been killed by Israel in Gaza since 10/7. The UN said 89 UNRWA staff members have been killed. The Committee to Protect Journalists said 36 journalists have been killed since 10/7. (AJ, AJ. HA, HA, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/6; AJ 11/7)

A Palestinian man held in Israeli prison, Majad Ahmed Zaqoul, died in Israeli custody at the Ofer prison, being the third Palestinian to die in Israeli prison since 10/7. Zaqoul was working in Israel on 10/7 and was arrested by Israel shortly after. Israel has not investigated the death of the 2 other Palestinians who died while in Israeli custody since 10/7. (AJ, HA, WAFA 11/6; WAFA 11/7)

The PA refused to accept the partial transfer of its tax revenue collected by Israel after Israel decided to withhold sums earmarked for administration expenses in Gaza, in addition to the funds withheld that Israel says the PA pays to the families of Palestinian detainees and Palestinians killed by Israeli forces. The amount Israel earmarked for Gaza was $140 million a month. PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke with Austrian chancellor Karl Nehammer, calling for an immediate ceasefire. (HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA 11/6)

The Knesset approved a temporary bill banning consumption of “words of praise, sympathy or encouragement for acts of terrorism” by Hamas or ISIS. Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich sent a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, demanding that the Israeli military creates “security zones around the settlements and roads” and prevents Palestinians from approaching them. (AJ, HA, REU 11/6)

Qatar condemned Israel for claiming that there was a tunnel system under the Qatar-funded Sheikh Hamad Hospital in Gaza. Israel had released a photo to back up its claims, but engineers have pointed out that the purported tunnel is for water storage. An Al Jazeera investigation later disproved the Israeli claim. (AJ, HA 11/6; AJ 11/8)

South Africa recalled its ambassador to Israel, calling Israeli actions in Gaza “genocide.” The deputy speaker of the Bahraini parliament said the parliament wants to cancel the country’s normalization deal with Israel. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, REU 11/6; HA 11/7; NYT 11/8)

The UAE said it would establish a field hospital in Gaza and that 5 aircraft carrying the necessary equipment were en route to Egypt. France said it was in talks with Egypt to set up a field hospital in the Sinai to treated wounded Palestinians from Gaza. (AJ, HA 11/6)

The 15 UN Security Council members failed to agree to a resolution on Israel’s attacks on Gaza. The U.S. insisted the council call for “humanitarian pauses” while other states demanded a call for a “humanitarian ceasefire.” UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres launched a $1.2 billion humanitarian appeal to help 2.7 million Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and said Gaza was becoming “a graveyard for children.” (AJ, AP, AX, HA, NYT, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA 11/6; AJ, HA 11/7)

U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken met with Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan in Ankara. U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu had discussed “tactical pauses.” Axios later reported that Biden asked Netanyahu for a 3-day ceasefire to allow sufficient aid to enter Gaza. In return, Hamas would release 10-15 captives and verify the identities of the remaining captives, a proposal Netanyahu reportedly rejected. Netanyahu told ABC News that a ceasefire depended on the release of the Hamas-held captives, but that Israel could allow “tactical pauses.” Netanyahu also said Israel will maintain the “overall security responsibility” for Gaza for “an indefinite period” when Israel has finished its campaign. U.S. State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patal said in response to Netanyahu’s comments that Gaza will remain Palestinian land and that the U.S. does not support reoccupation. (AJ, AP, AP, AX, HA, REU 11/6; AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AP, AX, HA, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, REU, REU, REU 11/7; HA, NYT 11/8)

The U.S. military said a nuclear submarine had arrived in the eastern Mediterranean. The submarine was said to have not been carrying nuclear weapons but Tomahawk missiles. It was also reported that the U.S. planned to send Israel $320 million worth of Spice Family Gliding Bomb Assemblies, a precision guided munition for fighter jets. The State Department approved the shipment. (AJ, AJ, HA, NYT, REU 11/6; AJ, HA 11/7)

EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen presented 5 principles for after Israel’s war on Gaza; 1) Gaza cannot be a haven for terrorists; 2) Hamas cannot rule Gaza; 3) there cannot be a long-term Israeli security presence in Gaza; 4) no forced displacement of Palestinians; 5) no continuous siege on Gaza. Von der Leyen also announced that the EU will allocate another $27 million in aid to Gaza. (AJ, AJ, HA, HA 11/6)

Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian spoke with Saudi foreign minister Faisal bin Farhan about the situation in Gaza, agreeing to convene an extraordinary summit of the OIC in Saudi Arabia on 11/12. (HA 11/6)

The New York Times reported that the U.S. had told Hezbollah and Iran that it will intervene militarily if they attack Israel. (HA, NYT 11/6)

Haaretz reported that U.S. officials told the newspaper that Secretary Blinken got the impression that Israel does not have a strategy for what to do when its war on Gaza ends. Blinken reportedly broached the question in meetings with Israeli officials on 11/3, receiving the impression that the matter has barely been discussed. (HA 11/6; HA 11/7)

In the West Bank, a Palestinian succumbed to injuries sustained from Israeli forces during a raid in Ras Karkar last week. Israeli settlers posing as Israeli forces made 3 Palestinian families demolish their residential tents on the outskirts of Hizma. Israeli forces shot and killed 4 Palestinians during a raid in Jenin, 9 were injured, including 1 in a drone strike on a house. Israeli forces also shot and killed a Palestinian during a raid in Yatta. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and injured 44 Palestinians during raids in Beita, Hebron, Zawata, Safa, al-Ram, Dura al-Qara’, ‘Anata, and Dheisheh refugee camp. 60 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Ramallah, Silwad, Hebron, Nablus, Bethlehem, Tulkarm, and Qalqilya. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian in Shaykh Jarrah, claiming he had stabbed and injured a police officer. In Gaza, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 304 Palestinians. Israel said it had carried out 600 airstrikes in the past 24 hours. Hamas said it had repelled Israeli advances near Gaza City, forcing Israeli tanks and bulldozers to retreat. Israel hit the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, causing extensive damage. Near Lebanon, an Israeli soldier was killed and 2 others injured when an Israeli tank rolled over them. Israel attacked several places in Lebanon; 3 mortar shells were fired at Israel. In Syria, Israeli forces carried out airstrikes, saying they had hit targets that fired rockets toward Israel. (AP 10/29; AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, HA, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/30; HA, NYT 10/31)

The Gaza Ministry of Health said at least 8,309 Palestinians have been killed, including around 5,000 women and children, and 21,048 have been injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since 10/7. 1,800 Palestinians, including 940 children, have been reported missing. In addition, Israeli media reported that 1,500 Palestinian militants have been killed near Gaza. 122 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 33 children. More than 2,208 have been injured. Israeli officials recorded no new fatalities, leaving the Israeli death toll at around 1,400 Israelis and foreign nationals; 5,431 have been injured since 10/7. The UN reported that over 1.4 million Palestinians, more than half the population in Gaza, have been displaced since 10/7 and that since 11 p.m. on 10/12 there has been a complete electricity blackout due to the Israeli blockade. As of 10/23, at least 27,781 housing units had been destroyed and 150,000 had been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7. At least 45% of all housing units have been either destroyed or damaged in Israeli airstrikes. UNRWA said 10 of its staff have been killed in the past 3 days, bringing the total number of UNRWA staff killed by Israel to 63. 26 trucks carrying aid to Gaza entered via the Rafah crossing. The WHO said it had not been able to resupply al-Shifa and al-Quds hospitals because of the risk of Israeli airstrikes. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said an Israeli airstrike damaged its warehouse in Gaza City. Israel closed off the water to Gaza again after reopening 2 water lines in the past week. (AJ, HA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA 10/30)

Hamas released a video of 3 Israeli captives, calling on Israel to facilitate their release. Israel said it had rescued 1 captive from Hamas during an operation in Gaza. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, HA, NYT, REU, REU 10/30)

Al Jazeera journalist Youmna ElSayed said her family had received a phone call from Israel warning them to flee south from Gaza City. Al Jazeera condemned the threat against their journalist in a statement, saying “Israel’s actions continue with impunity as they attempt to silence the messenger.” (AJ, AJ 10/30) 

PA foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki met with Cypriot foreign minister Constantinos Kombos, discussing the need for an immediate ceasefire. (WAFA 10/30)

Israeli media reported that Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich had sent a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, informing him that monthly payments to the PA delivering the PA’s tax revenue had stopped. (AJ 10/30)

A draft document written by the Israeli Ministry of Intelligence said Israel may try to forcefully displace Palestinians in Gaza to Egypt. 2 other options in the document included that Israel hands control of Gaza to the PA or that is establish “local Arab rule” by Palestinians in Gaza. Israeli sources verified the authenticity of the document but said the government is not expected to debate the proposals. (HA 10/30; AP 10/31)

The Israeli High Court of Justice denied a petition by 3 Israeli organizations to remove a temporary order allowing worsening conditions for Palestinian prisoners. The judges said “[t]he assessment of human rights violations in times of war is not comparable to such assessments in peaceful situations.” (HA 10/30)

Al-Haq, al-Mazan, and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights urged ICC prosecutor Karim Khan to issue arrest warrants for “Israeli authorities and military personnel.” (AJ 10/30; WAFA 10/31)

At the UN Security Council, PA ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour criticized the international community for not forcing Israel to stop its bombing of Gaza, saying “they are besieged and bombed with nowhere safe to go.” Israeli UN ambassador Gilad Erdan wore a yellow Star of David, resembling the markings forced on Jewish people by Nazi Germany, saying “Never Again.” Dani Dayan, the chairperson of the Israeli Holocaust Remembrance Center, Yad Vashem, said Erdan’s actions “disgraces both Holocaust victims and Israel.” UNRWA commissioner-general Phillippe Lazzarini told the Security Council that a ceasefire was a “matter of life and death for millions,” and charged Israel with collective punishment. (AJ, NYT, WAFA 10/30; AP, AP, HA, HA, HA, WAFA 10/31; HA 11/1)

Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant said Hamas will “die fighting” or “surrender without any conditions.” (AJ 10/30)

U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the U.S. does not support a ceasefire, reiterating the White House’s position that a ceasefire would only benefit Hamas. Kirby stated the U.S. position was to support “temporary, localized humanitarian pauses for aid, and for people to get out.” The U.S. also said 4 rockets were launched at the Ain al-Asad air base, causing no injuries or damage. Saudi defense minister Khalid bin Salman said he discussed the need for a ceasefire during a meeting with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. (AJ, HA, REU, REU 10/30; AJ 10/31)

UK foreign secretary James Cleverly said the UK was working to facilitate a temporary ceasefire to allow more aid to enter Gaza. UK parliamentary private secretary Paul Bristow was fired from the Conservative government for writing a letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak calling for a ceasefire. (AJ, REU 10/30; AJ, AJ, HA 10/31)

Axios reported that Mossad director David Barnea traveled to Qatar over the weekend for meetings with Qatari officials regarding a prisoner exchange with Hamas. U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken spoke with Qatari prime minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, discussing the humanitarian situation in Gaza and Qatari efforts to mediate a prisoner exchange. (AJ, AX, HA 10/30)

OIC secretary-general Hussein Brahim Taha condemned the Israeli attacks on Gaza, calling on the international community to intervene. (WAFA 10/30)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians harvesting olives in Burin, assaulting them at gun point and stealing tools, phones, and olive crops. Israeli settlers also raided Qarawat Bani Hassan, opening fire at Palestinians harvesting olives, forcing them to flee. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers uprooted 55 trees using a bulldozer in al-Twana. Israeli settlers also assaulted Palestinians in Khallet ad-Dabi, causing fractures and bruises on several of them. Meanwhile, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian homes in Arab al-Milehat near Jericho. Israeli forces killed 7 Palestinians, including 2 children, during raids in Jenin refugee camp, Qalqilya, and Qalandia refugee camp; 5 of the Palestinians were killed in a drone strike on Jenin refugee camp. Israeli forces also shot and injured 28 Palestinians during raids in Jenin refugee camp and Qalandia refugee camp. Elsewhere, Israeli forces razed land and uprooted 25 trees near Beit Umar. 52 Palestinians were arrested during raids in and around Ramallah, Hebron, Bethlehem, Qalqilya, Salfit, Jenin, Tubas, Bayt Awa, and Beit Umar. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. Israeli settlers with a military escort also attacked Palestinians in al-Sawana, injuring 3, including 2 with baton rounds and 1 by assault. Israeli forces demolished a Palestinian home in Shaykh Jarrah, displacing 9. Israel also forced a Palestinian family to demolish their own home in Bayt Hanina. 20 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids. In Gaza, Israeli airstrikes killed 756 Palestinians, including the wife, son, daughter, and grandchild of Al Jazeera Gaza bureau chief Wael Dahdouh in an airstrike that was said to be targeting him. Israeli airstrikes also destroyed a bakery in Dayr al-Balah shortly after it received a shipment of flour. Rockets were fired at Israel, causing damage and injuries. In Lebanon, Israeli attacks killed 2 members of Hezbollah, increasing the number of Hezbollah members killed to 40 since 10/7. In Syria, Israeli forces attacked Aleppo International Airport, rendering it out of service, and killed at least 8 and wounded 7 others in a different attack in southwestern Syria. (AJ 10/24; AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, HA, NYT, REU, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/25; AJ, AP, AP, AP, WAFA 10/26)

The Gaza Ministry of Health said as of 5 p.m. at least 6,547 Palestinians had been killed, including at least 4,000 women and children, and 17,439 had been injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since 10/7. It is estimated that 1,500 were trapped in rubble. In addition, Israeli media reported that 1,500 Palestinian militants have been killed near Gaza. 102 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 29 children. More than 1,833 have been injured. Israeli officials recorded no new fatalities, leaving the Israeli death toll at around 1,400 Israelis and foreign nationals; 5,431 have been injured since 10/7. The UN reported that over 1.4 million Palestinians, more than half the population in Gaza, have been displaced since 10/7 and that since 11 p.m. on 10/12 there has been a complete electricity blackout due to the Israeli blockade. At least 27,781 housing units have been destroyed and 150,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7. At least 45% of all housing units have been either destroyed or damaged in Israeli airstrikes. The Committee to Protect Journalists said at least 24 journalists have been killed since 10/7, including 20 Palestinians, 3 Israelis, and 1 Lebanese. The UN said the shortage of fuel was undermining its efforts to help Palestinians in Gaza. Israel told 40,000 Palestinians in Dayr al-Balah and Khan Yunis to evacuate to al-Mawasi. (AJ 10/24; HA, NYT, UNOCHA, WAFA 10/25; AP 10/26)

The Palestinian Federation of Trade Unions said between 9,000 and 9,500 Palestinians from Gaza, employed in Israel, were in Israel on 10/7. 5,000 of them made it to the West Bank, with some 2,000 of them subsequently being arrested by Israel while 1,000 are unaccounted for. A Palestinian worker told Haaretz after he was released from an Israeli detention camp that Palestinians were held in the sun for 2 days without food, while they were blindfolded and their hands were tied. He also said he was beaten and threatened with death during an interrogation. (AJ 10/24; HA 10/25; HA, WAFA 10/26; AJ 10/28)

Oxfam said Israel was using starvation as a weapon of war, saying only 2% of the food that circumstances would have entered Gaza under normal circumstances has been delivered since 10/7 and that 104 trucks of food are needed daily to cover the needs of the population. (AJ 10/25)

Hamas deputy political leader Saleh al-Arouri and Islamic Jihad secretary-general Ziad al-Nakhalah met with Hezbollah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut. (AJ 10/24; AJ, HA, REU 10/25; HA 10/26)

U.S. president Joe Biden questioned the accuracy of the death toll reported by the Gaza Ministry of Health. Human Rights Watch said the data provided by the ministry is accurate, saying their own investigations are aligned with the ministry’s data. Biden also criticized Israeli settlers for “attacking Palestinians in places that they are entitled to be.” After a call with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a readout of the conversation stated that they discussed a “pathway for a permanent peace.” Newly elected House of Representatives speaker Mike Johnson’s first act as speaker was to bring a pro-Israel resolution to the floor, which passed 412-10, with 6 voting present. The U.S. said it will send 2 Iron Dome batteries and 300 interceptors to Israel. (AJ, REU 10/24; AJ, HA, HA, NYT, NYT 10/25; AJ, AP, AP, HA, HA, REU 10/26)

At the UN Security Council, the U.S. and UK vetoed a Russian resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire. China, Gabon, Russia, and the UAE voted for the resolution while the 9 other members abstained. Russia and China vetoed a U.S. resolution calling for “humanitarian pauses.” The UAE also voted against it, while Albania, France, Ecuador, Gabon, Ghana, Japan, Malta, Switzerland, and the UK voted in favor. Brazil and Mozambique abstained. (AJ 10/24; AJ, REU 10/25; AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, HA, WAFA 10/26)

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in a speech that he will not visit Israel as planned and that relations between the 2 states will not improve, calling Israel’s attacks on Gaza “inhumane.” Erdoğan also said Hamas is a liberation group that protects its lands and people.  (AJ 10/24; AJ, HA, HA, NYT, REU 10/25; NYT 10/26)

French president Emmanuel Macron met with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who said the 2 discussed the “many, many civilian casualties” that could result from an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza. Macron also met with King Abdullah II of Jordan in Amman. Macron said France will deploy a navy ship to bring aid to Gaza hospitals via Egypt. (AJ 10/24; HA, REU, REU 10/25; AP 10/26)

Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf called UK prime minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Keir Starmer’s refusal to call for a ceasefire “infuriating.” (AJ 10/24)

The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. has asked Israel to hold off on its planned ground invasion of Gaza until the U.S. has bolstered its defenses in Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, and the UAE. Haaretz reported that as of 10/22, 80 U.S. military planes have landed in Israel, Jordan, and Cyprus. (HA 10/24; HA, HA, NYT, REU 10/25)

Axios reported that U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken has asked Qatar to “tone down” Al Jazeera’s rhetoric on the Israeli attacks on Gaza. (AJ 10/24)

Fans of the Scottish soccer club Celtic waived 100s of Palestinian flags during a Champions League match against Atletico Madrid in Glasgow. (AJ 10/24; AJ 10/26)

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 set up sheds in Dayr Istya. Israeli settlers with military escort vandalized property in Burqin and Israeli forces attacked Palestinians when they tried to fend off the settlers, injuring 2 with rubber-coated bullets. Israeli forces also shot and killed 1 Palestinian child and wounded dozens of others during a protest at a checkpoint in Bil‘in; Israel said that 2 Israeli soldiers were lightly injured. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian in Hebron, saying he was going to attack the soldiers. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Ramallah, killing 2 and injuring 64. Separately, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Qalqilya, injuring 12 with live ammunition and 20 with rubber-coated bullets; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Bayt Ijza, injuring 3 with rubber-coated bullets; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Meanwhile, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Nablus, injuring 11 with live ammunition. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Atuf, injuring 11 with live ammunition. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Huwwara, injuring 1 with live ammunition. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Nabi Salih, injuring 13 Palestinians with live ammunition. Separately, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Qiffin, injuring 1 Palestinian with live ammunition; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Anabta, injuring 2 with live ammunition and 3 with rubber-coated bullets; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Meanwhile, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Beita, causing tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Bayt Fajjar, injuring 1 with rubber-coated bullets; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Aida refugee camp, causing tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Dayr Sharaf, injuring 2 with live ammunition and 2 with rubber-coated bullets; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Separately, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in al-Naqura, injuring 1 with rubber-coated bullets; others suffered tear-gas related injuries and a tear gas canister ignited a fire in a field. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Luban al-Sharqiyya, injuring 5 with rubber-coated bullets; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Meanwhile, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Burqa, causing tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Bayt Furik, injuring 3 with rubber-coated bullets; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Hebron, injuring 1 with rubber-coated bullets; others with tear gas. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Qarawat Bani Hassan, injuring 1 with live ammunition. Separately, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters at a checkpoint near Jenin, injuring 7 with live ammunition. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Tuqu‘, leading to tear-gas related injuries. A total of 202 were reported injured during the protests in the West Bank. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Shaykh Jarrah and Bab al-Amud, injuring 41. Israeli forces also shot and injured 1 Palestinian minor in her back, fracturing her spine with a rubber-coated bullet, and injured her father with a rubber-coated bullet and stun grenade while they were inside their home in Shaykh Jarrah; a video shows the incident. 1 Palestinian was arrested during a late-night raid in Silwan. In Gaza, 3 Palestinians were killed, including 1 child, and many were injured, raising the comprehensive death toll since 5/10 from 216 to 219, including 63 children and 2 pregnant women. The casualties included: 1 in an air strike a house south of Gaza City; 1 of a heart attack during heavy bombardment of Rafah; and 1 Palestinian infant succumbed to her wounds sustained on 5/11 during an air strike on Gaza City that killed her father, mother, and sister. In Israel, Israeli police shot and seriously injured 1 Palestinian-Israeli minor who was sitting in a car with friends in Umm al-Fahm. Rockets fired from Gaza killed 2 Thai citizens working at a factory in Moshav Ohad, raising the Israeli death toll to 12. Israel also said it had destroyed 7.5 miles of Gaza tunnels overnight. 1 drone of unknown origin was shot down by Israeli forces near the northern part of the Israeli-Jordanian border. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, HA, PCHR, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/18; AX, CNN, HA, HA, HA, PCHR, PCHR, WAFA 5/19; PCHR 5/20; MEE 5/21; HA, NYT 5/26; HA 5/27)

Palestinians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza, and Israel observed a general strike in protest over evictions of Palestinians in East Jerusalem and the Israeli attacks on Gaza. (WAFA 5/18; HA 5/19)

A spokesperson for the health ministry in Gaza said that no more COVID-19 tests were being processed in Gaza due to an Israeli air strike destroying the sole COVID-19 test processing center. (AJ 5/18)

Israel opened the Kerem Shalom crossing and then closed it shortly after, citing Hamas’s shelling of the area. (AJ, AJ 5/18)

The Israeli high court of justice ruled that 1 Israeli settler must stop cultivating 170 dunams (42 acres) of land near Turmus ‘Ayya, saying the cultivation is illegal. The court, however, refused to rule on the ownership of the land, stating that the 8 Palestinian petitioners must obtain permission to farm the land from a different body as the court does not consider itself the proper venue for the question. (HA 5/23)

Israel’s Channel 12 said that an Egyptian truce proposal calling for an end to violence from 6 a.m. on 5/20 had been agreed to by Hamas. (AJ 5/19)

The Israeli police commissioner Kobi Shabtai was criticized by the public security minister Amir Ohana for saying that there “were terrorists from both sides [Jewish-Israeli and Palestinian-Israeli] and we will bring every one of them to justice.” (HA 5/18)

After saying that his committee would review a sale of arms to Israel on 5/17, chairman of the house of foreign affairs committee Gregory Meeks was said to have reversed course and that he is looking at discussing the arm sales with the Biden administration. The Biden administration had informed Congress on 5/4 that it would be selling Israel $735 million’s worth of precision-guided missiles. It was reported that Chairman Meeks had come under significant pressure after saying he would review the sale. Several other Democrats in the House have called for conditioning or ending military aid to Israel. (AJ, REU 5/17; ALM, HA, HA, MEE 5/18)

U.S. president Joe Biden joked, when asked by a journalist if he would answer a question about Israel, that she could ask a question if she let him run her over with the Ford F-150 he was sitting in. President Biden was visiting a Ford plant in Dearborn, Michigan. (FOX 5/18)

France called for the UN security council to agree on a resolution calling for a ceasefire. Prime minister Emmanuel Macron made the call after a meeting with Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordanian king Abdullah II. (AJ, REU 5/18; AP, HA 5/19)

The EU foreign ministers met to discuss how to help facilitate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Hungary was said to have prevented consensus on a meaningful engagement. Separately, Germany said it would donate $48.9 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, HA 5/18; ALM 5/19)

The Egyptian presidency said it would give $500 million to help rebuild Gaza. (AJ 5/18)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked 2 Palestinians in Ma’in, causing light injuries. Israeli settlers also set fire to a Palestinian-owned vehicle in Rujeib. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles traveling between Jenin and Nablus. Israeli settlers also attacked Palestinians in Burin, demolished parts of a house, and set fields on fire. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian child during a late-night raid in Tubas and injured 1 other by running him over. Israeli forces also shot and killed 1 Palestinian during a late-night raid in al-Fawar refugee camp. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian at a checkpoint near Huwwara, claiming he had tried to attack 2 Israeli soldiers. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Hebron, injuring 2, including 1 with live ammunition. Separately, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Yatta, injuring 1 with live ammunition and 2 with rubber-coated bullets. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Bayt Umar, injuring 1 minor with live ammunition and 3 others with rubber-coated bullets. Meanwhile, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians protesting in Bethlehem, Harmala, al-Khadir, and Dayr Sharif, resulting in tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Beita, injuring 3 using rubber-coated bullets. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Tulkarm, injuring 3 with live ammunition. 40 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Hebron, al-Fawar refugee camp, Nablus, Tulkarm, Tubas, and Qalqilya. In East Jerusalem, 2 Israeli settlers attacked 1 Palestinian with a sharp tool, slicing her face as she was leaving the Haram al-Sharif compound. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in al-Tur, injuring 1 with a rubber-coated bullet; others suffered tear-gas related injuries and 2 were arrested. 6 other Palestinians were arrested during house raids in the Old City, Jabal Mukabir, Silwan, and Shu‘fat. In Gaza, 34 Palestinians were killed, including 6 children, and dozens injured, raising the comprehensive death toll since 5/10 from 30 to 64, including 16 children. The casualties included: 4 in a drone strike on a car east of Bayt Lahiya; 8, including 3 children, in 3 air strikes on apartment buildings in Gaza City; 1 child in an air strike on a butcher in Gaza City; 6 in a drone strike on a car in Gaza city, including 3 inside the car and 3 passersby; 1, and 1 wounded, in another air strike on a vehicle in Gaza City; 1 in an air strike in Khan Yunis; 1 in an air strike on agricultural lands near Khuza‘a; 4, and 2 injured, in a drone strike on Nuseirat refugee camp; 2, and 1 child injured, in an air strike on a liquefied petroleum gas distribution vehicle in Khan Yunis; 2, and 3 wounded, including 1 child, in an air strike on a house in Khan Yunis; 2, and 2 wounded, all children, after a helicopter fired missiles at a gas station in al-Fukhari; and the body of 1 Palestinian was found in rubble near Bayt Hanun, it was assessed that he was killed in an air strike on 5/10; the body of 1 Palestinian was found near a mosque in Rafah, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights said it was unclear if he had been killed by debris from an intercepted rocket or in an Israeli air strike. Hamas reported that the interior ministry and the passport office along with other government buildings had been hit by Israeli air strikes. Israeli air strikes also demolished 2 high-rise buildings, the 10-story al-Jawhara building, and the 14-story al-Shorouq building, which housed news outlets and other offices, and the headquarters of the interior ministry and UNRWA schools. In Israel, 1 Israeli soldier was killed and 2 injured from an anti-tank missile fired from Gaza and 1 child succumbed to injuries sustained in Sderot, raising the Israeli death toll to 7. Dozens of rockets were also fired at Israel from Gaza, most of them intercepted. A mob of Jewish-Israelis pulled 1 Palestinian-Israeli out of his car and beat him while tv cameras were rolling in Bat Yam; the man was said to be in serious condition. A mob of Jewish-Israelis also raided a number of Palestinian-owned businesses in Tel Aviv, causing severe damage. 1 Jewish-Israeli man was attacked by 5 Palestinian-Israelis in ‘Akka; he was said to be in serious condition. Jewish-Israelis also attacked a tent set up to mourn the death of 1 Palestinian-Israeli who was shot by a Jewish-Israeli on 5/10 in Lydda, throwing stones at the mourners. Elsewhere in Lydda, 1 Jewish-Israeli was shot and injured and 2 more were injured in stabbings, 21 Palestinian-Israelis were injured, including 1 by gunshot. Israeli police announced a nighttime curfew in Lydda from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. 1 Palestinian-Israeli man was injured when rammed by a car­ and beaten near Or Akiva. 1 Palestinian-Israeli was lightly injured by a mob of Jewish-Israelis while driving in Tiberias. 1 Jewish-Israeli was injured in a stabbing incident in Tamra. A mob of Jewish-Israelis also attacked 1 Palestinian-Israeli in Haifa. (AJ, NYT 5/11; AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AP, AP, BBC, CNN, HA, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, PCHR, REU, REU, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/12; AP, CNN, HA, PCHR, WAFA, WAFA 5/13; PCHR 5/14; TOI 5/16; HA 5/18; WAFA 5/19; PCHR 5/20; MEE 5/21; HA, NYT 5/26; HA 5/27)

1 Palestinian prisoner suspended a 56-day-long hunger strike as Israel promised not to renew his administrative detention after 7/17. (WAFA 5/12)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas discussed the current situation with EU high representative Josep Borrell, King Abdullah II of Jordan, and Iraqi president Barham Salih. A White House statement also said that U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken spoke with President Abbas and they discussed “the violence in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza, and the Secretary expressed his condolences for the lives lost as a result. The Secretary condemned the rocket attacks and emphasized the need to de-escalate tensions and bring the current violence to an end.” (HA, WAFA 5/12)

At a security cabinet meeting, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other ministers decided not to accept a potential ceasefire and continue its attack on Gaza for the time being. (HA 5/13)

Israeli president Reuven Rivlin condemned what he called a “pogrom” by “an Arab mob” on 5/11, despite the majority of the violence in Israel being perpetrated against Palestinian-Israelis. (HA 5/12)

Turkey said that its president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russia’s president Vladimir Putin had discussed the situation in Jerusalem and Gaza, and that Turkey had called for international action against Israel. (AJ, AP, REU 5/12)

U.S. president Joe Biden said, during a press conference, that he believes that “Israel has a right to defend itself when you have thousands of rockets flying in your territory,” and that his “hope is that we’ll see this coming to conclusions sooner than later.” President Biden also spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu, where he gave his “unwavering support for Israel’s security and for Israel’s legitimate right to defend itself and its people, while protecting civilians,” according to the readout. The Biden administration also dispatched deputy assistant secretary of state for Israel and Palestine Hady Amr to Israel for talks with Palestinian and Israeli officials. The White House said that senior officials have had more than 25 calls with officials from Israel, the PA, Qatar, Tunisia, Jordan, and Egypt about the situation. (HA 5/12; NYT 5/13)

25 house democrats signed a letter circulated by Marie Newman (D-IL) and Mark Pocan (D-WI) urging secretary of state Antony Blinken to condemn the planned evictions of Palestinian families from Shaykh Jarrah. (HA 5/13)

ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said that she was following the situation in Gaza and Jerusalem with concern. (MEE, REU, WAFA 5/12)

The UN security council held a 2d meeting in 3 days to discuss the escalation of the conflict between Palestine and Israel. (TOI 5/12)

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)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF opens fire on Palestinian fishermen nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts night patrols in 1 village each nr. Qalqilya and Tulkarm. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at weekly demonstrations against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and occupation in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Nabi Salih, and Ni‘lin), 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum), and 1 village nr. Bethlehem (al-Ma‘sara). There are no serious injuries, except in Bil‘in (3 wounded by live ammunition) and Kafr Qaddum (2 struck by tear gas canisters). (PCHR 8/29)

In the Gaza Strip, hundreds of Palestinians march in protest of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks; the demonstration was organized by Hamas and Islamic Jihad. (AFP 8/23)

The IDF conducts an air strike against a base of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC) s. of Beirut, in response to the rocket launch the previous day—despite that attack being claimed by and attributed to another group entirely. A Lebanese security source claims that the site is also used by Islamist militants. The air raid causes no casualties or serious damage. Lebanese pres. Michel Suleiman condemns the Israeli strike and orders his diplomats to file a complaint about the attack with the UNSC. Israeli DM Moshe Ya’alon says that the Israeli govt. holds their Lebanese counterparts responsible for the rocket fire emanating from its territory. Outside of 2 Sunni mosques, twin bombs kill at least 42 people in Tripoli; no one claims responsibility for the attack. (AFP, AP, DS, HA, JP, REU, WP 8/23)

UN Secy.-Gen. Ban Ki-moon repeats his desire for both Syrian govt. and rebel forces to permit an inspectors team to investigate the site of an alleged chemical weapons attack. Meanwhile, the British govt. adds its voice to those ascribing responsibility for the attack to govt. forces. Moscow publishes a statement calling for an independent investigation and saying that FM Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry had spoken about the situation and that both parties had a “mutual interest” in calling for a UN investigation. In an interview on CNN, U.S. pres. Barack Obama plays down the possibility of a rapid military intervention by the U.S. in Syria, saying how important a legal mandate from the UN and international coalition of support would be. (Guardian, REU 22/8)

Protests take place across Egypt by Muslim Brotherhood supporters and other opponents of the coup, though rallies were small and scattered. One person is killed by security forces in the Nile Delta town of Tanta, with official Health Ministry reports saying 54 people are wounded in Cairo and 2 Delta provinces. Meanwhile, speaking on CNN, U.S. pres. Barack Obama says that cutting off aid to Egypt “may not reverse what the interim govt. does.” (AP, REU 8/23)