The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian man during a raid in Ya’bad. Israeli forces also shoot and injure a Palestinian man during a raid in al-Amari refugee camp. Elsewhere, Israeli forces assault 3 Palestinian children during a raid in Beit Umar. Israeli forces also arrest 40 Palestinians during raids in and around Ramallah, Hebron, Bethlehem, Jenin, Qalqilya, Tubas, Nablus, and Jerusalem. In East Jerusalem, 16 Palestinians are arrested at the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Beit Hanun, Gaza City, Dayr al-Balah, Nuseirat refugee camp, Rafah, and Maghazi, killing at least 62 people, including 3 medics in Beit Hanun. 3 rockets are fired at Israel, causing damage to a road in Sderot. In Tel Aviv, an Israeli man succumbs to injuries sustained in an attack in Gan Yavne on 3/31. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Khaim and Kafr Kila. Hezbollah forces fire rockets at Israeli forces in Bayd Blida and Shlomi. In Jordan, protesters march towards the Israeli embassy in Amman for the 12th day in a row. In the Red Sea, U.S. forces shoot down a missile launched from Yemen. (AJ, HA, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/4; AJ, UNOCHA 4/5)

More than 33,037 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 13,750 children and 8,900 women, and around 75,668 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 7,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 447 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 112 children. More than 4,700 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, 255 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,549 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. 176 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza, including 10 trucks delivering food aid to northern Gaza. 1,850 gallons of fuel is delivered to northern Gaza to operate 13 water wells in Jabalia and Gaza City. U.S. forces airdrop 50,000 meals over northern Gaza. The Palestinian Red Crescent says 31 children have died of starvation in Gaza and that 1,000 children have lost 1 or both of their legs in Gaza. Oxfam says Palestinians in northern Gaza only consume about 245 calories a day because of Israel’s policy to starve the population. (AJ, UNOCHA, WAFA 4/4; AJ, UNOCHA, UNOCHA 4/5)

Haaretz reports that an Israeli doctor working at the Sde Teiman detention center wrote letters to Israeli ministers and the attorney general last week describing inhumane conditions at the center. The doctor says 2 Palestinians had their legs amputated due to handcuff injuries in the past 2 weeks and that detainees are blindfolded, fed through straws, forced to defecate in diapers, and constantly held in restraints. Israel releases 101 Palestinians who have been held in Israeli detention centers back to Gaza. The Shin Bet says it arrested 11 Palestinians, including 7 Palestinian citizens of Israel, who were allegedly planning to assassinate Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. (AJ, HA, HA, HA 4/4; HA 4/5)

The NGO Open Arms says it has suspended efforts to bring aid to Gaza by sea from Cyprus, citing the killing of 7 aid workers on 4/1. Open Arms director Oscar Camps says Gaza is a “dystopian laboratory where people’s blood flows while war technologies are tested and perfected.” Doctors Without Borders rejects Israel’s explanation that the attack on the aid workers was an accident, citing previous attacks on aid workers. World Central Kitchen, the organization the 7 aid workers were employed by, calls for an independent investigation into the killings. (AJ, AX, HA, NYT, REU, REU, WAFA 4/4)

Israel extends the detention of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh’s sister by 12 days. Haniyeh’s sister Sabah was arrested on 4/1. (AJ, HA 4/4)

The Israeli High Court of Justices asks the Israeli government to explain why more aid is not being allowed to enter Gaza. Israel’s military halts all leave for combat troops, citing a situational assessment. (AJ, HA, NYT 4/4; HA, NYT 4/5)

A Human Rights Watch investigation into an Israeli attack on a residential building in Gaza on 3/31/2023 where 106 Palestinians were killed finds that the attack was an “apparent war crime.” (AJ, AP, HA, HA, HRW, WAFA 4/4)

PA prime minister Mohammad Mustafa meets with U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs head George Noll, discussing the PA’s efforts to implement reforms, and later meets USAID representative for the West Bank and Gaza Amy Tohill-Stull in Ramallah. (AJ, HA 4/4)

Hamas official Osama Hamdan says there has been no progress in ceasefire negotiations despite Hamas’ flexibility. (AJ, HA, HA, REU, REU 4/4)

Israeli economy minister Nir Barkat calls Qatar “a wolf in sheep’s clothing” that funds terrorism all over the world. (AJ 4/4)

U.S. president Joe Biden speaks with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call, calling for an immediate ceasefire. Biden reportedly urges Netanyahu to take action to stop civilian suffering in Gaza, including by increasing aid access and expanding the powers of the Israeli negotiations team that is working on a ceasefire. Biden is also said to have informed Netanyahu that he would temporarily suspend further deliberations on arms transfers to Israel and requested that Israel send the U.S. a detailed report on the killings of the 7 aid workers who died in 3 airstrikes on 4/1. A White House readout of the conversation says, “US policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action” on steps to “address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers.” National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby says the U.S. expects “a drastic increase in the humanitarian assistance getting in, additional crossings opened up, and a reduction in the violence against civilians and certainly aid workers.” After the meeting, the Israeli war cabinet approves the opening of the Beit Hanun (Erez) crossing to allow more aid to enter Gaza. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks to Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant, expressing his “outrage” over the killing of the 7 aid workers. Centrist Democratic senator Chris Coons (D-DE) says he would vote to condition aid to Israel if Israel invades Rafah “at scale” while making “no provisions for civilians or for humanitarian aid.” (AJ, AJ, AX, AX, AX, AX, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU, REU 4/4; AP, AP, HA, NYT, REU, REU 4/5)

Polish prime minister Donald Tusk says Israel should explain the circumstances of the killing of the 7 aid workers on 4/1 and compensate their families. Cypriot foreign minister Constantinos Kombos calls for accountability. Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau calls the killings “absolutely unacceptable.” (AJ, AJ, HA 4/4; AP 4/5)

The Washington Post reports that the U.S. approved the transfer of more than 1,000 MK82 500-pound bombs, 1,000 small diameter bombs, and fuses for MK80 bombs on 4/1. (AJ, HA, REU 4/4)

The Elders releases a statement calling on all nations to stop sending arms to Israel and calling out the U.S. for accepting Israeli assurances of compliance with international law “despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.” (AJ 4/4)

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump says in an interview that Israel is “losing the PR war. They are losing it big,” adding Israel needs to finish its attacks fast. (AJ, AP, HA 4/4; AJ 4/5)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers graze their sheep on Palestinian land in al-‘Awja, damaging wheat and barley crops. Israeli settlers also throw stones at Palestinian vehicles and block the road leading to the Huwwara checkpoint. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers throw stones at Palestinian vehicles traveling near al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya, causing damage. Israeli settlers also attack a Palestinian home in Khalayl al-Louz. Israeli forces violently disperse Palestinians in Huwwara, causing tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also demolish 6 commercial structures in al-‘Awja and issue a stop-work notice for a home in Deir Balut. Elsewhere, Israeli forces seize a tractor in Qarawat Bani Hassan. Israeli forces also close the entrance to Husan. Meanwhile, Israeli forces arrest 25 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Ramallah, Jenin, Tubas, Tulkarm, Aqraba, Hebron, and Bethlehem. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Dayr al-Balah, Rafah, Khan Yunis, and Nuseirat refugee camp, killing at least 63 people, including 7 aid workers of Palestinian, Polish, American, British, and Australian nationality from World Central Kitchen in Dayr al-Balah. Israeli forces also withdraw from al-Shifa Hospital after a 14-day siege, leaving it completely destroyed; witnesses say that hundreds of bodies are found in and around the hospital. The Gaza Media Office says that 400 Palestinians were killed during the attack on al-Shifa. In the Naqab, Israeli police arrest the sister of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, who is an Israeli citizen, in Tel as-Sabi. A drone launched from Iraq damages an Israeli military building in Eliat; no injuries are reported. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq takes responsibility. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Rachaya Al Foukhar. In Jordan, protesters demonstrate near the Israeli embassy in Amman for the ninth day in a row. In Syria, Israeli forces target an Iranian consulate building in Damascus with airstrikes, assassinating Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp senior commander Mohammad Reza Zahedi and killing 11 others. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AX, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, REU, REU, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/1; AJ, AP, AP, AP, AP, AX, HA, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, WAFA 4/2; AP, UNOCHA 4/3; NYT 4/4)

More than 32,845 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 13,750 children and 8,900 women, and around 75,392 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 7,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 445 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 112 children. More than 4,700 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, 254 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,520 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. 190 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza. (AJ, HA, WAFA 4/1; AP, AP, NYT 4/2; UNOCHA, UNOCHA 4/3)

World Central Kitchen (WCK) suspends all operations in Gaza after 7 of its workers are killed in an Israeli airstrike (see above), returning 3 ships docked off the coast of Gaza carrying 240 tons of aid to Cyprus. The organization runs 68 community kitchens in Gaza and has sent some 1,700 truckloads of aid into Gaza. Several investigations into the Israeli bombing of the WCK aid convoy reveal that the 3 vehicles the aid workers were in were targeted in 3 strikes 1.5 miles apart. The 3 vehicles were clearly marked with WCK’s logo on the top of the cars. The Israeli narrative changes several times during the period after the attack, from saying an armed person was traveling with the vehicles to saying the clearly marked vehicles were misidentified. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls the attack “unintended” and “tragic” and says “[t]hese things happen in wartime.” UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese says the Israeli attack was a deliberate effort to starve the population of Gaza. Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese calls Netanyahu, expressing “anger and concern” at the killing of the Australian aid worker. U.S. president Joe Biden says he is “outraged and heartbroken,” adding Israel is not doing enough to protect aid workers. The White House claims that there is no evidence that the aid workers were killed deliberately. UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres says 196 aid workers have been killed in Gaza since 10/7/2023. Refugees International president Jeremy Konyndyk calls the attack “a clear war crime.” Hamas labels the attack terrorism. (REU 4/1; AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AX, AX, BC, HA, HA, HA, HA, NYT, REU, REU, REU, REU, REU, REU, REU, REU, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/2; AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AX, AX, HA, HA, HA, NYT, REU, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA 4/3; NYT 4/4)

The Israeli Civil Administration announces that it will seize 206.3 dunams (51 acres) of land in Jiftlik, adding it to the settlement council in the Jordan Valley and declare 170 dunams (42 acres) of Palestinian land south of Furaydis near the Etzion settlement bloc as state land. (AJ, PCN, WAFA 4/1; PCN 4/2)

The Knesset passes a law allowing the Israeli government to ban Al Jazeera in Israel in a 71-10 vote. Al Jazeera says Prime Minister Netanyahu, who called it a “terror channel,” is lying about the news organization to justify the killing of its employees. Minister for the development of the Negev (Naqab) and Galilee Yitzhak Wasserlauf calls for the resettlement of Gaza. (AJ, AP, AP, HA, NYT, REU 4/1; AJ 4/2)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas speaks with U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken in a phone call, calling on the U.S. to stop the Israeli attacks on Gaza. The 2 also discuss the new PA government. PA ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour calls on the UN Security Council to schedule a vote on full Palestinian membership of the UN in April. The UN General Assembly voted to grant Palestine full membership in 2011 but the decision was never discussed at the Security Council. (AJ, HA, REU, WAFA 4/1; AP 4/2)

U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan and Secretary Blinken hold a virtual meeting with Israeli national security advisor Tzachi Hanegbi and Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, discussing Israel’s planned invasion of Rafah. A joint statement says Israel has agreed to take U.S. concerns into account. Reuters reports that the U.S. considering approving an arms transfer to Israel worth $18 billion, including 25 F-15 fighter jets. White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre says the Biden administration is seeking more information from Israel about footage of executions at al-Shifa Hospital. Jean-Pierre also express concern over Israel’s push to ban Al Jazeera. (AJ, AP, HA, REU 4/1; AJ, AP, HA, NYT 4/2; AX 4/3)

At the UN Security Council, France circulates a draft resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, condemning Hamas’ attack on Israel on 10/7/2023, and demanding immediate access for aid into Gaza. (AP 4/2)

Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says Israeli failures in Gaza have led to Israel targeting the Iranian consulate in Damascus, calling for a serious international response. Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi says the attack will not go unanswered. Pakistan and Syria condemn Israel’s attack. Russia requests that the UN Security Council convene on 4/2 to discuss the attack. Axios reports that the U.S. tells Iran that it did not have any involvement in the attack. (AJ, HA, HA, NYT 4/1; AP, AX, HA, REU 4/2; AP, REU 4/3)

Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez tells reporters in Amman that he expects Spain will recognize the State of Palestine by July and that many other countries in the EU would do the same. (AJ, HA, HA, REU 4/2)

Sri Lanka donates $1 million to UNRWA. (WAFA 4/1)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set fire to vending stalls on Route 90 near Ein al-Beida. Israeli forces close the entrance to Deir Istiya and block a road between Burqa and Sebastia. Israeli forces also arrest 25 Palestinians during raids in and around Hebron, Nablus, Tulkarm, Qalqilya, and Jerusalem. In East Jerusalem, Christians mark Good Friday while thousands of Christians from the West Bank are prevented from entering the city. Around 125,000 worshippers attend Friday prayers at the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Gaza City, Khan Yunis, Rafah, Maghazi, Jabalia refugee camp, and Nuseirat refugee camp, killing at least 71 people, including 17 people at a police station in Gaza City. Israeli forces continue to raid and besiege al-Shifa Hospital. An Israeli soldier is killed in combat. In Lebanon, Israeli forces assassinate Hezbollah member Ali Abed Akhsan Naim in an airstrike on Bazouriyeh. Israeli forces also bomb Ayta ash Shab and Meiss Ej Jabal. Hezbollah forces fire missiles at Israeli military positions in Avivim, Metula, and al-Malikiyya. In Jordan, protesters demonstrate outside of the Israeli embassy in Amman for the sixth day in a row. In Syria, Israeli forces bomb Aleppo, killing 52 people. A Syrian colonel is assassinated when his booby-trapped car explodes in Damascus. The colonel reportedly had close links to Hezbollah. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AP, HA, HA, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/29; AJ, HA 3/30; UNOCHA 4/3)

More than 32,623 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 13,400 children and 8,900 women, and around 75,092 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 7,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 444 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 111 children. More than 4,700 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, 253 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,520 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. 135 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza. U.S. and UK forces airdrop aid over northern Gaza. (AJ, HA, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA 3/29; UNOCHA 4/3)

Forensic Architecture says Israel is committing deliberate ecocide in Gaza, adding to the famine. The organization finds that Israel has uprooted most of the orchards in Gaza and systematically targeted agricultural farmlands since 10/7/2023. (FA, GDN 3/29)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas speaks with Bulgarian president Rumen Radev in a phone call, discussing the situation in Palestine. (WAFA 3/29)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will return to ceasefire negotiations. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant reportedly pitched to U.S. officials during his visit to Washington D.C. earlier this week that Arab forces are brought to Gaza to defend aid convoys and the jetty the U.S. is planning to build. (AJ, AP, AX, HA, HA, REU 3/29; HA 4/1)

The Washington Post reports that the U.S. has approved the transfer of 1,800 MK84 2,000-pound bombs, 500 MK82 500-pound bombs, and F35-A fighter jets worth $2.5 billion to Israel. The PA foreign ministry issues a statement saying “[d]emanding [Israeli prime minister Benjamin] Netanyahu to stop killing civilians and supplying him with weapons is an unprecedented principled and moral contradiction.” (HA, REU, WP 3/29; AJ, AJ, HA 3/30; AJ 3/31)

The Times of Israel reports that the U.S. has informed the Israeli Finance Ministry that U.S. sanctions on Israeli settlers do not have to be enforced by Israeli banks. The clarification reportedly comes after Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said he would retaliate against the sanctions by further impeding the Palestinian economy. (HA, TOI 3/29)

The Harvard University law school’s student government calls on the university to “divest completely from weapons manufacturers, firms, academic programs, corporations, and all other institutions that aid the ongoing illegal occupation of Palestine and the genocide of Palestinians.” (AJ 3/31)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers raid Arab al-Milehat, stealing nearly 30 sheep. Israeli forces uproot 50 trees in Sarta while preparing to build a settler road. Israeli forces also raid Jenin, assaulting 2 Palestinians. Israeli forces arrest 15 Palestinians during raids in and around Hebron, Nablus, Jericho, Jenin, and Ramallah. In Jerusalem, Israelis raid and vandalize a Muslim shrine, declaring it a Jewish holy site. Israeli forces install a watchtower fitted with surveillance camaras at the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Gaza City, Khan Yunis, Rafah, Dayr al-Balah, and Beit Lahiya, killing at least 86 people. Israeli forces also kill 10 Palestinians waiting to receive aid in Gaza City. The Red Crescent evacuates 24 people from al-Amal Hospital and delivers water and food to the hospital. In Lebanon, Hezbollah attacks Israeli forces in Manara and Malkia. Israeli forces kill 2 Hezbollah members near the Syrian border. (AJ, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/25; AJ, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA 2/26)

More than 29,692 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 12,000 children and 7,200 women, and around 69,879 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 8,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 399 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 102 children. More than 4,545 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, 237 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,396 injured in Gaza since the ground invasion began on 10/27/2023. Over 1.93 million Palestinians, nearly 85% of the population of Gaza, have been displaced since 10/7/2023. There has been a complete electricity blackout in Gaza since 10/12/2023 due to the Israeli blockade. At least 70,000 housing units have been destroyed and 290,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7/2023, constituting over 60% of all housing units. 94 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza. (WAFA 2/25; UNOCHA, UNOCHA 2/26)

The Israeli military says it has withdrawn from the Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis. (AJ 2/25)

The Gaza Media Office accuses Israel of 19 different war crimes, including deliberate killings, torture, forced displacement, hostage-taking, using hunger as a weapon of war, bombing homes, schools, and places of worship, targeting heritage sites, and targeting medical centers. (AJ 2/25)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas meets Jordanian king Abdullah II in Amman. (WAFA 2/25)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu tells CBS News that the Israeli invasion of Rafah will happen regardless of a ceasefire deal, saying a deal would only delay the invasion. The war cabinet discusses the plans for the ground invasion of Rafah and ceasefire negotiations. An Israeli delegation is said to be traveling to Doha for continued talks next week. Israel’s Channel 12 News reports that Netanyahu added a new demand to the recently concluded U.S., Israeli, Egyptian, and Qatari ceasefire talks, stipulating that high-profile prisoners released in the exchange are deported to Qatar. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant says Israel will continue attacking Lebanon even if a ceasefire deal is reached in Gaza. (AP, NYT 2/24; AJ, AJ, AP, AP, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, REU, REU 2/25; AJ, AJ, HA, WAFA 2/26)

Aaron Bushnell, an active-duty soldier from the U.S. Air Force wearing his uniform self-immolates outside of the Israeli embassy in Washington D.C. In a livestream, Bushnell says that he “no longer will be complicit in genocide” and that he is doing an extreme act of protest which he says is not extreme in comparison to what people are experiencing in Palestine “at the hands of the colonizers.” As he burns, he chants “free Palestine.” Bushnell later dies in hospital. Bushnell is the second person to self-immolate outside of an Israeli diplomatic post in the U.S. An unidentified woman holding a Palestinian flag self-immolated outside of the Israeli consulate in Atlanta in December 2023. (AJ, HA, NYT 2/25; AJ, AJ, AP, WAFA 2/26; AP 2/27)

UN General Assembly president Dennis Francis calls on UN members to provide “sustainable and predictable financial and political support” to UNRWA. UNRWA commissioner-general Philippe Lazzarini says food aid has not been delivered to northern Gaza since 1/23. (AJ, WAFA 2/25; AJ 2/26

The information ministers of the OIC hold an extraordinary session in Turkey, condemning Israel’s genocide in Gaza and calling for an unconditional ceasefire. (WAFA 2/24; AJ, WAFA 2/25)

Haaretz reports that the Israeli Population and Immigration Authority is refusing to grant visas to employees of international NGOs operating in the West Bank and Gaza. (HA 2/25)

The New York Times says it is reviewing Israeli freelance journalist Anat Schwartz, who has contributed to the Times’ coverage of Hamas, for liking a tweet on X calling for turning Gaza “into a slaughterhouse.” (AJ 2/25)

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 with a military escort shot and killed a Palestinian man during a raid in Dura al-Qara’. Israeli settlers also shot and injured a Palestinian in Shufa. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinians traveling near Burqa, injuring a Palestinian woman. Israeli settlers also opened fire at a Palestinian vehicle near Bizarya, causing damage. Meanwhile, Israeli settlers vandalized olive trees near Tell. Israeli forces shot and killed 3 Palestinians, including 2 minors, during raids in Shuqba and Jamma’in. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Huwwara, Tarqumiyah, and Dar Salah, injuring 3 with live ammunition and others with tear gas. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolished a Palestinian home in Bayt Hanina. 65 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Bethlehem, and Nablus. Around 750 Palestinians have been arrested by Israeli forces since 10/7. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, Israeli airstrikes killed around 100 Palestinians, including several people sheltering at an UNRWA school in Khan Yunis. Rockets were fired at Israel, causing damage. In Haifa, Israeli police violently dispersed anti-war protesters, arresting 4 and injuring others with batons. In Lebanon, Hezbollah fired an anti-tank missile at Israeli soldiers in Shtula, injuring 5. Israel fired artillery shells and conducted drone strikes in Lebanon. Hezbollah said 2 of its members were killed. Protesters demonstrated outside of the German and U.S. embassies in Beirut. In Syria, Israel conducted airstrikes in the Quneitra province. In Turkey, 60 people, mostly police officers, were injured after protesters in Istanbul attempted to storm the Israeli consulate. There were also demonstrations in Jordan, Yemen, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Libya, Iran, and the West Bank. (AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AP, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, REU, UNOCHA WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/18; AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, HA, NYT, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/19)

The Gaza Ministry of Health said as of 5 p.m. at least 3,500 Palestinians had been killed, including at least 853 children, and 12,500 had been injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since 10/7, including 47 entire families consisting of 500 people. In addition, Israeli media reported that 1,500 Palestinian militants have been killed near Gaza. 65 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 15 children. More than 1,284 have been injured, including at least 300 with live ammunition. Israeli officials recorded no new fatalities, leaving the Israeli death toll at around 1,300 Israelis and foreign nationals; 4,562 have been injured since 10/7. The UN reported that over 1 million Palestinians have been displaced since 10/7 and that since 11 p.m. on 10/12 there has been a complete electricity blackout due to the Israeli blockade. At least 11,887 housing units have been destroyed in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7. The number is likely much higher as the latest data is from 10/14. The Palestinian civil defense team said that more than 1,000 Palestinians were under the rubble of buildings in Gaza. (AJ, AJ, HA, UNOCHA 10/18)

Palestinians in the West Bank observed a general strike in protest against the Israeli airstrike that killed 471 people at al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City on 10/17. (WAFA, WAFA 10/18)

The Israeli military again called on Palestinians in northern Gaza to evacuate south to the al-Mawasi area. (AJ 10/17; HA, UNOCHA 10/18)

The PA leadership held an emergency meeting chaired by President Mahmoud Abbas, confirming a July 2023 decision to end security coordination with Israel and reaffirming the Palestinian people’s right to self-defense. (WAFA 10/18)

The Knesset approved temporary legislation to allow Israeli prisons to admit new inmates beyond their legal capacity, allowing worsening conditions for Palestinian prisoners, including reducing living spaces and forcing prisoners to sleep on mattresses on the floor. The bill will be in effect for 3 months. Israel prisons have received 500 new Palestinian prisoners since 10/7, including 118 who crossed from Gaza to Israel in relation to Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. The Israeli High Court of Justice ruled in 2017 that prisoners must be given at least 37.7 square feet of space. The Knesset ethics panel also voted to suspend Jewish Hadash MK Ofer Cassif from the Knesset for 45 days and revoked his salary for 14 days over his anti-war stance. (AJ, HA 10/18; HA 10/19)

U.S. president Joe Biden landed in Israel for meetings with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, and the war cabinet. Biden was supposed to travel to Amman for meetings with President Abbas, Jordanian king Abdullah II, and Egyptian president Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, but the meetings were cancelled by the 3 leaders after Israel bombed al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, killing 471 people. Biden told Netanyahu during a meeting that “it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you” in reference to the hospital bombing. Biden cautioned Israel not to be consumed by rage, saying the U.S. made mistakes after 9/11. Biden also announced $100 million in humanitarian aid to Palestinians as the Senate was working on passing a bill providing $10 billion in extra military aid to Israel. Biden said aid to Gaza could start arriving on 10/20, as Egypt needs to “patch the road” to the crossing. Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) blocked an attempt by Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) to prevent the Biden administration from dispersing the $100 million in aid to Palestinians. 33 Democratic senators urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken to lead efforts to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza. Around 300 Jewish Americans were arrested at the U.S. Capitol while protesting Israel’s war in Gaza. The protest was arranged by Jewish Voice for Peace. (HA 10/17; AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, REU, REU, REU, REU 10/18; AJ, AP, HA, HA, REU, WAFA 10/19; AJ 10/20)

After President Biden’s meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Netanyahu’s office released a statement saying that Israel will not allow aid from its territory to enter Gaza until the captives are returned. The statement also said Israel demands that the Red Cross be able to visit the captives and that Israel will not “thwart” humanitarian aid from Egypt as long as it only consists of food, water, and medicine. (AJ 10/17; AJ, HA 10/18)

President el-Sisi said during a press conference with German chancellor Olaf Schulz that Israel could allow Palestinians in Gaza to stay in the Naqab desert until Israel can “do what they wish to do with the militant operatives in the Gaza Strip.” El-Sisi also spoke with President Biden about aid coming through the Rafah crossing. Saudi foreign minister Faisal bin Farhan met with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in the sidelines of an OIC meeting in Jeddah, discussing the situation in Gaza. Amir-Abdollahian called on the OIC members to sanction Israel and expel Israeli ambassadors. The OIC called for an immediate ceasefire and for Israel to lift the siege of Gaza. (AP 10/16; AJ 10/17; AJ, HA, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA 10/18; WAFA 10/19)

The U.S. blocked a UN Security Council resolution calling for humanitarian access to Gaza, protection of civilians, and condemning Hamas’ operation in Israel. The resolution, introduced by Brazil, was approved by 12 members of the Security Council, while Russia and the UK abstained. UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres called “for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Middle East.” (AJ 10/17; AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, HA, NYT, REU 10/18)

U.S. State Department director of the office of public and congressional affairs Josh Paul resigned in protest over the Biden administration’s policy toward the Israeli assault on Gaza and its “impulsive reaction built on confirmation bias, political convenience, intellectual bankruptcy, and bureaucratic inertia.” (AJ, HA 10/18; AJ, NYT 10/19)

Jewish Currents reported that the Palestinian academics and analysts Noura Erakat, Yousef Munayyer, and Omar Baddar had their interviews cut from segments on CBS and CNN. MSNBC last week temporarily removed 3 Muslim hosts, Mehdi Hasan, Ali Velshi, and Ayman Mohyeldin, who is Palestinian, from their programming. (JC 10/18)

In Gaza, an Israeli airstrike killed 471 Palestinians in al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City. The hospital, which was filled with patients and Palestinians seeking shelter from Israeli bombardment, had received evacuation warnings from Israel on 10/14, 10/15, and 10/16. Israel claimed it was an errant rocket fired by Hamas that caused the mass casualties, however all evidence presented by Israel was debunked in subsequent investigations. Other Israeli airstrikes killed around 200 Palestinians, mostly in Rafah and Khan Yunis. Israel also assassinated the head of Hamas’ Shura Council Osama Mazini, who led negotiations on the prisoner exchange that saw Gilad Shalit transferred to Israel in exchange for 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in 2011, and Hamas commanders Muhammad Alwadia, Ayman Nofal, and Akram Hijaz. Israeli airstrikes also reportedly killed 3 members of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh’s family. 6 were killed in an airstrike on an UNRWA school sheltering Palestinians in al-Maghazi. Rockets were fired at Israel, causing damage. In the West Bank, there were large demonstrations against the PA and the Israeli bombing of the al-Ahli Arab Hospital throughout the West Bank, with PA forces violently dispersing Palestinian protesters, killing a 12-year-old girl in Jenin with live ammunition, and injuring many others with tear gas. Israeli forces shot and killed 2 Palestinians, including a minor, during raids in Halhul and Nabi Salih. An elderly Palestinian succumbed to injuries sustained from Israeli forces on 10/13 in Nablus. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinians, injuring 8 with live ammunition in Nablus. Elsewhere, Israeli forces assaulted an ambulance driver near al-Arroub refugee camp, causing a fractured arm and bruises. Israeli forces arrested Palestinian Legislative Council speaker Aziz Dweik during a raid. 115 others were arrested during raids in and around Hebron, Ramallah, Bethlehem, and Nablus, including 50 Palestinians from Gaza who were employed in Israel before being expelled to the West Bank. The Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners’ Affairs Authority said Israel has arrested 680 Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Lebanon, Israeli forces attacked targets north of the Blue Line. Hezbollah said it fired an anti-tank missile at a vehicle in Metula; 3 were reportedly injured. Israel said it killed 4 people who had entered Israel from Lebanon. 4 were also killed in an Israeli airstrike west of Yarine. In Jordan, protesters attempted to storm the Israeli embassy in Amman. (AP 10/7; AJ, AP, HA, REU 10/16; AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AP, AP, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, REU, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/17; AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AP, HA, HA, NYT, REU, REU, WAFA 10/18)

The Gaza Ministry of Health said at least 3,500 Palestinians have been killed and 12,500 have been injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since 10/7, including 47 entire families consisting of 500 people. In addition, Israeli media reported that 1,500 Palestinian militants have been killed near Gaza. 61 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 13 children. More than 1,230 had been injured, including at least 300 with live ammunition. Israeli officials recorded no new fatalities, leaving the Israeli death toll at around 1,300 Israelis and foreign nationals; 4,229 have been injured since 10/7. The UN reported that over 1 million Palestinians have been displaced since 10/7 and that since 11 p.m. on 10/12 there has been a complete electricity blackout due to the Israeli blockade. At least 11,887 housing units have been destroyed in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7. The number is likely much higher as the latest data is from 10/14. The Palestinian civil defense team said that more than 1,000 Palestinians were under the rubble of buildings in Gaza. The Committee to Protect Journalists said 13 Palestinian, 3 Israeli, and 1 Lebanese journalist have been killed in attacks relating to the Israel-Hamas war since 10/7. (AJ 10/16; AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, HA, HA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA 10/17; HA 10/18)

UNRWA said parts of southern Gaza, containing about 14% of the population, received water for 3 hours. The remaining seawater desalination plant in Gaza shut down due to a lack of fuel. (AJ 10/16; HA 10/17)

Hundreds of trucks carrying aid to Gaza were stuck near the Rafah crossing as Israel continued to prevent safe passage into Gaza. Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry said the crossing was not officially closed but was not functioning due to being targeted 4 times by Israel. (AJ 10/16; HA, REU, REU 10/17)

UN human rights office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said Israel’s siege and order to evacuate northern Gaza could breach international law. (AJ, REU 10/17)

Israel attempted to deny that it killed hundreds of Palestinian civilians in an airstrike on al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, presenting a range of questionable evidence to put the blame on Islamic Jihad. Israeli government social media accounts published what it claimed to be evidence that it was a rocket misfire not an airstrike, but later deleted the videos when a New York Times journalist questioned the timing of the videos. Military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said “[a]ccording to our intelligence, Hamas checked reports and understood it was a Palestinian Islamic Jihad misfire, then launched a global media campaign to inflate numbers of casualties.” Israel has previously employed misinformation campaigns to deflect blame for atrocities, on occasion then taking responsibility long after the event, as in the case of the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh. A UK Channel 4 investigation said evidence presented by Israel was both likely fabricated and contradictory, but did not reach a conclusion regarding the origin of the blast. Israeli president Isaac Herzog called reports that Israel conducted the airstrike “21st century blood libel.” Many Western leaders called for an investigation or referred to the loss of life without condemning the perpetrators. Leaders in the Middle East were unequivocal in their condemnation of the Israeli airstrike. King Abdullah II of Jordan, PA president Mahmoud Abbas, and Egyptian president Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi canceled meetings with U.S. president Joe Biden scheduled for 10/18 in Amman. The UAE and Russia called a meeting of the UN Security Council on 10/18 on the attack on the hospital. U.S. Defense Department spokesperson Sabrina Singh said in response to questions about the incident that Hamas puts “their command and control units inside hospitals,” adding the U.S. does not know who the perpetrator was. Biden said he spoke to Prime Minister Netanyahu and that his national security team will gather information about the incident. Large demonstrations were held in Washington D.C., Turkey, Jordan, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, and Morocco. (AJ, AP 10/16; AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/17; AJ, AJ, AP, C4, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/18)

The PA foreign ministry accused Israel of ethnic cleansing and genocide aimed at removing all Palestinians from Gaza. The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics said Israel has killed at least 3,057 Palestinians since the beginning of 2023, including 2,793 in Gaza and 264 in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. (WAFA, WAFA 10/17)

Fatah’s military wing, al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, called on President Abbas to step down as the head of Fatah’s Martyrs and Prisoners Commission. (AJ 10/18)

Military spokesperson Hagari ruled out a ceasefire, saying Israel continues to “prepare for the next stages of war.” Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said the Israeli campaign would take several months. The Israeli military also said that it could not confirm that white phosphorus was used in attacks on Gaza but maintained that it would not be “unlawful” in certain situations. Israeli police commissioner Kobi Shabtai said, “[w]hoever wants to become an Israeli citizen, welcome. Anyone who wants to identify with Gaza is welcome. I will put him on the buses heading there now.” Shabtai also said he had outlawed demonstrations in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. (HA 10/17; AJ, HA, WAFA 10/18; AJ 10/19)

After the Israeli airstrike on al-Ahli Arab Hospital, President Abbas traveled back from Amman to Ramallah to hold an emergency meeting. In a speech Abbas called the airstrike a heinous crime and declared 3 days of mourning. Earlier in the day Abbas met with U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken in Amman. Blinken later called Abbas to offer condolences on the massacre at al-Ahli Arab Hospital. PA envoy to the UN Riyad Mansour called on the UN Security Council to intervene by demanding a ceasefire. (AJ 10/16; AJ, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/17; AJ, HA, WAFA, WAFA 10/18)

Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh spoke with South African foreign minister Nalendi Pandor, who conveyed support for Palestine and expressed sadness for the loss of innocent life in Gaza and Israel. (AJ 10/16; REU 10/18)

The Knesset National Security Committee approved legislation allowing Israeli prisons to admit new inmates above their legal capacity, which would worsen conditions for Palestinian prisoners. Since 10/7, family visits have been suspended, public phones have been blocked, and all electrical devices have been cut off from power. The Hadassah University Hospital refused to treat a Palestinian militant captured by Israel, saying it would “offend national feelings.” (HA, HA 10/17)

The U.S. announced that President Biden will visit Israel on 10/18. The New York Times reported that Biden’s visit will postpone Israel’s planned ground operation in Gaza by at least 24 hours. The Times also reported that Israel has asked the U.S. for $10 billion in emergency aid. Secretary of State Blinken said the announcement was made after Prime Minister Netanyahu committed to allowing aid to enter Gaza and to establishing safe zones at an 8-hour long meeting of the Israeli war cabinet that Blinken attended. New York governor Kathy Hochul said she will visit Israel. Biden also said he will visit Jordan. Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer said he would push through an emergency aid package to Israel “as quickly as possible.” 6 Republican senators introduced legislation to end all U.S. funding for UNRWA. All senators except Rand Paul (I-KY) sponsored a resolution in support of Israel’s war against Hamas. (AJ, HA 10/16; AJ, HA, HA, REU, REU 10/17; HA 10/18)

King Abdullah II said Jordan and Egypt would not take in Palestinian refugees from Gaza, calling it a red line. Abdullah II also met with German chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin. Scholz warned Hezbollah and Iran to stay out of the Hamas-Israel war. Scholz later traveled to Israel where he met with Prime Minister Netanyahu, invoking the German genocide of the Jewish people as a reason for Germany to “ensure Israel’s existence and security.” Lebanese foreign minister Abdallah Bou Habib said Israel was “pouring oil on fire” at the Lebanese border. Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan said Egypt will host a summit on the situation in Gaza on 10/21. (AJ 10/16; HA, REU, REU, REU 10/17; AP, HA 10/18)

Iranian sources told Al Jazeera that the U.S. had sent the Iranian UN representative a message warning Iran of war if it enters the conflict. (HA 10/17)

U.S. Central Command commander Michael Kurilla arrived in Israel for meetings with Israeli military leaders. The U.S. also sent 2,000 Marines to the Middle East. (AJ, HA, HA, HA 10/16; HA, REU 10/17; AP 10/18)

Russian president Vladimir Putin and Chinese president Xi Jinping discussed the Palestinian-Israeli conflict during a meeting in Beijing. (AJ, AJ, HA 10/17)

159 U.S. citizens were evacuated from Israel headed for Cyprus on a cruise ship. Nearly 1,000 U.S. citizens have left Israel on State Department-charted planes to Europe since 10/13. (AJ, HA, HA 10/16; HA 10/17)

Japanese foreign minister Yoko Kamikawa said Japan will donate $10 million in emergency aid to Gaza. Spain said it would donate $1 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza. The Netherlands pledged $10 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza. (AJ 10/16; HA, REU, REU, REU 10/17)

The EU held a video conference for the leaders of its 27 members to discuss the situation in Gaza and find a unified stance after EU member states had expressed dissatisfaction with the EU leadership’s pro-Israel statements, including European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen’s failure to call on Israel to abide by international law during her visit on 10/17. Irish president Michael D Higgins called von der Leyen’s comments about Israel’s attacks “thoughtless and even reckless,” questioning where she gets the authority to speak on behalf of the EU on the issue. After the meeting, the EU leadership agreed to condemn Hamas’ operation in Israel on 10/7, expressed solidarity with the people of Israel, said Israel has a right to defend itself in line with humanitarian and international law, and called on Hamas to release all captives. (AJ 10/15; AJ 10/16; AJ, EU, HA, REU 10/17)

Germany’s Mainz 05 soccer club suspended Dutch Egyptian player Anwar El Ghazi for a pro-Palestinian social media post. (AJ 10/17)

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)

Late at night, the IAF conducts 3 waves of air strikes targeting 25 Hamas sites across Gaza; the strikes cause massive damage and injure 3 Palestinians (2 near Rafah and 1 near Khan Yunis). The strikes reportedly come in response to the spate of incendiary kite and balloon attacks emanating from Gaza in recent weeks. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Rafah, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers bulldoze several dunams of Palestinian land near Hebron, with the intent to expand neighboring settlements. They also level approximately 40 dunams (approximately 10 acres) of Palestinian land near Jericho. IDF troops conduct raids in al-Mazra‘a near Ramallah, sparking clashes with stone-throwing residents of the village; 1 Palestinian is injured. They arrest 18 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Tulkarm, Jenin, Nablus, and Bethlehem; and patrol near Nablus, Jenin, Qalqilya, and Salfit. (WAFA 6/19; HA, MNA, WAFA 6/20; PCHR 6/21)

An ailing Palestinian dies at the Erez border crossing. The Israeli authorities summoned him for an interview that could have led to him being granted a permit to travel to Israel for medical attention. The deceased submitted two previous applications for an interview, but both were rejected, with the Israeli authorities citing security concerns. (PCHR 6/21)

Egyptian security sources say that Egyptian president al-Sisi has decided to keep the Rafah border crossing open for another two months, until after the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha in late 8/2018, for “humanitarian reasons.” The crossing has already been open for 1 month, far longer than any opening since 2014. (TOI 6/19; YA 6/20)

U.S. ambassador to the UN Haley announces that the U.S. has formally withdrawn from the UNHRC, reiterating the Trump administration’s complaints about the council’s chronic anti-Israel bias. She says the move is “not a retreat” and that the Trump administration would still like to help reform the UNHRC. Israeli PM Netanyahu welcomes the move, condemning the “biased” and “hostile” UNHRC. (HA, JP, TOI 6/19)

After Netanyahu decides again to postpone the planned evacuation and demolition of 7 buildings in the Palestinian village of Susiya near Hebron, Israeli settlers accuse him of succumbing to U.S. pressure. “The Israeli government’s folly is indescribable,” one settler leader says, pointing to the upcoming visit from U.S. president Trump’s son-in-law Kushner and U.S. special representative Greenblatt. (JP, TOI, YA 6/19)

In Amman, Jordan’s King Abdullah II meets with Kushner and Greenblatt, who are on a tour of the region to promote their Palestinian-Israeli peace efforts. (HA, TOI 6/20)

In retaliation for the incendiary kite and balloon attacks from Gaza on 6/17, the IAF conducts air strikes on 9 Hamas sites across Gaza overnight, causing major damage. Unidentified Palestinians in Gaza then launch 3 rockets toward southern Israel; 2 land in open areas, causing no damage or injuries (the third falls short of the border fence). Also along Gaza’s border fence, IDF troops open fire on 4 Palestinians allegedly attempting to cross the fence into Israel near Gaza City; 1 Palestinian is killed and the other 3 are injured. The IDF reports that the men were attempting to sabotage “security infrastructure.” In the evening, the IAF conducts another round of air strikes across Gaza, targeting Hamas and other armed groups’ infrastructure. In the West Bank, IDF troops assault Palestinian farmers traveling from Hebron to Jerusalem and confiscate the crops they are bringing to market. They also arrest 2 Palestinians during late-night raids near Bethlehem, and patrol near Hebron. In East Jerusalem, a number of Israeli settlers tour Haram al-Sharif in the morning. Meanwhile, Israeli forces arrest a senior Islamic Waqf guard at the sanctuary. They also set up a new watchtower outside one of the main entrances. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 6/18; MNA 6/19; PCHR 6/21)

A Palestinian succumbs to injuries sustained when IDF troops violently dispersed protesters along Gaza’s border near al-Maghazi refugee camp on 5/30, bringing the death toll stemming from the Great March of Return to 123. (PCHR 6/21)

In a statement, PA president Abbas rejects the U.S. plan, first reported on 6/17, to raise money for relief efforts in Gaza, accusing the Trump administration of attempting to separate Gaza from the West Bank in the name of “humanitarian aid or rehabilitation.” (HA 6/18)

Israeli PM Netanyahu meets with Jordan’s King Abdullah II in Amman. They discuss a number of regional issues, including the Palestinians. It is their first public meeting since 11/2014. (JP 6/19)

Tensions in East Jerusalem remain high as Israeli forces mount new security cameras at the entrances to Haram al-Sharif to supplement the new metal detectors installed in the wake of the deadly attack on 7/14. They also reopen the sanctuary, allowing more than 100 Jewish settlers to tour it in the morning. Palestinians protest and pray outside the sanctuary throughout the day; approximately 21 are injured during the ensuing clashes with Israeli forces. Meanwhile, Israeli forces arrest 3 Palestinians during raids in al-Tur. In the West Bank, armed Israeli settlers march through a Palestinian village nr. Jenin in protest of the deadly attack on 7/21. Other settlers throw stones at Palestinian vehicles nr. Nablus and Hebron, causing no serious damage. IDF troops shoot and injure 3 Palestinians: 1 attempting to cut through a fence nr. Qalqilya, another evading arrest in the n. Jordan Valley, and a 3d driving “suspiciously” at a checkpoint nr. Nablus, according to an IDF spokesperson. Meanwhile, the IDF violently disperses Palestinians protesting in solidarity with the Muslim worshippers outside Haram al-Sharif in Jayyus village nr. Qalqilya (2 Palestinians are injured), arrests 4 Palestinians and issues 1 arrest summons during late-night raids nr. Bethlehem and Hebron, and patrols nr. Hebron and Salfit throughout the day. An arrest raid in Nablus sparks minor clashes with stonethrowing youths; 1 Palestinian is injured. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 7/23; PCHR 7/27)

Unidentified Palestinians fire 2 rockets from Gaza into s. Israel; 1 explodes in midair, and the other lands in an open area nr. Ashqelon, causing no damage or injuries. Late that night, Israeli tanks positioned along Gaza’s border shell a Hamas post nr. Dayr al-Balah and an open area nr. Khan Yunis, causing an unknown amount of damage. (TOI 7/23; HA, MNA, WAFA, YA 7/24)

At the Israeli Embassy in Amman, an Israeli security guard shoots and kills 2 Jordanians, the property owner and a teenage worker, in disputed circumstances. The attack exacerbates Israeli-Jordanian tensions, which are already running high given the ongoing crisis at Haram al-Sharif. The Israeli authorities refuse to allow the Jordanian police to question the guard, and the Jordanian authorities refuse to allow the Israeli Embassy staff to leave the country until the guard submits to questioning. (MNA, TOI 7/23; HA, YA 7/24)

The Israeli press reports that the IDF has barred Palestinian workers from entering Halamish and a number of other Israeli settlements following the deadly attack on 7/21 and the settler protests on 7/22. Meanwhile, Israeli PM Netanyahu says that the home of the Palestinian who stabbed 4 Israeli settlers on 7/21 will be demolished soon. (MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 7/23)

Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 7 Palestinians during late-night raids nr. Hebron and Nablus. They also patrol nr. Hebron and Nablus during the day. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 9 Palestinians during late-night raids in Ras al-Amud, Issawiyya, and the Old City. (MNA 1/22; PCHR 1/26)

The Jerusalem Municipality’s Local Planning and Building Comm. approves the construction of 566 new residences in Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem. Israeli PM Netanyahu reportedly ordered the plans to be put on hold until Donald Trump was sworn in as U.S. pres. on 1/20. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 1/22; MNA 1/23)

At the Israeli cabinet’s weekly meeting, Netanyahu says that he no longer supports the so-called regulations bill, which would retroactively authorize hundreds of illegal settlement outposts in the West Bank. He says “it’s possible” that the bill led to the UNSC’s res. condemning settlements on 12/23, and that it would be “irresponsible” to advance it further. Netanyahu also argues that a vote on a bill annexing the Ma’ale Adumim settlement bloc should be postponed until at least after he meets with U.S. pres. Trump. Jewish Home ministers agree to the postponement only after Netanyahu says he supports lifting restrictions on settlement construction in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. (HA, JP, MNA, YA 1/22)

PA pres. Abbas meets with Jordan’s King Abdullah in Amman to discuss U.S. pres. Trump’s campaign pledge to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. They agree to “take a number of measures” if the embassy is relocated, according to the official PA news site. (JP, WAFA, YA 1/22)

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 2 villages nr. Hebron, and 1 village each nr. Nablus and Ramallah; patrols in 2 villages nr. Jericho. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces shoot and injure a Palestinian child with a sponge-tipped bullet during clashes in Issawiyya, leaving the boy blind in 1 eye. (MNA 11/13; PCHR 11/20)

U.S. Secy. of State Kerry meets with Jordan’s King Abdullah and Israeli PM Netanyahu in Amman to discuss the recent tensions in Jerusalem. They agree to a series of practical measures designed to restore calm, and they do not announce them to the press. The Jordanian govt. will consider returning its amb. to Tel Aviv based on Israel’s implementation of its share of the measures. Kerry meets PA Pres. Abbas earlier in the day, but the Palestinian leader did not attend the 3-way meeting. (BBC, HA, MNA, REU, ToI 11/13)

In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Tulkarm in the morning, in 1 village nr. Hebron in the afternoon, and in 2 villages nr. Hebron and 1 village nr. Qalqilya at night. (PCHR 1/23)

Israeli PM Netanyahu visits Jordan’s King Abdallah II in Amman, to discuss developments in the peace process. It is the 1st such meeting since 2/2013, and, according to his office, Netanyahu focused on security arrangements, particularly on the West BankJordan border. (AFP, AP 1/16)

Egyptian state media reports that the new constitution was approved by more than 90% of voters in the referendum held on 1/14, a development seen as likely to advance DM Sisi toward a presidential bid. The state news agency voter turnout estimate shows 40% in Cairo and Alexandria, with only 20–25% turnout in w. and s. provinces. (AP, REU 1/16)

In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian in Qalandia r.c. nr. Ramallah, during clashes sparked by an IDF arrest raid in the camp. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 4 villages nr. Hebron at night; patrols in 1 village nr. Jenin in the morning, and in 1 village each nr. Hebron and Salfit at night. Israeli soldiers also attack regular demonstrations by Palestinians, Israelis, and international activists against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and the occupation in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih), 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum) and 1 village nr. Bethlehem (al-Ma‘sara), causing no serious injuries except in Bil‘in (1 injury from tear gas canister) and Kafr Qaddum (2 injuries from rubber-coated metal bullets). (MNA 6/28; PCHR 7/4)

U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry conducts further shuttle diplomacy, holding talks in Amman with Palestinian pres. Mahmud Abbas followed by discussions in Jerusalem with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, which are also attended by Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, National Security Adviser Ya’akov Amidror, and Special Envoy Yitzhak Molcho. Kerry meets separately with Israeli pres. Shimon Peres. Meanwhile, director of the Palestinians’ High Coordination Cmte. for Prisoners’ Release Amin Shuman says that Israelis and Palestinians have held secret talks about freeing prisoners detained before 1993. (AFP, HA, MNA, REU 6/28)

Three people are killed and hundreds injured as violent clashes take place between supporters and opponents of Egyptian pres. Mohamed Morsi, with the Muslim Brotherhood office ransacked in Alexandria. (NYT 6/28)

U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry calls Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to express disapproval over plans for new construction in Ramat and Gilo settlements. Meanwhile, Jordanian FM Nassar Judeh, in a joint press conference in Ramallah with PA FM Riyad Malki, announces that Kerry will shortly be in Amman for a 4th visit to Jordan to discuss peace efforts. (AFP, HA 6/2; JP 6/3)

Rami Hamdallah, president of an-Najah University, announces that Pres. Abbas has asked him to replace Salam Fayyad as prime minister and form a new govt., adding that most ministers will remain in post. Fayyad resigned on 4/13 and has been serving as a caretaker. U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry welcomes the appointment, but the decision is denounced by Hamas, whose spokesperson Fawzi Barhoum says that Abbas should have implemented the reconciliation deal achieved in Cairo in 5/2013, rather than name his own appointee. Meanwhile, senior Fatah leaders Nabil Shaath and Othman Abu Gharbieh arrive in Gaza to take part in talks with representatives of all factions about national reconciliation. (AFP, MNA, REU 6/2; JP 6/3)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian workers, injuring one farmer with live ammunition as he picks watermelons. Following the incident, an IDF spokesperson says that soldiers shot at Palestinians attempting to damage the border fence. Israeli naval vessels open fire on Palestinian fishermen off the coast of the Gaza Strip, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Hebron in the morning, and in Hebron, 1 village nr. Qalqilya, 1 village nr. Bethlehem and Dahaysha r.c. nr. Bethlehem at night; patrols in 2 villages nr. Tulkarm, 1 village nr. Jenin, 1 village nr. Qalqilya, and 1 village nr. Bethlehem in the morning, in 2 villages nr. Jenin and 1 village nr. Ramallah in the afternoon, and in Jenin, Tulkarm, and 1 village each nr. Ramallah, Jericho, Tulkarm, and Qalqilya at night. (MNA 6/2; PCHR 6/5)

Israeli Air Force planes conduct low-altitude fly-overs in the Bekaa Valley and other parts of e. Lebanon. (DS 6/3)

U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry meets with Israeli justice minister Tzipi Livni and Special Envoy Yitzhak Molcho in Amman, their 4th meeting since Kerry’s arrival in the region on 5/23. Kerry also meets with Palestinian pres. Mahmud Abbas in Amman, their 3d meeting of the trip, before returning to Washington. Kerry tells reporters before he leaves the region that he expects answers from both Netanyahu and Abbas within one or 2 weeks. (HA 5/27)

Off the coast of the Gaza Strip, Israeli naval vessels open fire on Palestinian fishermen, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops demolish 3 Palestinian-owned houses and 2 sheds in the Jordan Valley village of al-Jiftlik. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Jenin in the afternoon, and in 1 village each nr. Ramallah, Jenin, and Hebron, as well as al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron, at night; patrols in 1 village nr. Tulkarm in the morning, 1 village each nr. Qalqilya, Jenin, and Hebron in the afternoon, and in 2 villages each nr. Tulkarm, Ramallah and Qalqilya, and 1 village nr. Bethlehem at night. In East Jerusalem, suspected right-wing Jewish extremists vandalize 15 Palestinian-owned cars in the Shaykh Jarrah neighborhood. (MNA, WAFA 5/27; PCHR 5/30)

During talks in Brussels, EU foreign ministers fail to reach agreement on supplying arms to Syrian rebels but reinstate sanctions on Damascus and lift an arms embargo for the opposition. Member states like Britain and France are now free to go it alone in sending weapons should they see fit at some point. (NYT, REU 5/27)

Dozens of right-wing Jewish activists visit the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, prompting clashes with Palestinian worshippers, some of whom are arrested by Israeli police. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 3 villages nr. Tulkarm, 2 nr. Hebron, and 1 each nr. Qalqilya and Ramallah at night. (MNA 3/31; PCHR 4/4)

Palestinian pres. Mahmud Abbas and Jordan’s King Abdullah II sign an agreement in Amman to defend Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites, though no specific details are given beyond general ‘‘coordination’’ of efforts. (MNA 3/31)

Natural gas from the Tamar reservoir in the Mediterranean Sea begins to flow into Israel via Ashdod. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu welcomes this as a step towards ‘‘energy independence.’’ (NYT 3/31)

Egyptian media report that Hamas PM Ismail Haniyeh meets with Egyptian intelligence chief Rafaat Shehata to discuss Palestinian reconciliation and the cease-fire with Israel. (AP 3/31)

In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Ramallah at night; conducts house searches and arrest raids in 2 villages each nr. Hebron and Tulkarm, and in 1 village each nr. Jenin, Ramallah, and Salfit at night. Off the coast of the Gaza Strip, Israeli naval vessels open fire on Palestinian fishermen, enforcing the new 3 naut. mile fishing limit imposed by Israel. (MNA 3/23; PCHR 3/28)

U.S. Pres. Barack Obama flies back to Washington, leaving Secy. of State John Kerry in the region for further talks aimed at reviving peace talks with PA Pres. Mahmud Abbas in Amman and also PM Benjamin Netanyahu. (MNA 3/23; HA, YA 3/24)

Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan says that stronger relations with Israel will aid the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and help speed the fall of Syrian pres. Bashar al-Asad. PM Benjamin Netanyahu also cites the Syrian crisis as a reason for his decision to improve relations with Ankara. (HA 3/23)

IDF forces shoot and injure 2 Palestinians during clashes in Anata nr. Jerusalem. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Hebron, in al-‘Arub r.c. and 1 village nr. Hebron in the afternoon; conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Ramallah at night. IDF soldiers violently disperse Palestinians, Israelis, and internationals taking part in nonviolent demonstrations in multiple villages against the Israeli occupation and in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners. Protesters are dispersed in 5 villages nr. Ramallah (Abud, Bayt Laqiya, Bil‘in, alNabi Salih, Ni‘lin), al-Haraiek nr. Hebron, 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum), and at Ofer prison nr. Ramallah. There are no serious injuries, except in Abud (2 wounded) and in al-Haraiek (1 wounded). (MNA 3/22; PCHR 3/28)

U.S. State Dept. spokesperson Victoria Nuland says that the Obama admin. has unblocked almost $500 million in aid—including $200 million in direct budget support—to the PA, previously frozen by Congress in October 2011 as a response to the UN statehood bid (see QU 162). According to Nuland, the White House also notified Congress in late 2/2013 that it seeks a further $200 million to fund USAID projects for the Palestinians. In response, Palestinian Labor Minister Ahmad Majdalani says that the PA’s financial crisis is not over. (AFP 3/22; MNA 3/23)

Hamas authorities complain to Egypt about Israel’s 3/21 decision to restrict Palestinian fishermen off the coast of Gaza. The government in Gaza also reportedly arrests 2 members of the Mujahidin Shura Council, which claimed responsibility for the 3/21 rocket attack on Israel. (ToI 3/22)

Under pressure from Pres. Obama to restore normal ties with Turkey, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu phones Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan to apologize for ‘‘mistakes made’’ during the IDF’s attack on a Gaza-bound flotilla in 2010, when 9 Turks (including one U.S. dual national) were killed aboard the Mavi Marmara (see QU 157). They agree to dispatch envoys to each other’s countries. After coordinating this diplomatic breakthrough, Pres. Obama leaves for Jordan. (NYT 3/23)

U.S. Pres. Barack Obama meets with Jordan’s King Abdullah II in Amman for talks primarily on the Syrian civil war and the refugee crisis. Pres. Obama pledges to work to supply Jordanian authorities with $200 million extra assistance to care for the estimated 460,000 Syrian refugees who have crossed the border seeking refuge. (REU 3/22)

Lebanese PM Najib Mikati resigns due to divisions within the government about elections later in the year and to protest the cabinet’s refusal to extend the tenure of the national police chief, a figure perceived by the Sunni community as sympathetic to their interests. (AP 3/22)

Israeli media report on an internal Foreign Ministry document that predicts that the EU will increase efforts in 2013 to pressure Israel and the Palestinians to reach an agreement. The report suggests that the EU may try to promote the establishment of an actual Palestinian state independent of negotiations with Israel. Other Israeli media report that the PA is seeking to join a number of international organizations in the light of their successful UN statehood bid, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Israel’s Foreign Ministry is apparently seeking to stymie these efforts through its ambassadors in countries where the organizations’ headquarters are located. Meanwhile, Palestinian officials in Ramallah claim that Israel is refusing to renew the VIP cards of several senior PA officials, complicating their ability to move freely around the West Bank and Israel. (HA, JP, ToI 12/26)

Israeli and Palestinian officials confirm that Israel will allow materials for private construction into the Gaza Strip for the 1st time since mid-2007. The deal will allow up to 20 trucks of gravel to enter the territory daily through Kerem Shalom crossing in the south. (MNA 12/25; AFP 12/26)

In the West Bank, the IDF raids the Palestinian village of Yatta in the south, sparking a clash with stone-throwing Palestinians; 1 Palestinian is injured when he is hit in the head by a tear-gas canister. The IDF patrols in Tulkarm, nearby Nur Shams r.c., and 1 village nr. Jericho at night; conducts house searches and arrest raids in Hebron and 3 nearby villages, 1 village nr. Bethlehem, and 1 village nr. Jenin at night. (PNN, WAFA 12/26; MNA, PCHR 12/27)

Fatah’s Revolutionary Council meets in Ramallah to discuss internal and national issues, including the next steps to take following the UN bid and subsequent Israeli settlement expansion. (MNA 12/26)

Anonymous Israeli officials confirm a story in al-Quds al-Arabi that PM Netanyahu secretly met Jordan’s King Abdallah in Amman recently (no dates reported) to discuss the risk of Syria’s chemical weapons falling into the hands of armed Islamist groups. (REU 12/26)

A senior Palestinian official speaking anonymously says that Israeli and Palestinian negotiators plan to meet soon, for the 1st time since 1/25/12 in Amman. Meanwhile, Netanyahu holds a rare news conference, saying that he still hopes to reach a peace deal with the Palestinians based on a 2-state solution. He states: “I don’t want a binational state. . . . For as long as it depends on me, we will ensure the Jewish and democratic character of Israel.” (WT 4/4) Netanyahu calls on the Israeli military to delay the eviction of the Jewish settler families who moved into a Hebron house several days ago without securing the proper permits, saying they should be allowed to remain in the house until their case is heard in court; the settlers ignore the IDF’s 4/2/12 eviction orders. (NYT 4/4)

The International Criminal Court (ICC) rejects a PA request to sign the ICC’s founding treaty (the Rome Statute), reaffirming that only internationally recognized states can join the court. The ruling means the automatic rejection of a PA request for the ICC to form a permanent war crimes tribunal to investigate Israeli actions during its 2008–9 Operation Cast Lead offensive against Gaza. The only alternative is for the UNSC to ask for a tribunal. (NYT, WP 4/4)

Late in the evening, IDF troops on the c. Gaza border e. of Gaza City fatally shoot a knife-wielding Palestinian teenager who approaches the border fence; his family says the boy had made comments about wanting to avenge the death of his sister, who was killed during Israel’s Operation Cast Lead assault on Gaza in 2008–9. In the West Bank, OCHA reports that the IDF has removed 5 barriers, gates, and unmanned checkpoints nr. Nablus and Tulkarm that have been in place since 2000–2, greatly improving movement between Nablus and Bayt Dajan and Zawata, and among Tulkarm, Izbat Shufa, and Shufa. The IDF patrols in 2 villages each nr. Ramallah and Tulkarm and 1 each nr. Jericho and Jenin in the morning; conducts rare daytime arrest raids, house searches nr. Jenin; conducts afternoon patrols in 2 villages nr. Jericho and 2 nr. Ramallah (synchronized); conducts late-night patrols in `Ayn al-Sultan r.c., Jericho (twice), Tulkarm, and 1 village each nr. Jenin (firing stun grenades at stone-throwing youths who confront them, causing no injuries), Jericho and Salfit; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Bayt Umar. (OCHA, PCHR 4/5)

UN Secy.-Gen Ban meets with Jordan’s King Abdallah and FM Judeh in Amman to discuss the latest round of Israeli-Palestinian exploratory talks and prospects for continuing discussions. (JPI 2/10)

IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire warning shots at a group of Palestinians and international activists marching to the Bayt Hanun crossing to protest Israel’s imposition of a no-go zone, causing no serious injuries. IDF troops on the c. Gaza border fire warning shots at a group of Palestinians trapping birds nr. the border, wounding 1. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Jenin in the afternoon, firing tear gas, stun grenades at stonethrowing youths who confront them, causing no serious injuries; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron; conducts late-night patrols in 1 village nr. Jenin. Palestinians and international and Israeli activists stage a nonviolent protest march to an IDF checkpoint outside Bayt Umar nr. Hebron to mark the 1-yr. anniversary of the killing of a local Palestinian by a settler; IDF troops beat and fire stun grenades at the demonstrators, moderately injuring 2 Palestinians and 1 Israeli journalists. Israeli police in East Jerusalem issue an order banning Palestinian journalist and Jerusalem resident Rasim Ubeidat fr. entering the West Bank until 7/9/2012; no cause is given. (PCHR 2/2; OCHA 2/3)

Israeli PM Netanyahu wins the Likud primaries with 75% of the vote. Some analysts (e.g., WP 2/2) see the move to hold a snap primary as strengthening Netanyahu’s base in preparation for possibly calling early elections in 10/2012 (a year ahead of schedule) to give the opposition less time to organize. However, others note (e.g., WP 2/1) that Netanyahu’s only challenger, ultranationalist settler Moshe Feiglin, made a strong showing, indicating that many Likud supporters feel Netanyahu is “too soft on peacemaking with the Palestinians.” (WP 2/1, 2/2)

Palestinian and Israeli negotiators hold a 5th round of talks in Amman. Molcho verbally outlines Israel’s guiding principles on borders and security, offering nothing new and putting nothing in writing. Afterward, Abbas meets with King Abdallah and issues a statement saying the exploratory talks with Israel have ended without progress; the Palestinians will weigh their next steps in consultation with the Arab League at a meeting in Cairo on 2/4 (later moved to 2/12). He says: “If we demarcate the borders, we can return to negotiations, but the Israelis do not want demarcation of borders.” Israel sticks by its position that Israel technically has until 4/3 to produce position papers (since teams began meeting on 1/3) and that if the Palestinians refuse to continue talks until 4/3, it is they who are walking away fr. negotiations. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, already in the region, meets separately with PA Pres. Abbas and Israeli PM Netanyahu to urge them to keep the talks going, especially pressing Israel to make some kind of confidence-building gesture (she recommends transferring more authority to the PA). Late at night, after these meetings, the Israeli team gives the Palestinians a document (not released) that puts the guiding principles in writing (reportedly including Israeli control over Jerusalem, the Jordan Valley, and almost all settlements); no maps are included. UN Secy.-Gen. Ban Ki-Moon says he will make his own visit to the region in the next week to encourage the sides to continue talks. (WAFA 1/25; HA, NYT, WP, WT 1/26; REU, WP 1/27; NYT 1/28; Asia Times 1/31)

The IDF demolishes a Palestinian home adjacent to Carmiel settlement nr. Hebron. A Palestinian is killed when he is accidentally buried by a supply of construction gravel being transported through a smuggling tunnel. (PCHR 1/26; OCHA 2/3)

The State Dept. says Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams will hold a 2d round of talks in Amman on 1/9. Israeli DM Ehud Barak says that “it is clear that [the position paper handed to Israel by the PA on 1/3] is unacceptable in its present state. . . . Long negotiations await us.” (NYT 1/6, 1/10)

OCHA reports that Jewish settlers vandalized more than 10,000 Palestinian olive trees in 2011. The IDF demolished 622 structures in the West Bank and East Jerusalem during 2011 (compared to 431 in 2010), displacing 1,094 Palestinians (compared to 594 in 2010). (OCHA 1/5)

Israel temporarily bans 12 Jewish extremists fr. the West Bank for periods of 3–9 mos. as part of Netanyahu’s crackdown against price-tag attacks. The IDF patrols in 4 villages nr. Ramallah in the morning; in 2 villages nr. Jericho and 1 each nr. Jenin, Qalqilya, and Salfit in the evening; and in al-Bireh, Jericho, 2 villages nr. Qalqilya, and 1 nr. Ramallah late at night. The IDF also demolishes 3 Palestinian homes nr. Jericho; demolishes 2 Palestinian stonecutters’ workshop (confiscating stones worth more than $25,500) and a scrap metal shop in Azariyya; enters Hebron during the day to arrest 1 Palestinian. In Gaza, 1 Palestinian is killed, 1 is injured in a tunnel collapse on the Rafah border. Gaza’s Central Drug Store receives a 2d shipment (see 12/18/11) of medicines and medical supplies fr. the West Bank that should cover needs for 5 wks. (WP 1/6; PCHR 1/12; OCHA 1/13)

U.S. Dep. Secy. of State Burns meets with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss ways of reviving peace talks with the Palestinians. U.S. officials say that they are trying to find ways around Palestinian demands for a settlement freeze in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, but give no details. (NYT 11/22; JPI 12/2)

The IDF makes a late-night incursion into s. Gaza, patrolling in and firing on residential areas of Rafah, causing no injuries and making no arrests. Israeli naval vessels fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the n. Gaza coast, forcing them back to shore. In the West Bank, the IDF raids and searches the home of a PA police officer nr. Jenin, arresting him; patrols in 7 villages nr. Ramallah, in 1 instance firing rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at stone-throwing Palestinian youths who confront them. (PCHR 11/24; OCHA 11/25)

PA Tourism and Antiquities M Hamdan Taha says that now that Palestine has full membership in UNESCO (see QU in JPS 162), it is planning to seek world heritage status for the old cities of Hebron and Jericho. An application for Bethlehem is already in the works and is expected to have a better chance now that Palestine has membership. The PA also plans to seek recovery of artifacts looted by Israel, increase funds for preservation and excavations, and use its status to force Israel to stop calling West Bank sites “Israeli antiquities.” (WP 11/22)

King Abdallah of Jordan makes an official visit to Ramallah (his 1st in 10 yrs.) to hold talks with PA pres. Abbas on their independent efforts to reconcile with Hamas and personally to inform Abbas that Jordan has invited Damascus-based Hamas leader Khalid Mishal (barred fr. visiting Jordan since 1999) for an official visit to Amman. The king stresses that any improvement in ties with Hamas is not intended as a move against the PA or as a gesture to Jordan’s Islamist opposition. The U.S. reportedly has expressed displeasure to Jordan over the Mishal visit and hinted that U.S. aid could be cut if Jordan reconciles with Hamas. (NYT, WP 11/22; JPI 12/2)

Israel allows limited diesel and gasoline for personal vehicles into Gaza for the 1st time since 11/2/08. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night searches of homes and shops in Barta‘a village w. of Jenin, arresting at least 200 nonresident Palestinian laborers who are staying in the village because it affords shorter commutes to jobs inside Israel; stages late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Jenin and in Balata r.c., al-Fara‘a r.c. nr. Tubas. The IDF also removes 3 mobile homes fr. a new unauthorized settlement outpost named Inbalim nr. Ma’ale Mikhmas settlement nr. Hebron; settlers scuffle with Israeli border police at the site, injuring 2. An Israeli court rules that the Jewish settlers that occupied the Farhan-Hijazi properties in Shaykh Jarrah on 7/26 must halt construction on the site until the court reaches a final verdict on ownership; settlers ignore the ruling and keep building. Meanwhile, Jewish settlers storm and occupy another Palestinian home in Shaykh Jarrah (the Abu Diyab property), throwing stones at neighboring Palestinian homes fr. the roof before eventually leaving. (OCHA, PCHR 7/30; OCHA 8/18)

U.S. defense secy. Robert Gates begins a 2-day visit to Israel to meet with PM Netanyahu, DM Barak, other Israeli officials regarding bilateral defense concerns, highest among them Iran. In the afternoon, Gates goes to Amman to meet with King Abdallah of Jordan. (NYT 7/26; WP 7/27; WP, WT 7/28)

PM Barak tells his cabinet that although he had made no new commitments to Syria in order to resume talks, he "would not erase" any promises made in previous negotiations under PMs Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres, or Benjamin Netanyahu. (CSM, NYT, WP 12/14)

At the Knesset, PM Barak gives a speech, telling Israelis to prepare to pay "a heavy territorial price" for peace with Syria. After 7 hrs. of debate, MKs pass (47-31, with 24 abstentions, 18 absent) a vote of confidence giving Barak a mandate to negotiate with Syria. 1,000s of Golan settlers demonstrate outside. (CSM, MM, NYT, WP 12/14; CSM 12/15; WJW 12/16)

Russian dep. FM Sredin arrives in Amman for a 2-day visit. He discusses the peace process with the Russian rep. to the PA and Russian ambs. to Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria. (ITAR-TASS 12/14 in WNC 12/15)

In Bayt Awa, nr. Hebron, IDF commandos searching for 2 wanted Hamas mbrs. storm a house, killing 2 Palestinians, arresting 3. DM Efraim Sneh admits that there was a "contract" out for 1 of the men for killing an undercover Israeli border policeman in 1/99. (WT 12/14; NYT, WP 12/15; VIRI 12/15 in WNC 12/16; LAW 12/16; JP, MEI 12/24)

The U.S. reports the arrest in the Middle East of 13 mbrs. of a suspected terrorist group with links to Saudi dissident Osama Bin Laden that was believed to be planning New Year's attacks around the world. (NYT, WP 12/14; WT 12/15)

In Ramallah, Arafat holds mtg. with Netanyahu atty. Molho discuss Israeli arrest of 3 PA policemen 7/15, resumption of security coordination, hopes for resumption of negotiations. (MA 7/22 in WNC 7/23)

At EU special envoy Moratinos's invitation, Israeli FM Levy, PA Planning M Shaath meet to discuss possible confidence-building measures as part of EU bid to advance the stalled peace process ahead of a mtg. of EU FMs 7/22. The pair also discusses Israeli allegations regarding 3 PA policemen (see 7/17). (WT 7/21; JP 7/26)

Israeli cabinet approves legislation (opposed by Arabs, human rights groups) to block compensation to Palestinians wounded by the IDF, the families of those killed during the intifada. The Knesset must now vote on the measure. (WT 7/23; MEI 7/25; MM 7/29)

Israeli Infrastructure M Sharon proposes amendment to the direct-election law that would reduce fr. 80 to 61 the number of MKs needed to oust the PM without dissolving the Knesset. Netanyahu denounces the proposal. (ITV 7/20, QY, YA 7/21 in WNC 7/22; MEI 7/25) (see 7/18)

On Arafat's orders, the PSF arrests 4 PA policemen--including Col. Jihad Musaymi, Col. Nafiz Musmar--based on Israel's claim that Musaymi, acting on orders fr. Gaza police chief Brig. Gen. Ghazi Jabali, sent squads under his command to carry out unspecified anti-Israeli attacks. (AFP, MA 7/20 in WNC 7/22; MM, NYT, WP, WT 7/21; MEI 7/25; JP 7/26)

Abington returns to Washington after 4 yrs. as U.S. consul gen. in Jerusalem. Jason Walles will serve as acting consul gen. until a new person can be appointed. (WT 7/21)

In Amman, University of Jordan students stage an on-campus procession to denounce the 7/19 Daqamsa verdict, settler provocations in Hebron. (MM 7/21; JT 7/21 in WNC 7/22)