The Palestine Chronology

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set up caravans near Qusra. Israeli settlers also threw stones at commercial structures and vehicles in Burqa, causing damage. Israeli forces delivered stop-work orders for 1 house and electricity cables in al-Twana. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinian fishermen northwest of Rafah; no injuries were reported. In Israel, 2 Palestinian citizens of Israel opened fire on Israelis in Hadera, killing 2 Israeli soldiers and wounding 5 others, including 1 soldier, before being shot and killed by Israeli undercover police. Israel said that the 2 attackers were affiliated of ISIS. 5 Palestinian citizens of Israel were arrested during subsequent raids in Umm al-Fahm under suspicion of having prior knowledge of the attack. (AJ, AP, DW, HA, HILL, MEE, NYT, TOI, WAFA, WAFA 3/27; ABC, AP, AX, CNN, GDN, HA, HA, HA, JP, MEMO, NPR, REU, SKY, TOI, WSJ 3/28; ALM, ALM 3/29; F24, PCHR 3/31; UNOCHA 4/10)

Members of the settler organization Ateret Cohanim entered the 1st floor of the Little Petra Hotel in East Jerusalem with Israeli police escort in an effort to cement the organization’s hold of the building. The ownership of the building is part of an ongoing legal case at the Israeli supreme court between the Greek Orthodox patriarchate in Jerusalem and Ateret Cohanim. The lawyers of the Palestinian family that runs the hotel were attacked with pepper spray by the Israeli settlers when they entered the building and Israeli police detained 1 of the 2 lawyers present at the site. (HA 3/27; MEE, WAFA 3/28; WAFA 3/29; WAFA, WAFA 3/30; PCHR 3/31)

The Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories announced that Israel will approve up to 20,000 work permits for Palestinians in Gaza for workers in construction and agriculture. The International Committee of the Red Cross in Israel also announced that Israel will allow family visits by Palestinians in Gaza to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisoners, for the 1st time since March 2020. (ALM 3/31)

U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken met with PA president Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah. During the meeting, President Abbas called on the U.S. to help curb settler violence and end settlement expansion. Abbas warned Blinken that the PA may rescind its recognition of Israel and end security cooperation if Israeli unilateral actions are not curbed. Abbas also criticized the U.S. and its allies for its double standards in not applying sanctions against Israel for its violations of international law as they have done against Russia. (HA, MEE, WAFA 3/27; JP 3/28; AX 3/30)

The foreign ministers of the U.S., UAE, Morocco, Egypt, Bahrain, and Israel met in Sde Boker for the 1st day of a 2-day summit comprised of countries that have normalized ties with Israel with U.S. support. Among the subjects discussed at the summit were the perceived threat from Iran and the U.S.’s efforts to reenter the Iran Nuclear deal. The 1st day of the summit coincided with the 20th anniversary of the Arab Peace Initiative. Secretary Blinken also met with Israel’s prime minister Naftali Bennett, who shortly after, tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. (AJ, AP, GDN, HA, HA, HA, HA, JP, JP, REU, TOI, WP 3/27; HA, MEMO 3/28; AX, AX 3/30)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces prevented Palestinians from renovating a water reservoir in Bayt Dajan. 6 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around al-Yamun, Deir Balut, Hebron, Beita, and Deir Nidham. In East Jerusalem, the head of Shu‘fat’s local council Mahmoud Ali al-Shaykh was arrested during a late-night raid. In Gaza, the UN mine action service removed an unexploded Israeli bomb fired in May during Israel’s Operation Guardians of the Wall. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen within 3 nautical miles west of Gaza; no injuries were reported. (WAFA 8/26; MEMO 8/27; PCHR 9/2)

Egypt reopened the Rafah crossing for traffic from Egypt toward Gaza but not from Gaza toward Egypt. Egypt closed the crossing on 8/23. (MEMO, REU 8/25; AJ, MEMO, WAFA 8/26)

Israel’s defense ministry said Israel would increase the number of allowed imports of vehicles and goods to Gaza and issue more permits for Palestinian businesspeople entering Israel from Gaza. (AJ, ALM, AP, HA 8/26)

Hamas thanked Jordanian king Abdullah II for allowing its leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Khaled Meshaal to attend the funeral in Amman of former Hamas leader Ibrahim Ghosheh, who passed away today. The funeral will take place on 8/27. (MEMO 8/27)

U.S. president Joe Biden postponed a meeting with Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett in Washington D.C. after suicide bombs killed nearly 90 people at the Kabul airport as evacuations continue after the Taliban took over almost all of Afghanistan. Among the killed were 11 U.S. Marines and 1 other navy soldier. President Biden and Prime Minister Bennett are expected to meet on 8/27 instead. German chancellor Angela Merkel reportedly also canceled a visit to Israel next week due to the situation in Afghanistan. The attack at Kabul airport was reportedly made by Islamic State – Khorasan Province, an Afghan offshoot of the Islamic State. (HA 8/25; AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AX, FOX, HA, HA, HA, HA, MEE, MEMO 8/26; AP, AP, AP, HA, REU 8/27)

The New York Times reported that when Israel attacked the Iranian Natanz nuclear facility on 4/11/2021, the Netanyahu administration gave the U.S. 2 hours’ notice before the attack. U.S. officials told the NYT that Israel deliberately gave the Biden administration too little time to ask Israel to call off its attack. (HA, NYT 8/26)

Germany provided the PA a grant of $29.5 million to develop the education sector in the West Bank. (WAFA 9/26; MEMO 8/27)

Sinai Province of the Islamic State (SPIS) fighters fire 2 rockets from the north Sinai Peninsula into Israel, where they land in open areas, causing no damage or injuries. Sources on the ground in Sinai report seeing Israeli fighter jets launch air strikes on a number of targets in response to the rockets. The attacks come after a day of heavy violence in Sinai and weeks of tension between Hamas and local Islamist groups in Gaza. Hours before the attack, SPIS fighters assaulted Egyptian soldiers at a vacant church in al-Arish with rocket-propelled grenades and car bombs, and also rob a bank nearby, sparking a firefight with Egyptian security personnel (at least 3 civilians and 4 soldiers are killed and at least 20 people are injured). The Egyptian army then launches a counterassault on insurgent hideouts near Rafah, al-Arish, and Shaykh Zuwayd, killing at least 24 fighters affiliated with SPIS and other armed groups. Meanwhile, the Egyptian authorities announce that they will not be opening the Rafah border crossing with Gaza for 4 days as planned. (AA, AP, HA, JP, REU, TOI, WAFA 10/16; TOI 10/17)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers assault 2 Palestinian children on their way to school in Hebron. They also throw stones and bottles at a mosque in al-Tuwani village near Hebron, causing minor damage and sparking clashes between their IDF escort and residents of the area (there are no serious injuries). Settlers steal olives harvested from more than 65 trees in orchards near Nablus and Ramallah (IDF troops arrest a number of them later in the day). Other settlers attempt to assault Palestinians picking olives outside the Eli settlement near Hebron, but the Palestinians drive them off. IDF troops conduct a raid in Dahaysha refugee camp near Bethlehem, arresting 1 Palestinian and sparking clashes with stone-throwing residents; 1 Palestinian is injured. They arrest 13 Palestinians during latenight raids near Jenin and Ramallah, and in Bethlehem and Qalqilya, and patrol near Jenin. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently disperse a Palestinian family gathering in Issawiyya to welcome a relative home from prison, moderately injuring 3 of them. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Gaza City and Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. They arrest 4 fishermen and confiscate 2 boats. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian farmland near al-Maghazi refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. (WAFA 10/15; MNA, WAFA 10/16; PCHR 10/19)

At the weekly Israeli cabinet meeting, PM Netanyahu says U.S. pres. Trump’s 10/13 decision not to certify the 7/14/2015 Iran nuclear deal presents an opportunity to “fix” the deal. “I believe that any responsible government, and whoever seeks to promote peace and security in the world, needs to take advantage of the opportunity that Pres. Trump’s decision has created to improve the agreement or abrogate it and, of course, stop Iran’s aggression,” he says. (TOI 10/15; JTA 10/16)

Sinai Province of the Islamic State (SPIS) fighters launch rockets into Israel from n. Sinai late at night. Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense batteries intercept 3 of them; others land in open areas nr. Eilat. No Israelis are injured. SPIS last launched rockets into Israel in 7/2015 (see JPS 45 [1]). Later, 2 Palestinians are killed and at least 5 are injured in an air strike targeting the smuggling tunnel they are working in nr. Rafah. The IDF denies carrying out the strike. Palestinian eyewitnesses say they saw an Israeli aircraft launch it, and Palestinian security sources say it was a retaliation for the rocket barrage. (HA, JP 2/8; HA, MNA, WAFA 2/9)

An Israeli settler driver rams an elderly Palestinian nr. Bethlehem, causing fatal injuries. The Palestinian dies later in the day. Israeli settlers raze a swath of Palestinianowned land nr. Nablus overnight. Meanwhile, IDF troops arrest 5 Palestinians during raids nr. Hebron and Ramallah, and patrol nr. Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a 2d Palestinian building in Bayt Hanina in as many days. They also assault and arrest 4 Palestinian youths in Silwan. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land nr. the Erez border crossing. IDF troops also open fire on Palestinian agricultural lands nr. Rafah and Bayt Hanun, causing no serious damage or injuries. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Jabaliya r.c., causing no damage or injuries. In Israel, Israeli forces demolish the bedouin village of al-‘Araqib in the Negev for the 109th time since 2010. (MNA, WAFA 2/8; PCHR 2/9; PCHR 2/16)

In Washington, PA intelligence chief Majid Faraj leads a Palestinian delegation in their first face-to-face talks with Trump admin. officials. According to a Palestinian source, they discuss diplomatic issues, particularly Trump’s pledge to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. (AP 2/9; HA, TOI 2/10)

Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops arrest a Palestinian attempting to cross into Israel nr. Bayt Lahiya. They do not inform his family, who will spend the next 2 days searching for him. (The Israeli govt. will release a statement on 12/28 announcing that the man is a Hamas military operative. His family will deny the report, asserting that he has no affiliation with Hamas and that he is mentally unstable.) In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 7 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Bethlehem, and Ramallah; and patrol nr. Qalqilya and Hebron. Israeli settlers assault a Palestinian returning from work s. of Jerusalem. He suffers serious injuries, and the settlers flee the scene. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 7 Palestinians during late-night raids in Silwan, Qalandia r.c., and Qatanna. (MNA 11/27; JP 11/30; PCHR 12/1; HA 12/28; MNA 12/29)

Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) fighters in Syria launch mortars at IDF troops patrolling along the border in the Israeli controlled Golan Heights, causing no injuries. The IDF returns fire, bombing a car armed with a heavy machine gun. 4 ISIS fighters are reportedly killed. Late at night, Israeli fighter jets launch air strikes on an abandoned facility in the Syrian Golan Heights causing damage. (HA, JP, YA 11/27; JP, TOI, YA 11/28)

Palestinian fighters in Gaza launch a rocket into Israel, which lands in Sderot, causing no damage or injuries. The IDF then launches dozens of air strikes on “key Hamas strategic assets,” according to IDF sources on 8/23. The IDF also targets Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and other factions’ sites in and around Bayt Hanun, injuring at least 7 Palestinians (3 of whom are Hamas mbrs.). Also, an Israeli tank fires 6 shells at a Gazan water storage facility along the border nearby, causing damage. Initial reports say that the PFLP’s armed wing is responsible for the rocket launch; later, a Salafi group affiliated with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) claims responsibility. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries; 2 fishermen are arrested. In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct raids and house searches in and around Hebron, as well as in Bethlehem and nr. Salfit, arresting 8 Palestinians; and patrol nr. Nablus, Salfit, Ramallah, and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces issue arrest summons for 6 Palestinians during raids in Jabal Mukabir. (AP, HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 8/21; HA 8/22; TOI 8/24; PCHR 8/25)

An Israeli delegation meets with their Egyptian diplomatic counterparts in Cairo to discuss Pres. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s efforts to revive the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. After the meetings, al-Sisi says he recently spoke with Russian pres. Vladimir Putin about hosting a round of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in Moscow, and indicated that Putin would be willing to do so. (TOI 8/21; JP, TOI 8/22)

In Gaza, a small group claiming affiliation with ISIS fires 3 rockets toward Israel, with 1 landing in an open area nr. the Kissufim kibbutz on the Israeli side of the border, causing no injuries or damage. The IAF launches air strikes on a Hamas military site in c. Gaza in response; 4 Palestinians are injured. IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Bayt Hanun shoot and injure a Palestinian teenager approaching the border fence. They also fire warning shots at Palestinian farmers nearby, causing no injuries. Off the coast nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces fire warning shots at Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at weekly demonstrations against the Israeli occupation in 4 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Silwad, and Nabi Salih), and Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya; 1 Palestinian is seriously injured. The IDF also patrols in a village nr. Bethlehem, sparking minor clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youths (3 are arrested), as well as in 2 villages nr. Hebron and 1 each nr. Ramallah and Jenin. (HA, JP, MNA, REU, TOI, YA 8/7; MNA, WAFA 8/8; AFP 8/9; PCHR 8/13)

PA Prisoners’ Affairs Comm. head Qaraqe says that the IDF prosecutor intends to request permission from the courts to begin forcefeeding Muhammad Allan, a Palestinian prisoner who has been on hunger strike since 6/16. The International Comm. of the Red Cross says that Allan’s life is“at immediate risk” and calls for the Israeli authorities to allow his family to visit him. (EI 8/7; AFP, HA, WAFA 8/8)

In Gaza, a group claiming affiliation with ISIS launches a single rocket toward s. Israel, but it lands inside Gaza. The group will claim responsibility on 6/12, citing Israel’s treatment of Palestinian prisoners and the 6/10 killing of a Palestinian in Jenin r.c. as motivation. Off the coast nr. Dayr al-Balah, Israeli naval forces fire warning shots at Palestinian fishing boats, then destroy 8 nets and confiscate private property. In the West Bank, Israeli forces level at least 17 dunams (around 4 acres) of agricultural land nr. Bethlehem to make room for settlement expansion; order 30 Palestinian families to leave their homes in the n. Jordan Valley for 6 hours to conduct military drills in the area; close the c. market in a village nr. Hebron for the 2d day in a row. IDF troops patrol in a village nr. Hebron, sparking minor clashes with stone-throwing youths and arresting 1 Palestinian. They also conduct a late-night raid in al-‘Azza r.c. nr. Bethlehem, issuing an arrest summons to 1 Palestinian, and patrol in 2 villages each nr. Hebron and Ramallah. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces detain and interrogate 3 Palestinian children who allegedly threw rocks at an Israeli settler in Silwan. Israeli settlers assault a Palestinian man from Jabal Mukabir on his way to work. In s. Israel, around 400 Palestinians march in Beersheba to protest the planned evacuation of the nearby bedouin village Umm al-Hiran. (HA, MNA, WAFA, YA 6/11; MNA, TOI 6/12; PCHR 6/18)

The IDF’s Military Advocate Gen. concludes his internal investigation into its 7/16/2014 air strike that killed 4 children on a Gaza beach during OPE, determining that the “incident took place in an area that had long been known as a compound belonging to Hamas’s Naval Police and Naval Force,” which made it a “lawful target” by IDF regulations. No criminal or disciplinary action will be taken. The IDF also closes 2 other internal investigations into similar incidents during OPE, issuing indictments to 3 soldiers for looting, and opens 3 more. (HA, MNA, NYT 6/12)

In Gaza, a group claiming affiliation with the Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) fires a rocket into Israel nr. Ashdod, causing no damage or injuries (the group will not take credit until 6/1). Holding Hamas responsible for any projectile fire from Gaza and asserting that Islamic Jihad was the culprit, Israeli Air Force (IAF) jets strike 4 Islamic Jihad, Popular Resistance Comms. (PRC), and Hamas training sites in Rafah, Khan Yunis, and Bayt Lahiya late at night, causing damage but no casualties. Off the coast nr. Khan Yunis and then nr. Gaza City, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, injuring a fisherman in the later incident. Egyptian authorities open the Rafah border crossing for passage into Gaza only (they will keep it open through 5/28). In the West Bank, IDF troops chase down, shoot, and injure 4 Palestinian workers nr. Qalqilya. Separately, 4 Israeli soldiers detain and assault a Palestinian trying to cross over the separation wall nr. Qalqilya. Unidentified gunmen shoot and injure a Palestinian man in s. Hebron. The IDF conducts late-night raids and house searches late at night in and around Hebron, and in 1 village nr. Nablus, arresting 9 Palestinians; patrols during the day nr. Jericho and Hebron. Israeli forces photograph an electricity network nr. Hebron, then deliver a notice demanding its operations be suspended. They also deliver a stop-work notice for a water well under construction nr. Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct a late-night raid in Jabal Mukabir, arresting 1 Palestinian. (AP, HA, MNA, WAFA 5/26; HA, JP, MNA, WAFA 5/27; PCHR 5/28; JP 6/10)

IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Bayt Lahiya fire warning shots at Palestinians walking nr. the border fence, critically injuring 1. Off the coast nr. Gaza City and then nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, injuring 2 fishermen and causing damage. A small armed group, with self-proclaimed affiliations to ISIS, fires mortar rounds at a Hamas military base; no injuries are reported. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at weekly demonstrations against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and occupation in 6 areas nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih, Silwad, Jalazun r.c., and outside Ofer Prison), and Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya; 9 Palestinians are injured, including 3 photojournalists. The IDF also searches a home in a village nr. Hebron late at night, issuing a summons to a Palestinian; patrols in 2 villages nr. Jenin, 4 nr. Ramallah, 3 nr. Hebron, and 1 each nr. Tulkarm and Jericho. Israeli settlers cut the branches off 3 olive trees nr. Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces enter Silwan and Issawiyya, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youth; the Israeli soldiers respond with stun grenades and rubber-coated metal bullets. (AFP, JP, MNA, TOI 5/8; MNA 5/9; PCHR 5/14)

In Gaza, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion e. of Jabaliya to level land. IDF troops stationed nr. Rafah arrest 3 Palestinians attempting to cross the border into Israel. Off the coast nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. A small armed group, with self-proclaimed affiliations to ISIS, posts a statement online threatening to “act” against Hamas if certain prisoners are not freed within 72 hours. Hours later, a bomb explodes on the perimeter of Hamas’s security headquarters in Gaza City. The group does not take credit for the bombing, but Hamas police proceed to arrest dozens of the group’s mbrs. and destroy a makeshift mosque-headquarters in Dayr al-Balah. In the West Bank, Israeli forces set up 12 mobile homes early in the morning on 650 dunams of previously leveled land outside a Palestinian village nr. Bethlehem. Meanwhile, the IDF conducts drills in the n. Jordan Valley, causing fire damage on large tracts of agricultural land; patrols in 3 villages nr. Ramallah, 1 each nr. Nablus, Qalqilya, and Jericho. Israeli forces also conduct house searches and late-night raids in and around Nablus, Jenin, and 1 village nr. Ramallah, arresting 18 Palestinians and confiscating some of their property. A Palestinian throws a Molotov cocktail at a bus of Israeli settlers nr. Nablus, then the IDF imposes a curfew on a nearby village. In East Jerusalem, Israeli security guards shoot and injure a Palestinian man at a Light Rail station nr. the French Hill settlement, after reportedly mistaking his belt buckle for a knife. (AFP, HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 5/4; AP, MNA 5/5; JP 5/7)

Israel’s High Court of Justice approves COGAT’s request to demolish a number of tents and homes in a Palestinian village nr. Hebron. Approximately 450 Palestinians will be displaced. (MNA 5/4; JP 5/5)

Israeli FM Avigdor Lieberman resigns as FM and says his Yisrael Beytenu party will not be joining the ruling coalition of PM Netanyahu’s next govt. He says that he chose “principles and not portfolios,” and that “what’s being built is not a national camp, but a govt. that smacks of opportunism.” Netanyahu’s deadline for forming a coalition is 5/6. (HA, JP, YA 5/4)

Mortar rounds fired from inside Syria hit a UN Disengagement Observer Force base in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, injuring 2 international peacekeepers. The IDF says that the fire was not deliberately aimed across the Israeli border. (AFP, REU, TOI 5/4)

Off the coast of Gaza nr. Jabaliya and Rafah, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. Hamas authorities arrest a shaykh in al-Bureij r.c. for alleged support of ISIS. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and raids in and around Hebron, 2 villages nr. Jenin, and 1 nr. Qalqilya, arresting 5 Palestinians; patrols in 2 villages each nr. Qalqilya and Jericho, and 1 each nr. Ramallah, Hebron, and Tulkarm. An Israeli soldier assaults a Palestinian at a checkpoint nr. Bethlehem. Israeli authorities close al-Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron to all Muslim worshippers, allowing Jewish Israelis to enter in celebration of Passover through 4/6. In Balata r.c. nr. Nablus, Palestinian women gather to protest the PASF crackdown in the camp. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces confiscate a number of solar energy cells in a bedouin village. Also, a group of Israeli settlers assault a Palestinian youth at a gate to the Old City. (AFP, MNA, WAFA 4/5; AFP 4/6; MNA 4/7; PCHR 4/9)

PA Pres. Abbas announces that the Israeli govt. transferred NIS 1.37 b. (around $350 m.) of the NIS 1.8 b. ($460 m.) in previously frozen tax revenues, but that the Palestinians rejected the money in protest of unilateral deductions Israel made to pay the Palestinians’ debts to Israeli utility providers. (AFP, AP, JP, REU 4/5)

The PLO announces that it will send a delegation to Syria to meet with govt. and rebel leaders to find a resolution for the residents of Yarmouk r.c. (AFP, AJ, WAFA, YA 4/5; AFP, AJ, JP 4/6)

Off the coast of Gaza nr. al-Sudaniyya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli forces confiscate a bulldozer in e. Nablus that Palestinians were using to open a road in the area. Elsewhere, IDF troops injure a Palestinian child and confiscate several solar panels in a raid in a bedouin village nr. Abu Dis. The IDF conducts house searches and raids in 1 village nr. Ramallah, ‘Askar r.c. nr. Nablus, and al-Fara‘a r.c. nr. Tubas, arresting 8 Palestinians and sparking clashes in which 2 more are injured; patrols in 3 villages nr. Hebron during the day. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct a raid in the Old City, arresting 1 Palestinian. (MNA, WAFA 4/1; MNA, PCHR 4/2; PCHR 4/9)

In The Hague, Palestinian FM Riyad al-Maliki attends an induction ceremony at the ICC, marking the Palestine’s official membership at the court. Meanwhile, a German delegation is in Gaza to meet with reps. of Hamas and to discuss the possibility of a long-term cease-fire with Israel. (AFP, HA, JP, MNA, NYT, WAFA 4/1; ALM 4/14)

PA Finance Min. Shukri Bishara announces that PA employees earning more than NIS 2,000 ($515) per mo. will only receive 60% of their salaries for 3/2015 on 4/2, despite the Israeli govt.’s 3/27 pledge to unfreeze the transfers of tax revenues collected on behalf of the PA. This will be the 4th mo. in a row that PA employees have received reduced salaries. (REU, WAFA 4/1)

In Syria, fighters affiliated with ISIS conduct an assault on Yarmouk r.c. outside Damascus. During a day of intense fighting, they take control of large areas of the camp, casting further uncertainty over the fate of the approximately 18,000 Palestinian refugees and other civilian residents. (AFP, MNA 4/1; WAFA 4/2)

Egypt’s cabinet approves a new res. designed to crack down on smuggling tunnels from Gaza into Egypt, which would make tunnel digging, or knowledge of tunnel digging, punishable by life imprisonment and home confiscation. The res. will be passed by presidential decree on 4/12. (HA, MNA 4/3; EN 4/12; TOI 4/13)

In a letter to U.S. Pres. Obama, 79 Democratic mbrs. of Congress encourage the continued pursuit of a 2-state solution despite Israeli PM Netanyahu’s controversial campaign rhetoric. (AFP, JTA, TOI 4/1; POL 4/2)

After a 1-day extension to their 3/31 political framework agreement deadline, reps. of the P5 +1 and Iran agree to another extension until 4/2. (HA, REU, TOI, YA 4/1; HA, REU 4/2)

In the West Bank, IDF troops open fire with live ammunition on a group of young Palestinians throwing Molotov cocktails at Israeli settlers’ cars nr. Nablus, killing 1 and lightly injuring another. Later, Israeli settlers gather between Nablus and Ramallah to throw rocks at Palestinians’ cars. Also, IDF troops deploy heavily in the area, arresting 1 Palestinian at a mobile checkpoint and a relative of the deceased Palestinian on a raid in Burin village. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in Hebron and nr. Salfit; patrols nr. Ramallah, Jericho, Qalqilya, and Jenin. Israeli settlers cut down a number of olive and almond trees outside Yatta nr. Hebron. PA security forces conduct house searches and raids in Nablus and nearby Balata r.c. In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops e. of Khan Yunis open fire on agricultural land nr. the border fence, causing damage. Off the coast nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli police arrest 1 Palestinian youth for allegedly shooting fireworks at them while they patrol in al-Tur and, later, 2 other Palestinians on arrest raids in the neighborhood. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 1/31; PCHR 2/5)

A Hamas delegation meets with senior Hizballah officials in Beirut to discuss the recent tension on the Lebanon-Israel border and possible avenues for cooperation. (JP 2/1)

Egypt’s Court of Urgent Matters designates Hamas’s armed wing, Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades, as a terrorist organization. The court’s ruling cites the armed wing’s role in the 10/24 attack on Egyptian security forces in Sinai that was claimed by the group now known as the Sinai Province of the Islamic State. (AHR, MEE, REU, TOI 1/31)

In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and kill an unarmed Palestinian in al-Am‘ari r.c. nr. Ramallah during clashes with residents that were prompted by an arrest raid. IDF troops demolish 5 structures in a village nr. Yatta. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 5 villages nr. Hebron. Off the coast of the Gaza Strip nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries or damage. (MNA 9/10; PCHR 9/11)

Hamas announces that indirect talks with Israel are set to resume in Cairo in mid-9/2014. (AFP 9/10)

A ship sailing to Italy from Egypt full of around 500 migrants—including Palestinians fleeing Gaza, Egyptians, and Sudanese— capsizes in the Mediterranean after another ship of human traffickers rams their vessel. Approximately 450 of the passengers are killed or unaccounted for, and the survivors are picked up by various vessels and taken to Sicily, Crete, and Egypt. The Egyptian govt. releases few details about the incident and the Egyptian media largely ignores the story. (NYT 9/15; AP, NYT 9/19)

U.S. Pres. Obama authorizes air strikes in Syria, for the 1st time, and further attacks in Iraq targeting the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) group. The new target list will include ISIS’s “leadership, logistical, and operational capability,” in an attempt to “deny [the group] sanctuary and resources to plan, prepare and execute attacks.” (AP, REU 9/10)