The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers open fire at Palestinians during a raid in Shaab al-Butum in the Masafer Yatta area; no injuries are reported. Israeli settlers also open fire at 2 commercial structures and an electric transformer in al-Naqura, causing a power outage in the village. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers raid Tuqu’, threatening Palestinian shepherds. Israeli settlers also set up 3 mobile homes in Wadi Rahal. Israeli forces shoot and kill 2 Palestinians after they allegedly shot and killed 1 Israeli settler and injured 10 others on a highway near the Ma’ale Adumim settlement. Israeli forces also bomb Jenin using a drone, killing 2 Palestinians, including a child, and injuring 15 others. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shoot and injure 2 Palestinians during a raid in Balata refugee camp. Israeli forces also shoot and injure a Palestinian during a raid in ad-Doha. Meanwhile, Israeli forces detain 2 10-year-old Palestinian boys for 6 hours in Sinjil. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers tour the Haram al-Sharif compound. Israeli forces assault and arrest 2 Palestinians outside of the compound’s Lions Gate. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Jabalia refugee camp, Dayr al-Balah, Rafah, Gaza City, Khan Yunis, Nuseirat refugee camp, al-Bureij refugee camp, and Maghazi, killing at least 97 people, including 18 people from the same family in a home in Gaza City. 5 patients die at the Nasser Hospital due to the lack of power and oxygen as Israeli forces continue to occupy the hospital. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Kafr Remen, Tayr Harfa, Jbaa, Kafr Kila, Maroun al-Ras, Khiam, Umm al-Tut, and Shehin, killing 4 people in Kafr Remen. Hezbollah attacks an Israeli military building in Kfar Yuval. In the Red Sea, a ship is hit by 2 missiles fired from Yemen. Israel’s Arrow missile defense system shoots down a ballistic missile the Houthi movement says is fired by its forces. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, 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, WAFA 2/22; AJ, HA, NYT, REU, UNOCHA 2/23)

More than 29,410 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 12,000 children and 7,200 women, and around 69,465 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 4,530 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, 235 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. 42 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza. (UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA 2/22; UNOCHA 2/23)

Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich issues a statement after meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, saying the government will submit plans for 2,350 new settlement units in Ma’ale Adumim, 300 in the Keidar settlement, and 694 in the Efrat settlement in response the killing of an Israeli settler earlier in the day. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir says Israeli settlers’ right to freedom of movement in the West Bank overrides that of Palestinians’, adding he will further limit the freedom of movement for Palestinians. (AJ, AJ, HA, HA 2/22; HA 2/23)

Israel confirms its forces are building a new road through central Gaza “to move logistics and soldiers.” (AJ 2/22)

Prime Minister Netanyahu presents his post-war plan for Gaza to the Israeli war cabinet, which includes installing “local officials” to govern the area, “maintain an indefinite freedom to operate throughout” Gaza, enlarge the “buffer zone” inside Gaza, and the complete demilitarization of Gaza before reconstruction is allowed to begin. Netanyahu’s plan also includes the permanent closure of UNRWA and the rejection of “unilateral recognition” of a Palestinian state. The Times of Israel reports that Israel has agreed to allow U.S. flour to enter Gaza. (AJ, AX, HA, NYT, REU, WAFA 2/23)

Defense Minister Gallant meets with U.S. National Security Council coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa Brett McGurk, saying Israel will expand the authority of Israeli negotiators to reach a prisoner exchange deal in Paris over the weekend. U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby calls the meetings McGurk had with Gallant and Egyptian officials “constructive.” (AX 2/21; AJ, AP, AX, AX, HA, HA, REU, REU 2/22; AJ, NYT 2/23)

Jordanian representatives, including Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, give statements to the ICJ on the fourth day of the hearings on the legality of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, saying Israeli policies and practices show that Israel intends for the occupation to be permanent. Japan’s representative argues that even territory that is not internationally recognized cannot be acquired by force. Ireland’s representative says Israel has committed serious breaches of international law during its occupation. China says the issue of Palestinian self-determination is a UN issue, countering a U.S. argument made on 2/21, and argues that because of the occupation the right to self-defense lies more with the Palestinians than with the Israelis. Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Luxembourg, Malaysia, and Mauritius also present arguments. (AJ, AJ, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA 2/22)

UNRWA commissioner-general Philippe Lazzarini writes a letter to UN General Assembly president Dennis Francis, saying Israel is making a “concerted effort” to dismantle UNRWA, including by ordering UNRWA to leave a vocational center in East Jerusalem and pay Israel $4.5 million for using the facility, pointing out that the facility was given to UNRWA by Jordan in 1952. Lazzarini also says Israel is only giving UNRWA staffers visas for 1-2 months, that Finance Minister Smotrich has threatened UNRWA with revoking its tax exemption, that an Israeli bank has blocked the UNRWA account, and that Israeli customs has suspended shipments of goods to UNRWA. (AJ 2/22; AJ 2/23)

The UN Security Council convenes to discuss the situation in Gaza. UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process Tor Wennesland and representatives from Doctors Without Borders brief council members on the situation. (WAFA, WAFA 2/22)

U.S. president Joe Biden says in a tweet that the “overwhelming majority of Palestinians are not Hamas . . . In fact, they’re also suffering as a result of Hamas’ terrorism.” (HA 2/22; HA 2/23)

After a 2-day G20 meeting in Brazil, EU high commissioner for foreign affairs Josep Borrell and Brazilian foreign minister Mauro Vieira say that there is unanimous agreement among the G20 members in support of a 2-state solution. (REU 2/22)

The Houthi movement announces that Israeli, UK, and U.S.-owned ships are banned from the Red Sea. (AJ, AJ 2/22)

Haaretz reports that Israeli forces shot and killed an Israeli citizen and injured his girlfriend on 10/7/2023, mistaking them for Palestinians. (AJ, HA 2/22)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set up sheds in Dayr Istya. Israeli settlers with military escort vandalized property in Burqin and Israeli forces attacked Palestinians when they tried to fend off the settlers, injuring 2 with rubber-coated bullets. Israeli forces also shot and killed 1 Palestinian child and wounded dozens of others during a protest at a checkpoint in Bil‘in; Israel said that 2 Israeli soldiers were lightly injured. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian in Hebron, saying he was going to attack the soldiers. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Ramallah, killing 2 and injuring 64. Separately, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Qalqilya, injuring 12 with live ammunition and 20 with rubber-coated bullets; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Bayt Ijza, injuring 3 with rubber-coated bullets; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Meanwhile, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Nablus, injuring 11 with live ammunition. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Atuf, injuring 11 with live ammunition. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Huwwara, injuring 1 with live ammunition. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Nabi Salih, injuring 13 Palestinians with live ammunition. Separately, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Qiffin, injuring 1 Palestinian with live ammunition; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Anabta, injuring 2 with live ammunition and 3 with rubber-coated bullets; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Meanwhile, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Beita, causing tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Bayt Fajjar, injuring 1 with rubber-coated bullets; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Aida refugee camp, causing tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Dayr Sharaf, injuring 2 with live ammunition and 2 with rubber-coated bullets; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Separately, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in al-Naqura, injuring 1 with rubber-coated bullets; others suffered tear-gas related injuries and a tear gas canister ignited a fire in a field. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Luban al-Sharqiyya, injuring 5 with rubber-coated bullets; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Meanwhile, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Burqa, causing tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Bayt Furik, injuring 3 with rubber-coated bullets; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Hebron, injuring 1 with rubber-coated bullets; others with tear gas. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Qarawat Bani Hassan, injuring 1 with live ammunition. Separately, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters at a checkpoint near Jenin, injuring 7 with live ammunition. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Tuqu‘, leading to tear-gas related injuries. A total of 202 were reported injured during the protests in the West Bank. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Shaykh Jarrah and Bab al-Amud, injuring 41. Israeli forces also shot and injured 1 Palestinian minor in her back, fracturing her spine with a rubber-coated bullet, and injured her father with a rubber-coated bullet and stun grenade while they were inside their home in Shaykh Jarrah; a video shows the incident. 1 Palestinian was arrested during a late-night raid in Silwan. In Gaza, 3 Palestinians were killed, including 1 child, and many were injured, raising the comprehensive death toll since 5/10 from 216 to 219, including 63 children and 2 pregnant women. The casualties included: 1 in an air strike a house south of Gaza City; 1 of a heart attack during heavy bombardment of Rafah; and 1 Palestinian infant succumbed to her wounds sustained on 5/11 during an air strike on Gaza City that killed her father, mother, and sister. In Israel, Israeli police shot and seriously injured 1 Palestinian-Israeli minor who was sitting in a car with friends in Umm al-Fahm. Rockets fired from Gaza killed 2 Thai citizens working at a factory in Moshav Ohad, raising the Israeli death toll to 12. Israel also said it had destroyed 7.5 miles of Gaza tunnels overnight. 1 drone of unknown origin was shot down by Israeli forces near the northern part of the Israeli-Jordanian border. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, HA, PCHR, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/18; AX, CNN, HA, HA, HA, PCHR, PCHR, WAFA 5/19; PCHR 5/20; MEE 5/21; HA, NYT 5/26; HA 5/27)

Palestinians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza, and Israel observed a general strike in protest over evictions of Palestinians in East Jerusalem and the Israeli attacks on Gaza. (WAFA 5/18; HA 5/19)

A spokesperson for the health ministry in Gaza said that no more COVID-19 tests were being processed in Gaza due to an Israeli air strike destroying the sole COVID-19 test processing center. (AJ 5/18)

Israel opened the Kerem Shalom crossing and then closed it shortly after, citing Hamas’s shelling of the area. (AJ, AJ 5/18)

The Israeli high court of justice ruled that 1 Israeli settler must stop cultivating 170 dunams (42 acres) of land near Turmus ‘Ayya, saying the cultivation is illegal. The court, however, refused to rule on the ownership of the land, stating that the 8 Palestinian petitioners must obtain permission to farm the land from a different body as the court does not consider itself the proper venue for the question. (HA 5/23)

Israel’s Channel 12 said that an Egyptian truce proposal calling for an end to violence from 6 a.m. on 5/20 had been agreed to by Hamas. (AJ 5/19)

The Israeli police commissioner Kobi Shabtai was criticized by the public security minister Amir Ohana for saying that there “were terrorists from both sides [Jewish-Israeli and Palestinian-Israeli] and we will bring every one of them to justice.” (HA 5/18)

After saying that his committee would review a sale of arms to Israel on 5/17, chairman of the house of foreign affairs committee Gregory Meeks was said to have reversed course and that he is looking at discussing the arm sales with the Biden administration. The Biden administration had informed Congress on 5/4 that it would be selling Israel $735 million’s worth of precision-guided missiles. It was reported that Chairman Meeks had come under significant pressure after saying he would review the sale. Several other Democrats in the House have called for conditioning or ending military aid to Israel. (AJ, REU 5/17; ALM, HA, HA, MEE 5/18)

U.S. president Joe Biden joked, when asked by a journalist if he would answer a question about Israel, that she could ask a question if she let him run her over with the Ford F-150 he was sitting in. President Biden was visiting a Ford plant in Dearborn, Michigan. (FOX 5/18)

France called for the UN security council to agree on a resolution calling for a ceasefire. Prime minister Emmanuel Macron made the call after a meeting with Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordanian king Abdullah II. (AJ, REU 5/18; AP, HA 5/19)

The EU foreign ministers met to discuss how to help facilitate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Hungary was said to have prevented consensus on a meaningful engagement. Separately, Germany said it would donate $48.9 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, HA 5/18; ALM 5/19)

The Egyptian presidency said it would give $500 million to help rebuild Gaza. (AJ 5/18)

Pres. Clinton wins reelection. Republican majority grows in Senate (fr. 53 to 54). Democrats gain seats in House (fr. 197 to 205) but remain in minority (compared to 225 Republicans). (NYT, WP, WP 11/5; MM, WP 11/6; MM 11/7)

U.S. submits to Israel, PA a document proposing solutions to the remaining security-related disagreements on the Hebron arrangement. (ITV 11/5 in WNC 11/7)

In Naqura, ILMG discusses Lebanese complaint over IDF shelling 11/3 that wounded a Lebanese civilian. Syria, Lebanon demand that Israel allow 23 Lebanese civilians, who were recently deported fr. the self-declared security zone by the SLA, to return to their homes. Deportation issues are not technically under ILMG's mandate, but conferees agree that any issue of common interest may be discussed. (RL 11/5 in WNC 11/6; RL 11/7 in WNC 11/8) (see 10/18)