The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers raid a nursery in Deir Sharaf, setting fire to 2 bulldozers, a truck, and a forklift. Israeli settlers also raid Sinjil, vandalizing Palestinian-owned vehicles. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers build a settler road near al-Rakiz in the Masafer Yatta area. Israeli settlers also bring their cattle to graze on Palestinian farmland near Qarawat Bani Hassan, causing damage to crops. Meanwhile, Israeli settlers place a mobile home on Palestinian-owned land near Tuqu’. Israeli forces raid Askar refugee camp, Ein as-Sultan, ‘Anata, Madama, and ‘Asira ash-Shamaliya, injuring 7 Palestinians, including 6 with live ammunition. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolish 7 structures and seize vehicles in Idhna. Israeli forces also issue a $38,500 ransom for the release of 48 cows they seized from a Palestinian in ‘Ain al-Hilweh. Israeli forces arrest 35 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Jenin, Qalqilya, and Ramallah. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers tour the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, telecommunications services are down for the fifth day in a row. Israeli forces bomb Khan Yunis, Rafah, Dayr al-Balah, Gaza City, Maghazi, Jabalia refugee camp, and al-Bureij refugee camp, killing at least 158 people, including at least 20 in a strike on a house in Gaza City. Israeli airstrikes also target al-Amal Hospital in Khan Yunis and an UNRWA warehouse in Dayr al-Balah, causing damage. 50 rockets are fired at Israel, causing damage in Netivot. 2 Israeli soldiers are killed in combat. In Lebanon, Israeli forces carry out airstrikes in Ayta ash Shab. In the Red Sea, Houthis say they targeted a Greek ship bound for Israel after its crew rejected its warnings. The U.S. attacks Houthis in Yemen for the third time in a week. In Pakistan, Iranian forces bomb what they call terrorist targets in Koh Sabz, killing 2 children. (AJ, AJ, AP, AP, HA, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 1/16; AP, AP, NYT 1/17; AP 1/19)

More than 24,285 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 10,600 children and 7,200 women, and around 61,154 have been injured since 10/7. At least 7,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 348 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 87 children. More than 4,215 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, 188 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,135 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. 204 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza via the Rafah and Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossings. (AJ, REU, UNOCHA 1/16)

Israel releases the body of a 4-year-old Palestinian its forces killed on 1/7 in Beit Iksa to her family. (AJ, WAFA 1/16)

Al Jazeera Gaza bureau chief Wael Dahdouh arrives in Qatar for treatment of his injuries sustained in an Israeli airstrike in December which killed his colleague. Dahdouh has lost most of his family to Israeli airstrikes in October and earlier this month. (AP 1/16; AJ 1/17)

Israel and Qatar announce that medicine will enter Gaza to help both Palestinians and Israelis kept in captivity. A delegation of Israeli security officials meet with Egyptian officials in Egypt.  (AJ, AJ, HA, HA 1/16; AJ, AP, NYT 1/17)

PA spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh says any reforms to the PA will be made according to the Palestinian agenda, not external agendas, in reference to reports that the U.S. is requiring the PA to reform before it can take control of Gaza. (WAFA 1/16)

Jordanian prime minister Bisher Khasawneh says the displacement of Palestinians would be an existential threat to Jordan. (AJ, HA, REU 1/16)

U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken tells CNBC that Israel has a right to defend itself but “at the same time, we want to see this conflict come to an end as quickly as possible.” Blinken also says Arab countries are not interested in rebuilding Gaza if Israel destroys what is built again shortly after. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby says the U.S. is prepared to increase humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Kirby also says National Security Council Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa Brett McGurk has been in Qatar in recent days to negotiate the release of Israeli captives held in Gaza. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan meets with Qatari prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani in Davos, Switzerland, discussing aid to Gaza and negotiations over the release of captives. Sullivan tells the World Economic Forum that Saudi-Israeli normalization is linked to creating a pathway for the establishment of a Palestinian state. (AJ, AX, HA, REU 1/16; NYT 1/17)

U.S. senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) forces a vote on a Senate resolution that would oblige the State Department to provide the Senate with a report on whether U.S.-provided arms to Israel have been used to violate human rights in Gaza within 30 days. The resolution fails with 72 votes against and 11 for. (AJ, AP, HA, INT, NYT 1/16; REU 1/17)

Norwegian foreign minister Espen Barth Eide says in an interview that a “number of countries” are working to build a broad Palestinian unity government. (HA, REU 1/16)

The EU adds Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar to its terrorism sanctions blacklist. Hamas calls the decision silly, saying Sinwar does not have money or assets in Palestine or elsewhere. (AJ, AP, HA, REU 1/16)

The Times of Israel reports that the Israeli Ministry of Health has instructed doctors and medics not to talk to UN investigators that are investigating Hamas’s Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on 10/7/2023. (AJ 1/16)

Der Spiegel reports that Germany is considering sending tank ammunition to Israel. Israel reportedly requested 10,000 rounds of 120mm ammunition from Germany and departments involved with the arms transfer have reportedly already agreed in principle to the transfer. Hamas responds to the reporting, saying Germany would become “a direct partner in the war against our people in Gaza.” (REU 1/16; AJ 1/17)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers brought their livestock to graze on Palestinian-owned wheat and barley crops in al-Twana, causing damage. Israeli settlers also stole fencing in Farkha. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers with a military escort toured an archeological site in Jericho. Israeli forces shot and wounded 1 unarmed Palestinian man suffering from physical and cognitive disabilities near the separation wall in Qalqilya. It was reported that the man was injured with Tutu ammunition. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 10 with baton rounds and others with tear gas. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces shot and seriously wounded a Palestinian minor in Silwan, claiming he had thrown a Molotov cocktail at Israeli forces. Israeli forces also shot and wounded 1 Palestinian man driving a car in Shu’fat refugee camp, claiming he was speeding toward them. In the Galilee, Israeli forces prevented thousands of Christians from visiting a church for the celebration of the Feast of the Transfiguration. Church officials said the event was coordinated with Israeli police 2 weeks prior but that Israeli authorities retracted its approval on the day of the event, citing fire risk. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/18; HA, HA, HA, WAFA 8/19; PCHR 8/24; UNOCHA 8/28)

UNRWA said it had suspended its services in Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp in Lebanon in protest over armed militants operating in its facilities in the camp since violent conflict arose between Fatah and armed Islamist groups on 28 July. UNRWA called on the armed groups to leave its facilities so it can resume its services. (AP 8/17; AJ, AP, REU 8/18)

Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán said Israel and Germany had signed an agreement to jointly manufacture combat drones with Hungary. (HA 8/18)

It was reported that the Israeli government had granted de facto recognition to Israeli settlement outposts that had not received official independent status, allowing the government to fund infrastructure and education in the outposts. The decision has already been approved by the Justice Ministry and will be finalized at the cabinet level in the coming weeks. (HA 8/18)

Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian met with Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah, discussing future opportunities for cooperation. (AJ, HA 8/18)

PC Magazine reported that X, formerly known as Twitter, will require its subscription users to verify their identify by sending a selfie and a copy of their ID to the Israeli company AU10TIX. (AJ, MEE 8/21)

Military Action:

US Marines sail from Naples to Beirut; IDF continues to pull out troops from Beirut, but continues house-to-house searches for militia and arms; IDF troops seen loading trailer trucks with captured vehicles, weapons, PLO files, materials from Arab banks; Algerian government charges IDF soldier stormed Algerian embassy in Beirut, stole documents; IDF denies it flew Haddad forces to Beirut for operations in camps; IDF lifts curfew imposed in South Lebanon following Gemayel assassination.

Casualties:

Burj al-Barajneh residents say Lebanese Army demanded they disarm as condition for Army protection, and then Army disappeared; rumors of massacre sweep camp so residents leave camp at night to sleep elsewhere; Haaretz reports Phalange was given IDF aerial photographs of Sabra and Shatila, that forces involved were commanded by top Phalange liaison officer with IDF in Beirut.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Israeli government accepts redeployment of multinational force in Beirut, but refuses to specify deadline for IDF withdrawal or to establish inquiry into massacre; Palestinians in Israel, West Bank, and Gaza stage strikes at schools and businesses, stone bus and several police stations, burn tires on highways to protest massacre; 2 Israeli policemen wounded, 8 Palestinians arrested; strikes 95 percent effective, but broken in Ramallah, Hebron, and Nablus when Israeli soldiers force open store windows; disturbances in Bethlehem and Israeli-Palestinian towns of Taibeh, Kaukab, Sakhnin, where residents carried pictures of Arafat; demands for national inquiry into massacre grow; Begin still staunchly opposed; Begin sends congratulations to Amin Gemayel as president-elect of Lebanon, still hopes for peace treaty.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Arafat says Begin and Sharon are not Jews because such a massacre is outside Jewish morality and tradition; Arafat meets Saudi King Fahd in Jiddah, says Reagan personally responsible for massacre because Habib had given the PLO a signed guarantee for security of Beirut and its people; Amin Gemayel, elected Lebanon's President by 77 of 80 votes, calls for national unity; several Phalange militia commanders refuse to accept Amin's authority.

Arab Governments: King Hussein charges US with "direct moral responsibility" for massacre, supports Reagan's peace initiative but rejects Camp David structure for negotiations and peace talks with Begin government; Arab League emergency meeting accuses US of moral responsibility for massacre but stops short of endorsing PLO-sponsored call for sanctions against US.

US and Other Countries: Reagan Administration officials get wary approval for dispatch of Marines from House Foreign Affairs Committee, which sees Israel bearing some responsibility for massacre; Congressman Crockett blames Israeli government and US for "aiding, abetting" massacre; Congressional opposition to increasing aid to Israel grows as Begin refuses to open inquiry; Habib meets Mitterrand on way back to Lebanon.

UN: PLO persuades non-aligned group to call for one-day special emergency General Assembly session to request a UN inquiry; Jeane Kirkpatrick says she will oppose any such inquiry unless Lebanese Government supports it.