The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian American child during a raid in al-Mazra’a ash-Sharqiya. Israeli forces also shoot and injure 2 Palestinians with live ammunition during raids in Rafidiya and Kafr Ni’ma. Israeli forces end their 45-hour raid on Tulkarm, which left 8 Palestinians dead and 26 injured, with 37 arrested; 21 homes are also rendered uninhabitable due to explosions and bulldozing, displacing 137 people. In East Jerusalem, Israeli police restrict movement to the Haram al-Sharif compound for Palestinian worshipers. In Gaza, mobile phone connections are partially restored after being cut off on 1/12, however, internet access remains out. Israeli forces bomb Rafah, Gaza City, Dayr al-Balah, Nuseirat refugee camp, Khan Yunis, Maghazi, and Shati’ refugee camp, killing at least 142 people. Israeli forces also target al-Amal Hospital in Khan Yunis, causing injuries. In Lebanon, Hezbollah hits 3 Israeli targets in al-Summaqa, Ramtha, and Khirbet Ma’ar. In Yemen, U.S. forces bomb 3 anti-ship missiles they claim were ready to be launched. (AJ, AP, HA, HA, NYT, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 1/19; AP, NYT 1/20; AJ, UNOCHA 1/21; REU 1/22)

More than 24,762 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 10,600 children and 7,200 women, and around 62,108 have been injured since 10/7. At least 7,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 362 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 91 children. More than 4,310 people have been injured. Israel reports that 1,139 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,400 have been injured in Israel since 10/7, including Israeli soldiers. In addition, 191 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,178 injured in Gaza since the ground invasion began on 10/27. Over 1.93 million Palestinians, nearly 85% of the population of Gaza, have been displaced since 10/7. There has been a complete electricity blackout in Gaza since 10/12 due to the Israeli blockade. At least 69,000 housing units have been destroyed and 290,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7, constituting over 60% of all housing units. 154 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza via the Rafah and Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossings. UNOCHA says humanitarian agencies had planned 29 aid delivery missions to northern Gaza during the first half of January, but Israel had only approved 7 of them. (AJ, AP, UNOCHA, UNOCHA 1/19; AP 1/20)

Palestinians report that Israeli forces executed 19 Palestinians in Gaza in front of their families on 12/19/2023 and forced women and children to take their clothes off while filming and abusing them. (AJ 1/19; AJ 1/20)

Israel releases about 100 detained Palestinians back to Gaza via the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing. The UN Human Rights Office releases a report saying Palestinians from Gaza describe being detained at unknown locations in Israel for between 30 and 55 days where they were beaten, humiliated, and tortured. The Palestinians say that when they were released Israel kept all their clothes, releasing them only in diapers. The UN Human Rights Office says that thousands of Palestinians could be detained in these conditions and that Israel must either charge or release the detainees. (AJ, UNOHCHR, WAFA 1/19; UNOCHA 1/21)

The Jordanian army releases a statement saying Israel deliberately targeted the Jordanian Field Hospital in Khan Yunis on 1/17. (AJ 1/19)

Hamas officials meet with Russian deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov in Moscow, discussing ways to achieve a ceasefire and for Hamas to release 3 captives that hold Russian citizenship. (AJ, AP, HA 1/19)

UN General Assembly president Dennis Francis calls on the assembly to use its influence to end Israeli attacks on Gaza, asking the UN members “how much is enough?” (AJ 1/19)

U.S. president Joe Biden speaks to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the first time since 12/23/2023. A readout of the conversation states that Israel will allow shipments of flour to enter Gaza. Later Biden says a 2-state solution is still possible while Netanyahu is in office, despite Netanyahu rejecting a 2-state solution on 1/18. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby says that there is no evidence that Israel has committed “deliberate” war crimes in Gaza. Kirby also express concern about the Israeli killing of a Palestinian American child in al-Mazra’a ash-Sharqiya. The U.S. later calls for “an urgent investigation to determine the circumstances” of the child’s death. (AJ, AP, AX, HA, NYT, REU 1/19; AJ, AP, HA 1/20; HA, HA 1/22; WAFA 1/23)

In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, 60 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives urge the Biden administration to firmly reject “forced and permanent displacement” of Palestinians in Gaza. The group also asks Blinken to provide clarification on aid and funding requests. (AJ, REU 1/19)

Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte speaks with Prime Minister Netanyahu, urging him to “drastically” reduce the level of violence against Palestinians in Gaza and to allow more aid to enter. (AJ, HA 1/19)

UK Labour Party leader Kier Starmer calls Prime Minister Netanyahu’s rejection of a 2-state solution “unacceptable,” saying “Palestinian statehood is not in the gift of a neighbor. It is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people.” (AJ 1/19)

The Swiss federal prosecutor’s office says it has received a criminal complaint against Israeli president Isaac Herzog, who was in Davos attending the World Economic Forum. The prosecutor’s office says it was in contact with the Swiss foreign ministry regarding the question of immunity. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, REU 1/19)

The Washington Post reports that Israel will widen its war in Lebanon at the end of January, quoting an unnamed Western diplomat and 3 unnamed Lebanese officials. The Post also quotes unnamed U.S. officials saying that both U.S. and Israeli officials believe Israel is far from achieving a victory over Hamas. (AJ 1/19; HA 1/20)

The Jerusalem Post reports that the Israeli emergency government is “close to collapse.” (AJ 1/19)

Ireland upgrades the status of the Palestinian representation in Dublin from a “delegation” to a “mission” and grants the mission head ambassador status. It does not recognize Palestine as a state or give the mission greater diplomatic privileges or immunities. Israel expresses its “regret.” (HA, YA 1/25; WJW 1/27)

OCHA reports that Israel has barred the import of industrial fuel for Gaza’s electricity plant for 2 weeks and is now internally discussing disconnecting Gaza fr. Israel’s electricity and water grid. (Gaza authorities have been able to keep electricity generation at 30% of demand by increasing the amount of fuel smuggling through tunnels fr. Egypt.) UNRWA reports that it has suspended 23 approved building projects in Gaza because of Israeli restrictions on gravel imports. Meanwhile, IDF troops make 2 brief incursion into Gaza e. of Gaza Valley village and e. of al-Maghazi r.c. to level land and clear lines of sight. Unidentified Palestinians fire 2 Qassam rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. OCHA reports that since 1/19, 3 Palestinians have been injured in tunnelrelated accidents (2 crushed transporting construction materials, 1 electrocuted). (JP 1/25; PCHR 1/27; OCHA 1/28)

Some 150,000 Egyptians of all socioeconomic backgrounds inspired by events in Tunisia answer a week of calls to attend a “day of revolution” antigovernment rally in Cairo’s Tahrir Square today (a national holiday to honor police), bringing blankets, food, and water and vowing to continue protests until Mubarak steps down, his government is dissolved, and parliament is disbanded. (The Muslim Brotherhood does not participate to allow the voice of the people to stay at the fore.) The government cuts cell phone and Internet service to limit international coverage and mobilization efforts via social networking sites. Late at night, government security forces raided the square firing tear gas and water cannons, beating some demonstrators, and arresting others in an unsuccessful effort to drive them out. After a paroxysm of retaliatory violence that kills 1 police officer and some looting in the National Museum on the square, protesters disengage and mobilize to call for nonviolence, notably creating a cordon around the museum to protect it. Parallel protests are held in Alexandria, Suez (where violent clashes kill 2 demonstrators), and several smaller towns, with larger protests called for Friday 1/28. By this date, there have also been several days of protests in Yemen calling for Pres. Saleh’s removal, citing economic ills, corruption, and rumors Saleh plans to install his son as his successor. (NYT, WP, WT 1/25; AFP, al-Masri al-Yawm 1/26; see also NYT 1/23; AFP 1/26; NYT 1/27)

In Gaza, Israeli naval vessels confiscate a Palestinian fishing boat off the Rafah coast, temporarily detaining 2 Palestinian fishermen (releasing them on 8/18). (OCHA 8/19; PCHR 8/20)

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night raids, house searches nr. Salfit and Jenin, in and around Hebron, and in Ramallah, arresting 13 Palestinians (including 3 teenagers); raids the Tulkarm home of a Palestinian woman recently released fr. Israeli jail, confiscating a mobile phone and photos. (PCHR 8/20)

At least 30 Jewish settlers attack mbrs. of the Hanun and al-Ghawi families, who were evicted fr. their homes in the Shaykh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem on 8/2 (see Quarterly Update in JPS 153), injuring 2 Palestinian girls and 1 international activist; Israeli security forces intervene, arresting several Palestinians and settlers, releasing all of them within a day. In Jerusalem’s Old City, Israeli police change the lock on the al-Nazir Gate of the al-Aqsa Mosque, normally controlled by Waqf authorities. The police later claim to have replaced the locks by mistake, and Waqf officials restore the original lock. In a training exercise lasting 1 hr., Israeli security forces practice scaling the fences surrounding the al-Aqsa Mosque using ladders. (OCHR 8/19; PCHR 8/20)

The IDF sends troops into Gaza City to arrest a wanted Palestinian, bulldozing 13 d. of agricultural land belonging to his family, exchanging fire with armed Palestinians, wounding 2; conducts an air strike destroying the home of an Islamic Jihad mbr. in Gaza City, allegedly used as a weapons depot, damaging 2 nearby homes, causing no casualties. (The IDF sends the owners a cell phone text message in advance to warn them to evacuate.) The IDF conducts an air strike destroying the home of a senior Hamas mbr. in Rafah, damaging 5 nearby homes and an Islamist charity (the IDF phones the residents to warn them to evacuate); fires shells at, kills 3 Islamic Jihad mbrs. attempting to cross the Gaza border fence nr. al-Qarara. In Khan Yunis, 4 Palestinians, including 2 children, are injured when they accidentally trigger unexploded IDF ordnance. In the West Bank, the IDF sends undercover units into Azun to arrest several wanted al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade (AMB) mbrs.; conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus, in Jericho, and nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin. A Jewish settler fr. Haggai injures 2 Palestinian children in a deliberate hit-and-run nr. Hebron. Also in Gaza, 3 Palestinians are wounded in clashes btwn. rival groups of PA security force officers. (WP 8/22; OCHA 8/23; PCHR 8/24; PMG 9/1)

Israel declares that all reservists have been pulled out of Lebanon, leaving 8,000– 10,000 regular troops in place, waiting for the deployment of an expanded UN force. During the day, the IDF shoots, wounds 3 Hizballah mbrs. who approach them in a “threatening manner” (within their rights under the UN-brokered cease-fire; there is no return fire); continues overflights of Lebanon. (AP 8/21; NYT, WP, WT 8/22; NYT 8/23)