The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli forces sealed off Ya‘bad, preventing Palestinians from entering and leaving the town. In East Jerusalem, Wafa reported that 100,000 Palestinians attended prayers at the Haram al-Sharif compound for the Eid al-Adha Maghrib (sunset) prayer. 3 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Silwan and al-Tur. In Gaza, Israeli forces made incursions to level land east of Rafah. In Israel, 2 rockets were fired at Israel from Lebanon hours after Israeli forces attacked south of Aleppo in Syria on 7/19; there were no reports of damage or casualties. The Lebanese army said it had located 3 improvised rocket launchers on a beach near Tyre and neutralized them. Israel subsequently fired 12 artillery shells at the Wadi Hammoul area in Lebanon, causing neither damage nor injuries. (AJ, AP, HA, HA, HA, JP, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/20; PCHR 7/29)

Chairman of former president Donald Trump’s inaugural committee Tom Barrack was arrested for not disclosing that he was a foreign agent paid by the UAE. During the Trump administration, Barrack tried to get a senior position so that he could further the UAE’s interest in the U.S. government. Barrack remained an informal advisor to several U.S. officials during the Trump administration. (AJ, AP 7/20; MEMO 7/21)

Israel begins phase 2 of OCL, a massive ground advance into Gaza, in the evening. The IDF states that “the objective . . . is to destroy the terrorist infrastructure of the Hamas in the precise area of operation, while taking control of some of [sic] rocket launching areas used by Hamas in order to greatly reduce the quantity of rockets fired at Israel and Israeli civilians.” Israeli FM Livni acknowledges that Israel has broader aims, stating that toppling Hamas is “a strategic Israeli objective,” but that it might take more than one large-scale military operation such as OCL to do the job.

Israeli actions: Before phase 2 begins in the evening, the IDF launches artillery strikes on some 40 targets concentrated in open areas around Bayt Hanun, east of Rafah, and along Gaza’s main north–south artery in an apparent effort to clear the areas of mines and tunnels, to move Palestinians away from those areas in preparation for the insertion of ground forces.

The IDF also continues air strikes and naval bombardments across Gaza. Target areas include Bayt Lahiya, Gaza City (al-Nasser, al-Rimal, al-Shuja‘iyya, al-Tuffah, al-Zaytun), Jabaliya, Juhur al-Dik, Khan Yunis, Khuza, al-Mughraqa, Nussayrat, Rafah, al-Shuka (e. of Rafah). Targets include 2 mosques in Bayt Lahiya and Jabaliya, killing at least 13 worshipers and injuring 30 during evening prayers; a car in Khan Yunis, assassinating senior Hamas military cmdr. Muhammad Ma‘aruf; 2 PA security compounds in Gaza City; the al-Aqsa Radio and the al-Risala newspaper offices in Gaza City; tunnels on the Rafah border; suspected rocket-launching sites and weapons depots. By evening, the Palestinian toll reaches at least 460 dead and more than 2,000 wounded.

At dusk, the IDF drops leaflets on n. Gaza warning residents that troops will soon operate in this area and that they should evacuate for their safety. Around 8:00 P.M. local time, the IDF cuts power to the Strip and begins sending ground forces into n. Gaza, taking up positions on the outskirts of Bayt Hanun and Bayt Lahiya (occupying homes as operational bases); securing areas e. of Gaza City nr. the Qarni crossing, but notably keeping a distance from Jabaliya (considered a Hamas stronghold), and just inside the s. Gaza border e. of Rafah (with tanks firing flechette shells at houses and agricultural areas, killing 1 Palestinian and wounding 7 inside their homes). Heavy gun battles are reported, with Hamas issuing a statement that it is firing mortars at IDF ground forces. After ground operations begin, the IDF announces a naval blockade of Gaza out to 20 nautical miles.

Palestinian actions: During the day, Palestinians fire 28 rockets and 7 mortars into Israel, hitting as far as Ashdod and Ashqelon to the n., and Netivot to the e., lightly damaging 3 homes and an apartment building, lightly injuring 2 Israelis.

Of note: Embedded with some IDF ground units are the first Israeli journalists and 2 foreign reporters (BBC and Reuters) allowed into Gaza since late 10/08. These journalists have been given “trusted” status by the government for their “long history of relations with the IDF” and are under the strict rules of the IDF censor; the general ban on foreign journalists is still in place, despite a 12/31 High Court ruling ordering the government to allow journalists access. (AFP, AP, BBC, IDF, IFM, ITV, Organization of the Islamic Conference [OIC] press release, REU, YA 1/3; HA, IFM, JAZ, JP, NYT, OCHA, WP, WT 1/4; NYT, UNOSAT, WP, WT 1/5; IFM, PCHR 1/8; HA 1/11; JP 1/22; JPI 2/6; Harpers 3/09)

In the West Bank, the IDF surrounds Hebron’s al-Ansar Mosque during evening prayers, photographing and checking the IDs of worshipers as they leave; conducts arrest raids, house searches in ‘Ayn Bayt al-Ma’a r.c., Jenin town and r.c., Nablus, Qabatya. The ESF raids, searches the homes of several Fatah mbrs., beating and injuring 8, detaining 14; 1 wanted Fatah mbr. evades arrest when neighbors stone ESF officers who come to detain him. PA security forces violently disperse a demonstration by students at the predominantly Hamas Hebron University protesting tuition increases, also beat and detain 2 journalists covering the event; in response, some 100 Hamas mbrs. burn tires, attack the local PA police station. (OCHA 9/12; PCHR 9/13)