In the West Bank, an Israeli settler is stabbed and injured in Dahariya; Israeli forces later arrest a Palestinian man saying he is the perpetrator. Israeli settlers attack Palestinian farmers in...
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March 2, 2024
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December 10, 2023
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers stole 6 sheep during a raid in Qusra. Israeli forces shot and injured 6 Palestinians during raids in Askar refugee camp, Surif, Dahariya, and Asira ash-...
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November 26, 2023
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers stole 3 residential tents in al-‘Awja and a tractor in Shaab al-Butum. Israeli settlers also uprooted around 100 olive, almond, and grape trees and destroyed 15...
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November 19, 2023
In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and killed a disabled man and destroyed infrastructure during a raid in Jenin. Israeli forces also shot and killed a Palestinian man during a raid in Dheisheh...
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November 17, 2023
In the West Bank, a Palestinian man succumbed to injuries sustained from Israeli forces in Jenin on 11/9. Israeli settlers shot and injured a Palestinian with live ammunition in Khirbet Tana....
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June 23, 2023
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers with a military escort raided Deir Dibwan, setting fire to trees; 1 Palestinian was injured by live ammunition fired by Israeli forces during the raid. Israeli...
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June 5, 2023
In the West Bank, 2 Israeli soldiers were injured after being hit by a vehicle in Huwwara; 1 Palestinian man was arrested in relation to the incident. Israeli settlers raided Kafr Thulth, throwing...
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May 24, 2023
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers with a military escort raided Burqa, attacking Palestinians and setting a barn and olive trees on fire; tear-gas related injuries were reported. Israeli forces...
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July 4, 2022
In the West Bank, Israeli forces beat 1 Palestinian man to death at the separation wall near Tulkarm after he tried to enter Israel for work. The body of the man, who was from Gaza, was returned...
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July 1, 2022
In the West Bank, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Hebron, injuring 3 with live ammunition and others with tear gas. Israeli forces also violently dispersed a funeral...
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April 3, 2022
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers from the Homesh settlement outpost threw stones at Palestinian vehicles near Burqa. Israeli forces prevented Palestinian farmers from working their lands near...
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February 2, 2022
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers with military escort raided Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus, leading to a confrontation with Palestinians protesting the incursion; no injuries were reported. Israeli...
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December 20, 2021
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian houses and vehicles in Kafr Qaddum, causing damage. Israeli forces raided the homes of 4 of the Palestinians accused of participating...
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July 8, 2021
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers razed 20 dunums (5 acres) of land near Jalud. Israeli forces punitively demolished the home of an alleged attacker in Turmus ‘Ayya, displacing his family and...
In the West Bank, an Israeli settler is stabbed and injured in Dahariya; Israeli forces later arrest a Palestinian man saying he is the perpetrator. Israeli settlers attack Palestinian farmers in Ein Qinya and Qarawat Bani Hassan. Israeli settlers also throw stones at Palestinians in Kafr ad-Dik and Burqa. Israeli forces shoot and kill a 13-year-old Palestinian child near Jalazone refugee camp. Israeli forces also shoot and kill a 16-year-old Palestinian child in Kafr Ni’ma. Elsewhere, Israeli forces also raid 2 printing presses in Jaba’ and Sanur, damaging content in Jaba’ and seizing 6 printing machines, 5 computers and other equipment in Sanur. Israeli forces also arrest 10 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Bethlehem, Jericho, and Jenin. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Rafah, Khan Yunis, Jabalia refugee camp, Beit Hanun, Gaza City, and Dayr al-Balah, killing at least 92 people, including killing at least 11 in a tent camp in Rafah and 20 in a residential building in Jabalia refugee camp. Israeli forces also attack Palestinians waiting for flour deliveries in Gaza City, killing at least 1 person and injuring 26 others. An Israeli soldier is killed in combat. In Lebanon, Israeli forces kill 7 people in airstrikes on Naqoura and Blida. Hezbollah says it attacked Israeli soldiers near the Blue Line. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, NYT, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/2; AJ, AJ, HA, HA 3/3; UNOCHA 3/4)
More than 30,320 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 13,230 children and 8,860 women, and around 71,533 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 7,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 411 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 105 children. More than 4,606 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, 244 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,432 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. The U.S. and Jordan airdrop 38,000 meals to Gaza. It is the first time the U.S. airdropped aid to Gaza and President Joe Biden says “not nearly enough” aid is entering Gaza. 107 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, NYT, REU, REU, WAFA 3/2; AP, HA 3/3; UNOCHA 3/4)
The U.S. says Israel has “basically accepted” a 6-week ceasefire. Qatari prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani meets with Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry in Doha, discussing ceasefire negotiations. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA 3/2)
At the UN Security Council, an Algerian-proposed statement expressing “deep concern” over the Flour Massacre, including Israel’s use of live fire on aid seekers, is adopted. The statement calls on all parties to adhere to international law and on Israel to keep border crossings open and open additional crossings for aid deliveries. (AJ, WAFA, WAFA 3/3)
The New York Times reports that Israel has reached out to Palestinian businesspeople in Gaza, asking them to help organize aid convoys to northern Gaza. 4 convoys have already been carried out, including the one that was attacked by Israeli forces on 2/29. (NYT 3/2)
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers stole 6 sheep during a raid in Qusra. Israeli forces shot and injured 6 Palestinians during raids in Askar refugee camp, Surif, Dahariya, and Asira ash-Sharmaliya. 28 Palestinians were arrested during raids in and around Tubas, Dahariya, Hebron, Bethlehem, Nablus, and Qalandia. In Gaza, Israeli forces bombed az-Zawayda, Rafah, Khan Yunis, Jabalia refugee camp, and central Gaza, killing more than 297 Palestinians. Israeli forces also opened fire at a Gaza Ministry of Health warehouse, injuring 3 people. 3 Israeli soldiers were killed in combat. In Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes destroyed 5 homes and damaged others in Aitaroun and attacked areas near Yaroun, Rmeish, and Aita al-Shaab. Hezbollah said it had wounded several Israeli soldiers in attacks on Israel. In Syria, Israeli forces attacked areas around Damascus, causing damage. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, NYT, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/10; AP, HA, NYT, NYT, UNOCHA 12/11)
More than 18,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 7,729 children and 5,153 women, and around 49,300 have been injured since 10/7. At least 7,000 people were missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 267 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 69 children. More than 3,387 people have been injured. Israel reported that 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,400 have been injured since 10/7. 101 Israeli soldiers have been killed 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. As of 12/3, at least 52,000 housing units had been destroyed and 253,000 had been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7, constituting 60% of all housing units. Around 100 trucks carrying aid entered Gaza. 25 injured Palestinians and 468 dual nationals were evacuated to Egypt. (AJ, HA, HA, REU, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA 12/10)
The Israeli military said 1,593 Israeli soldiers have been wounded since 10/7, including 255 who were in serious condition and 446 who were moderately injured. Of these, 559 were said to have been injured in Gaza. 425 soldiers have been killed since 10/7, including 97 since the ground invasion began. Haaretz said a comparison of numbers between hospital reports and the military reporting showed a significant gap, indicating that the military was underreporting the number of injuries. (HA 12/10)
The Palestinian Prisoners Society said Israel has abducted 142 Palestinian women and children and taken them to prisons in Israel. (AJ, WAFA 12/10)
The Israeli socioeconomic cabinet voted unanimously against lifting the ban on entry for Palestinian workers from the West Bank into Israel. The security cabinet later postponed voting on the recommendation after it became clear that most ministers would vote against allowing Palestinian workers to enter Israel again. Israel is having a labor shortage after expelling all Palestinian workers from Gaza and the West Bank and is expecting thousands of workers from India and Nepal to arrive within 2 weeks. (HA 12/10; HA, HA 12/11)
PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh told the Doha Forum that the PA’s “main concern is not the day after. It is today. We want the stop of atrocities and genocide that is happening today,” and called for sanctions on Israel. Jordanian foreign minister Ayman Safadi said Israel is trying to “empty Gaza of Palestinians” calling its campaign “genocide.” UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said the UN Security Council was paralyzed due to geopolitical divisions and said he would not give up on a ceasefire. Shtayyeh also met with Algerian foreign minister Ahmed Attaf and Qatari prime minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on the sidelines of the Doha Forum. (AJ, AJ, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/10)
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Russian president Vladimir Putin. In an Israeli readout of the conversation, Netanyahu was said to have expressed displeasure with the Russian stance against Israel at the UN. The Russian readout said the main focus of the conversation was the “catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.” Later during a cabinet meeting, Netanyahu thanked the U.S. for providing “important ammunition” for Israel to continue attacking Gaza and for the U.S. veto at the UN Security Council on 12/8. A spokesperson for Netanyahu said that Israel is not seeking to force the Palestinian population to flee Gaza. (AJ, AJ, HA, HA, NYT, REU 12/10; HA 12/11)
Egypt and Mauritania invoked UN Resolution 377, prompting UN General Assembly president Dennis Francis to convene a special session of the General Assembly on 12/13. Resolution 377, adopted in 1950, allows the General Assembly to act if the UN Security Council fails to “exercise its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.” (AJ 12/10; AP, REU 12/11)
The WHO executive board approved a resolution calling for the “immediate, sustained, and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief, including the access of medical personnel” to Gaza. (WAFA, WAFA 12/10; AJ 12/11)
UNRWA commissioner-general Philippe Lazzarini said dehumanization of Palestinians allowed the international community to accept the continued Israeli attacks in Gaza. (REU 12/10)
The New York Times reported that Prime Minister Netanyahu had encouraged Qatari payments to Gaza to keep Hamas as a strong counterweight to the PA as this would lessen pressure on Israel to negotiate a 2-state solution. (NYT 12/10)
The Israeli Finance Ministry said the Israeli budget deficit rose by $4.5 billion in November, citing expenses due to Israel’s war on Gaza. (REU 12/10)
Moroccan protesters in Rabat called on the Moroccan government to cut ties with Israel. (REU 11/10)
Reuters reported that Russian deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bodanov had spoken to officials from Hamas and other Palestinian factions, saying they should release the remaining captives. (REU 12/11)
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers stole 3 residential tents in al-‘Awja and a tractor in Shaab al-Butum. Israeli settlers also uprooted around 100 olive, almond, and grape trees and destroyed 15 beehives in al-Khader. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles traveling near Haris, causing damage. Israeli residents at Meirav village near Jalbun prevented Palestinians from harvesting olives, during 1 of the 2 times a year they are allowed to harvest on the Israeli side of the separation wall on their privately-owned land; Israeli forces refused to remove the protesters leaving the Palestinians without access. Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian man during a raid in Yatma. Israeli forces also shot and injured 2 people during a raid in Dahariya. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians awaiting the prisoner exchange at Ofer Prison, injuring 2, including a child, with live ammunition and a journalist with a baton round; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces raided Palestinian homes in Sur Baher, Silwan, Isawiya, and al-Tur, warning families not to celebrate the release of their relatives in the prisoner exchange. In Gaza, Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian farmer and wounded another in Maghazi refugee camp. Israeli forces also opened fire at Palestinians near the Indonesian Hospital and al-Quds Hospital, injuring 7. In Syria, Israeli forces attacked the Damascus International Airport, putting it out of commission. (AJ 11/25; AJ, AP, HA, HA, HA, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/26)
The Gaza Media Office did not update the casualty numbers, leaving the comprehensive death toll as of 11/23 at around 14,800 Palestinians, including 6,000 children and 4,000 women, and around 35,000 injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since 10/7. At least 7,000 people were missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 231 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 56 children. More than 2,980 people have been injured. Israel reported that 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,431 have been injured since 10/7. 75 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the ground invasion began on 10/27. Over 1.7 million Palestinians, more than 70% 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 Israel blockade. As of 11/18, at least 45,000 housing units had been destroyed and 233,000 had been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7, constituting 60% of all housing units. 200 trucks carrying aid entered Gaza via the Rafah crossing. Several trucks entered northern Gaza distributing aid at a hospital and UNRWA shelters. (AJ 11/25; HA, UNOCHA, WAFA 11/26)
39 Palestinian prisoners, all boys, were released during the third prisoner exchange. 17 Hamas-held captives were released to Israel via the Rafah crossing, including 14 Israelis and 3 Thai nationals. 1 of the released captives holds U.S. citizenship, while another holds Russian citizenship. Israel said 1 of the released captives, an 84-year-old woman, was hospitalized in serious condition. She was later said to be improving. A relative of 3 children released from captivity said they were treated “more or less okay.” Hamas said it was seeking to extend the temporary ceasefire and called on U.S. president Joe Biden to end the Israeli war on Gaza. Biden said that the U.S. sought to extend the ceasefire, adding that the war ends when Hamas “no longer [is] in control of any portion of Gaza.” National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Red Cross visitations for the remaining captives held in Gaza was part of the ceasefire agreement and that the U.S. expects visitations to start on 11/27. (AJ 11/25; AJ, AX, HA, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, UNOCHA, WAFA 11/26; HA 11/27)
Hamas said 4 senior military officers had been killed before the ceasefire, including Northern Gaza Brigade commander Ahmed al-Ghandour. (AJ 11/25; HA, NYT 11/26)
UN World Food Programme director Cindy McCain warned that Gaza was “on the brink of famine.” (AJ 11/27; WAFA 11/28)
The Israeli military said it had stolen $1.33 million worth of cash in Israeli shekels, Iraqi dinars, Jordanian dinars, and U.S. dollars from homes in Gaza. (AJ 11/25)
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Israeli soldiers in Gaza, saying Israel has 3 goals: “to eliminate Hamas, to bring back all our hostages, and to ensure that Gaza does not pose a threat to the State of Israel again.” (AJ 11/25; HA, NYT 11/26)
German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier met with Israeli president Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem, saying “[w]e stand in solidarity with Israel. It is not only with Israel as a victim of terror. Our solidarity is also with the Israel that defends itself, that fights against an existential threat.” Steinmeier later said that Germany will donate $7.5 million to rebuild an art gallery destroyed on 10/7 in Kibbutz Be’eri. (HA 11/26; HA 11/27)
Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz of the National Unity party said that if the government votes to distribute coalition funds instead of adding to the war effort his party will vote against the budget and consider its next steps. (HA 11/26)
Jordanian foreign minister Ayman Safadi said that he hopes an upcoming meeting of officials from Mediterranean countries scheduled for next week will convince European nations that a permanent ceasefire is needed, not only pauses. (AJ, HA 11/26)
U.S. senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said U.S. lawmakers would vote on a $14 billion military aid package to Israel next week. Senators Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Chris Murphy (D-CT) had all suggested that U.S. military aid to Israel could be conditional on Israel following international law. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also said the Biden administration was considering conditioning the U.S. aid. Sullivan later said it was not something the White House would do. (AJ 11/25; HA 11/28)
The Biden administration had reportedly asked the U.S. Senate on 10/20 to lift nearly all restrictions on Israeli access to U.S. weapons. (AJ 11/26)
Human Rights Watch said that the explosion that killed and injured upwards of 500 Palestinians at al-Ahli Hospital resulted from “a rocket-propelled munition, such as those commonly used by Palestinian armed groups” but added further investigation was needed to determine the perpetrator. Other investigations have pointed to Israel as the likely perpetrator. Human Rights Watch also said it could not corroborate the death toll, saying it appeared “out of proportion with the damage visible at the site.” (HA 11/26)
Russia condemned the Israeli attack on Damascus International Airport. (AJ, HA 11/27)
Pirates from Somalia attempted to hijack the Israeli-owned Central Park oil tanker off the coast of Yemen. It was initially reported that the Yemeni Houthi government was behind the attempt. The pirates were arrested by U.S. forces. (AJ 11/25; HA, HA, NYT 11/26; AJ, AJ, AJ, AP 11/27)
In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and killed a disabled man and destroyed infrastructure during a raid in Jenin. Israeli forces also shot and killed a Palestinian man during a raid in Dheisheh refugee camp. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and injured 6 Palestinians during a raid in Balata refugee camp. Israeli forces also seized 3 vehicles in Dahariya. In Gaza, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 70 Palestinians in Khan Yunis and 32 in 2 strikes on residential buildings in Nuseirat refugee camp. The number of fatalities was likely much higher since the Gaza Ministry of Health was unable to communicate with hospitals and civil defense members in northern Gaza. 47 people were evacuated from al-Shifa Hospital, including 31 premature babies. 259 patients remained at the hospital, which continues to be under Israel siege. 7 Israeli soldiers were killed. In Lebanon, Israel said it attacked several areas, saying mortar shells were fired at Israel. (HA 11/18; AJ, AJ, HA, HA, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/19; HA 11/20)
The Gaza Ministry of Health was not able to fully update the casualty figures due to a collapse in services and communications at hospitals in northern Gaza. However, it stated that at least 13,000 Palestinians have been killed, including 5,500 children and 3,500 women, and around 32,000 injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since 10/7. At least 3,250 people were missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 206 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 47 children. More than 2,730 people have been injured. Israel reported that 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,431 have been injured since 10/7. 69 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the ground invasion began on 10/27. Over 1.61 million Palestinians, around 70% 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 Israel blockade. As of 11/6, at least 40,000 housing units have been destroyed and 220,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7, constituting 45% of all housing units. 29 premature babies were evacuated to Egypt via the Rafah crossing. About 20,000 Palestinians fled northern Gaza to the south. Around 15,000 gallons of fuel and 69 trucks carrying aid entered Gaza. The Committee to Protect Journalists said 48 journalists had been killed since 10/7, including 44 Palestinians and 1 Lebanese. (AJ, AP, HA, HA, NYT, REU, REU, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA 11/19; AJ, NYT, REU, REU 11/20)
The Commission of Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs said Israel has imposed additional punitive measures on Palestinian prisoners, including not allowing doctors to visit sick patients, decreasing the quality of the food, denying yard access, confiscating several personal belongings, daily cuts of electricity from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., and denying prisoners visits from lawyers and family members. (WAFA 11/19)
The PA foreign ministry issued a statement it later retracted, saying it was Israeli helicopters that killed 364 Israelis during a festival on 10/7 and not Hamas militants. Haaretz had reported on 11/18 that Israeli combat helicopters likely hit some Israelis while attacking militants. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the retracted statement and called PA president Mahmoud Abbas a Holocaust denier. (HA 11/19)
Israel said it had taken more than 100 Palestinians captive during its raids in Gaza and brought them to Israel. The Israeli military released a video showing that 2 injured captives of Nepalese and Thai nationality were taken to al-Shifa hospital for treatment on 10/7 but did not provide evidence that the hospital was used by Hamas for captives after 10/7. Israel also claimed it found a 180-foot-long tunnel under al-Shifa Hospital. (AJ, AJ, HA, HA, REU 11/19; NYT 11/20)
Israeli intelligence minister Gila Gamliel said the international community should stop funding UNRWA and instead start taking in Palestinians from Gaza in “voluntary settlement.” (AJ 11/19)
U.S. deputy national security advisor Jon Finer said Israel should not move its ground invasion to southern Gaza until the hundreds of thousands Palestinian who have fled the north to the south “have been accounted for in their military planning.” (HA, HA 11/19)
Haaretz reported that U.S. officials believed that Prime Minister Netanyahu’s stance against the PA taking control of Gaza after Israel’s war would soften if the PA agreed to stop seeking justice in international bodies and ended its payments to the families of Palestinian prisoners and Palestinians killed by Israeli forces. (HA 11/19)
French president Emmanuel Macron said France will send more medical supplies and a second hospital ship to Gaza, adding that he told Prime Minister Netanyahu that there were “too many civilian losses” in Gaza. Macron also spoke with President Abbas. (AJ, HA, WAFA 11/19; AJ, AJ 11/20)
EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen called the settler violence in the West Bank “unacceptable.” Von der Leyen met with King Abdullah II of Jordan, who called for an immediate ceasefire to protect Palestinians from Israel’s “ugly war against civilians.” (HA, WAFA 11/19)
The Houthi-led Yemeni government said it had seized an Israeli ship in the Red Sea and taken it to a port in Yemen. Israel said the ship did not have Israeli owners or crew. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, NYT, REU 11/19)
An NBC News poll found that 70% of 18-to-34-year-old Americans disapprove of the U.S. handling of Israel’s war on Gaza. Overall, 56% said they disapproved. 49% of Democrats said they opposed providing military aid to Israel. (AJ, HA 11/19)
In the West Bank, a Palestinian man succumbed to injuries sustained from Israeli forces in Jenin on 11/9. Israeli settlers shot and injured a Palestinian with live ammunition in Khirbet Tana. Israeli settlers also assaulted Al Jazeera journalist Joseph Handal and vandalized his vehicle near Abu Dis. Israeli forces raided Jenin refugee camp, killing 5 Palestinians in a drone strike and injuring 14 others. The soldiers raided the Ibn Sina Hospital, detaining medical staff for interrogation, uprooted streets with bulldozers, and cut the power to several neighborhoods in Jenin during the attack. Israeli forces also shot and killed 2 Palestinians, claiming they had opened fire on them in Hebron. Meanwhile, Israeli forces shot and injured 5 Palestinians during raids in Kafr Dan and Dahariya. 36 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Ni’lin, Hebron, Jalqamus, and Tulkarm. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces prevented Palestinian worshippers from reaching the Haram al-Sharif compound, including by attacking Palestinians and a Turkish news crew in Wadi al-Juz. Israeli forces also arrested journalist Marwat al-Azza, claiming her social media posts encourage terrorism. In Gaza, the internet was partially restored at the end of the day due to a delivery of fuel. Israeli airstrikes killed at least 40 people in Jabalia refugee camp, Khan Yunis, and Nuseirat refugee camp. Israeli airstrikes also killed several at al-Wafa Hospital, including its director. The number of fatalities was likely much higher since the Gaza Ministry of Health was unable to communicate with hospitals and civil defense members in northern Gaza. Elsewhere, Israeli forces attacked bakeries and wheat mills in the south, leaving only 1 company able to produce flour in Gaza. Al-Shifa Hospital remained under Israeli siege; the number of premature babies that had died at the hospital rose to 4 with a total 40 patients having died at the hospital since 11/16. Rockets were fired at Israel; no injuries were reported. In Lebanon, Israeli attacked several places and shot down a missile that targeted an Israeli drone. 2 anti-tank missiles were fired at Kibbutz Manara, injuring 4. In Syria, Israeli forces conducted airstrikes near Damascus, causing damage. (HA 11/16; AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, HA, REU, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/17; AJ 11/18 HA 11/19)
The Gaza Ministry of Health was not able to update the casualty figures due to a collapse in services and communications at hospitals in northern Gaza, leaving the death toll at 11,479, including 4,630 children and 3,130 women, and around 32,000 injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since 10/7. At least 3,250 people were missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 198 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 53 children. More than 2,730 people have been injured. Israel reported that 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,431 have injured since 10/7. 56 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the ground invasion began on 10/27. Over 1.61 million Palestinians, around 70% 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 Israel blockade. As of 11/6, at least 40,000 housing units have been destroyed and 220,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7, constituting 45% of all housing units. 73 injured Palestinians and their family members were evacuated to Egypt for treatment. Around 700 foreign nationals were also evacuated. Aid deliveries to Gaza were suspended due to the blackout of communications. Al-Amal Hospital and the headquarters of the Palestinian Red Crescent said the 2 facilities had not had water or electricity for the past 5 days. (AJ, AP, AP, HA, REU, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA 11/17; UNOCHA 11/18)
Church leaders in Jerusalem issued a statement warning that Israeli settlers are trying to seize land in the Armenian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. (WAFA 11/17; AJ 11/18; REU 11/19)
Israel charged 2 14-year-old Palestinian citizens of Israel with the attempted murder of an Israeli soldier. (HA 11/17)
The Israeli military suspended a soldier who was filmed throwing a stun grenade into a mosque in Budrus for their own amusement. (HA 11/17; HA 11/18; HA 11/19)
Hamas said that some of the captives it’s holding had been taken to hospitals in Gaza for treatment of “serious health conditions,” but denied that it was holding any captives in hospitals. (AJ 11/17)
The BBC said 1 of its reporters was allowed to tour parts al-Shifa Hospital with the Israeli military, filming some of the same areas that the Israeli military had published footage of previously. The BBC said that it was evident from comparing the 2 sets of footage that by the time their journalist arrived alleged Hamas weaponry had been moved around. For example, an area behind an MRI machine had a bag with 2 rifles in the BBC footage but only 1 in the Israeli military footage. The BBC also pointed out that the Israeli claim that its video was unedited was false and that the purported evidence presented by Israel did not validate the Israeli claim that al-Shifa was a Hamas command center. (X 11/17; AJ 11/19)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas, Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki, and Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh met with EU high commissioner for foreign affairs Josep Borrell in Ramallah. Borell called for an immediate ceasefire and for Israel to abide by international law. (AJ, WAFA, WAFA 11/17; AJ 11/18)
The Israeli war cabinet approved a U.S. request to allow 2 tanker trucks to enter Gaza each day with fuel, amounting to about 13,000 gallons. UNRWA said that covers about 37% of its daily needs. National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi said the fuel allowed to enter constituted “roughly 2-4% of the normal quantities of fuel that enter Gaza.” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called the decision illegal because it had not been approved by the security cabinet and demanded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu change the war cabinet. The war cabinet reportedly rejected the latest proposal for a prisoner exchange. Knesset deputy speaker Nissim Vaturi said in a post on X that Israel should “burn Gaza now,” calling its attacks on Gaza “too humane.” Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant called Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar “the new [Osama] bin Laden.” (AJ, AX, HA 11/17; AJ 11/18)
Amnesty International said Israel should rescind its 11/15 order telling Palestinians in eastern Khan Yunis to flee, calling it a violation of international law. (AJ 11/17)
The U.S. said deliveries of fuel should continue on a regular basis in larger quantities. President Joe Biden spoke with Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, discussing prisoner exchange negotiations. (AJ, HA 11/17)
U.S. senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) said the U.S. Congress should not allow extra funding for Israel while it attacks Gaza. House Foreign Affairs Committee chairperson Mike McCaul (R-TX) said Prime Minister Netanyahu had told him that he urgently needs Iron Dome interceptors, precision-guided weapons, and 155mm artillery shells. (AJ, HA 11/17)
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said he had received referrals on crimes committed in Palestine from South Africa, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Comoros, and Djibouti. (AJ, ICC, REU, WAFA 11/17; WAFA 11/18)
X owner Elon Musk said using terms such as “decolonization” and “from the river to the sea” in relation to Israel will result in suspension from his platform. (AJ, HA 11/18)
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers with a military escort raided Deir Dibwan, setting fire to trees; 1 Palestinian was injured by live ammunition fired by Israeli forces during the raid. Israeli settlers also threw stones at Palestinian vehicles near Beitin and Hebron. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian man during a raid in Nablus. Israeli forces also shot a 5-year-old Palestinian boy in the eye with a rubber-coated bullet in Bizarya; the boy’s eye was later removed at a hospital. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 4 with baton rounds and others with tear gas. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Bayt Dajan, causing tear-gas related injuries. Meanwhile, Israeli forces seized 1 excavator in Dahariya. 11 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Askar refugee camp, Bethlehem, Abu Nuyaim, Beit Umar, Dura, and Tulkarm; 2 Palestinians were injured by Israeli live ammunition during the raid in Askar refugee camp. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/23; WAFA, WAFA 6/24; HA 6/27; PCHR 7/6; UNOCHA 7/8)
The Shin Bet said it had arrested 3 Israeli settlers following several Israeli settler attacks on Palestinian towns and villages in the past week. (AP 6/23)
Representatives from 20 EU countries visited Turmus ‘Ayya to express condolences to the victims of the Israeli settler attack on 6/21. In a statement the countries said as the occupier Israel is obligated to protect Palestinians and prosecute the violent settlers. (WAFA 6/23; HA 6/24)
Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir told Israeli settlers at the partly resettled Evyatar settlement outpost that the settlers should “[r]un to the hilltops” and build settlements “in all the hills around.” Ben-Gvir also called for the Israeli military to “launch a military operation, take down buildings and eliminate terrorists. Not just one or two, but dozens and hundreds and if needed, thousands.” Later on 6/25, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said such calls to grab land are “unacceptable to me.” (HA, WAFA, WAFA 6/23; WAFA 6/24; CNN 6/25)
U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan spoke with his Israeli counterpart Tzachi Hanegbi, expressing concern about Israeli settler attacks on Palestinian villages. Several Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including pro-Israel representatives, condemned the settler attacks, as did the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee. Morocco also officially canceled the second summit of the normalization organization the Negev Forum, citing “uncomfortable diplomatic relations.” The summit, scheduled to be held in Rabat, has been postponed since March. (HA, REU 6/23; HA, HA 6/24; HA, WAFA, WAFA 6/25)
U.S. national security spokesperson John Kirby said that U.S. officials had met with victims of the Israeli settler attacks on Turmus ‘Ayya on 6/21 and that U.S. citizens were among the victims. (AJ 6/23)
UN human rights commissioner Volker Türk criticized the Israeli usage of “advanced weapons” in the West Bank this week, saying it was adding to volatility of the situation. For the first time since the Second Intifada, Israel used drones and helicopters to attack Palestinians in the West Bank. (AJ, WAFA 6/23)
In the West Bank, 2 Israeli soldiers were injured after being hit by a vehicle in Huwwara; 1 Palestinian man was arrested in relation to the incident. Israeli settlers raided Kafr Thulth, throwing stones at Palestinians and Palestinian property and setting 1 vehicle on fire; 1 Palestinian was also injured by a baton round fired by Israeli forces who intervened to aid the settlers. Israeli settlers also raided Ein Samiya, uprooting trees and throwing stones at Palestinian vehicles. Israeli forces issued notifications that Israel will seize 42 dunams (10.3 acres) of land in Sarta and Bruqin to expand a settler road. Israeli forces also seized 1 tractor in Beit Furik. 24 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in al-Mughayyir, Aqabat Jaber refugee camp, Tuqu, Hebron, Beit Umar, Dahariya, and Deir al-Ghusun. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/5; PCHR 6/8; UNOCHA 6/18)
A 2-year-old boy who was critically injured by Israeli forces on 6/1 succumbed to his wounds. The PA condemned the killing, saying that 28 Palestinians children had been killed by Israeli forces since the beginning of 2023. The PA also called the Israeli investigation into the incident whitewashing. (ABC, AP, BBC, CNN, GDN, HA, MEE, REU, WAFA, WAFA 6/5; HA, PCHR, WAFA, WAFA 6/6; HA, WAFA 6/7; HA 6/8)
Israel handed over the body of 1 Palestinian man killed by Israeli forces on 4/24 to his family in East Jerusalem and ordered the family to limit the number of participants at the funeral to 25. (WAFA 6/5)
Hamas political bureau head Ismail Haniyeh and other high-ranking officials met with Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel in Cairo, discussing reconciliation. PA prime minister Mohammad Shtayyeh met with Kamel last week. Islamic Jihad secretary-general Ziyad al-Nakhalah also met with Kamel in Cairo. It was reported that the Hamas and Islamic Jihad leadership were invited to Egypt to discuss Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s plan to develop Gaza, including increasing Egyptian electricity supply, rebuilding infrastructure, building a port, and developing a gas field. (QDS, QDS, QDS 6/5; MEMO, QDS 6/6; HA 6/8)
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with representatives from Palestinian parties in the Knesset and local council to discuss the rising murder rates in those communities. Netanyahu said he agreed to form a ministerial committee, that he would chair, to address the issue. 89 Palestinians have been killed in Israel in mostly gun-related violence in 2023. (HA, HA 6/5; HA 6/6)
U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken spoke at the annual AIPAC conference in Washington D.C., saying that the Biden administration is committed to normalizing relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, but that such a deal is “not a substitute for progress between Israelis and Palestinians.” Blinken will travel to Saudi Arabia in the coming days to promote a normalization deal. (AJ, AX, DoS, HA, NYT 6/5; ALM, CNN, MDW, REU 6/6)
U.S. senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) said in a statement that the U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the PA’s report on the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh contains important insights and that it should be released to the public. Van Hollen was able to review the report after weeks of delays by the State Department in providing the report. (AJ, HILL, REU 6/5; MEE 6/6)
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers with a military escort raided Burqa, attacking Palestinians and setting a barn and olive trees on fire; tear-gas related injuries were reported. Israeli forces demolished 1 house in Dahariya, 1 agricultural structure in Beit Jala, 1 agricultural structure in Hebron, and 1 commercial structure in al-Walaja and razed land in Sur Bahir. A delegation of EU officials met with Sebastia mayor Mohammad Azem to learn about the recent Israeli measures to seize Sebastia’s archeological site. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. Israeli authorities demolished 1 house in Jabel Mukaber, displacing 5. 4 Palestinians were arrested during raids in al-Tur and Ras al-Amud. (TOI, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/24; ALM, PCHR 5/25; AJ 6/1; UNOCHA 6/2)
In Syria, Israeli forces opened fire at people who shot at a surveillance drone. (REU 5/24)
The Hamas-affiliated voting bloc Islamic Wafa won 25 of 51 seats in the Birzeit University student union elections. The election result follows another win by Islamic Wafa on 5/16 at An-Najah National University. (QDS 5/24; HA, MEE 5/25)
3 Israeli soldiers were sentenced for abducting and assaulting 1 Palestinian man before releasing him in a remote area. 2 of the soldiers were sentenced to 60 days in prison while the third was sentenced to 40 days. (TOI, TOI 5/24; AJ 5/25)
The Knesset approved the Israeli government’s 2023-24 budget, which was criticized for heavily favoring ultra-orthodox communities in Israel. Approximately $4 billion is allocated in discretionary funds for ultra-Orthodox and pro-settler parties. The Otzma Yehudit party also said it had been appeased by the allocation of $67 million to Judaize the Naqab and Galilee through the Negev and Galilee development ministry. After the passing of the budget, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters he would focus on the judicial overhaul. (HA 5/22; AP, HA, HA, REU 5/23; AJ, AP, HA, HA, MEE, NYT, QDS, TOI 5/24)
The EU and U.S. expressed dismay with a bill that the Knesset Ministerial Committee for Legislation was set to debate on 5/28. The bill would impose a 65% tax on non-profits that receive funding from foreign governments while engaging in public advocacy. According to the bill it seeks to curb foreign interference. After days of lobbying by EU countries, Prime Minister Netanyahu said that he would shelve the bill. (HA 5/24; HA, MEE 5/25; AJ 5/26; HA, WAFA 5/27; AX 5/31; TOI 6/2)
PayPal shareholders warned the company that they will take action if it does not expand access to the platform to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. At the same time, U.S. congressperson Mark Pocan (D-WI) circulated a letter among his colleagues calling on PayPal CEO Dan Shulman to allow Palestinians equal access to the company’s services. (GDN, HA, MEE 5/24; WAFA 5/25; MDW 5/26)
Forensic Architecture released an investigation in cooperation with Adalah on the Tantura Massacre committed by the Israeli army 1 week after the establishment of Israel. The investigation located at least 1 more mass grave and 2 additional possible mass grave sites. (FA 5/24; GDN 5/25; HA, MEE 5/26)
In the West Bank, Israeli forces beat 1 Palestinian man to death at the separation wall near Tulkarm after he tried to enter Israel for work. The body of the man, who was from Gaza, was returned to his family on 7/5. Israeli forces also shot and injured 6 Palestinians during a raid in Dura, including 5 with live ammunition and 1 with a baton round. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians in Abu Dis, injuring 1 with live ammunition. Israeli forces also demolished 1 residential structure in Umm Qassa in the Masafer Yatta area, displacing 15. Meanwhile, Israeli forces demolished 1 3-story building in Sawahara al-Sharqiyya and assaulted the Palestinian owner trying to prevent the demolition. Israeli forces also delivered stop-work notices for some 30 structures in Humsa al-Tahta. 19 Palestinians were arrested, including 18 during late-night raids in Beit Sira, Beitunia, Ramallah, Abu Nujaym, Dahariya, Beit Umar, al-Arroub refugee camp, Iskaka, and Nablus; 1 was arrested at a checkpoint near Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities demolished 1 house in Jabel Mukaber and 1 nursery in Isawiya; 2 Palestinians were arrested during the demolition in Jabel Mukaber. 6 others were arrested during raids in the Old City and Isawiya. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/4; MEE, WAFA 7/5; PCHR 7/7; UNOCHA 7/22)
U.S. state department spokesperson Ned Price said that the U.S. had determined that the ballistic analysis of the bullet that killed Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was inconclusive, saying the bullet was badly damaged. The U.S. said it had “concluded that gunfire from IDF positions was likely responsible for the death” of Abu Akleh but that the U.S. “found no reason to believe that this was intentional but rather the result of tragic circumstances during an IDF-led military operation against factions of Palestinian Islamic Jihad.” Several independent investigations, eyewitnesses, and the PA have concluded that Israeli forces deliberately targeted Abu Akleh given the bullet’s trajectory where she was killed. Member of the PLO executive committee Wasel Abu Yousef accused the U.S. of protecting Israel. Secretary general of the PLO Hussein al-Sheikh said the PA rejected the U.S. findings and would seek justice at the ICC. The family of Abu Akleh expressed disbelief that the U.S. was unable to conclude with certainty Israel had killed Shireen, given the evidence available. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AX, DOS, HA, HA, MEE, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/4; AJ, HA, WAFA, WAFA 7/5; ALM, ALM, AX, MDW, PCHR, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/6; HA, MEE, MEE 7/7; AJ, AJ, AP, HA, MDW, MEE, REU 7/8; WAFA 7/10; GDN 7/12)
1 Palestinian man from Gaza died after being denied cancer treatment by Israeli authorities, claiming his 2 travel permits for treatment were under security check. The man had applied to travel to Nablus for treatment on 3 occasions since April, but his applications remained pending when he passed. (PCHR 7/6)
PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh accused Israel of using the corpses of Palestinians killed by Israel in Israeli medical schools. (WAFA 7/4)
In the West Bank, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Hebron, injuring 3 with live ammunition and others with tear gas. Israeli forces also violently dispersed a funeral procession in Beit Umar by attacking the pallbearers. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 17 with baton rounds and others with tear gas. Israeli forces also violently dispersed protesters in Ein al-Beida and al-Juwaya in the Masafer Yatta area, arresting 5 international activists and causing tear-gas related injuries. Meanwhile, Israeli forces seized 1 tractor and farm equipment in al-‘Awja. 7 Palestinians were arrested during late-nights raid in Burqa, ‘Askar refugee camp, al-Yamun, and al-Dahariya. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/1; PCHR 7/7; UNOCHA 7/22)
Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report that Palestinian security forces in the West Bank and Gaza systematically torture critics of the PA and Hamas in their detention. HRW called on countries donating to PA security forces to cut off their funding and for the ICC to investigate the issue. HRW said that Palestinian security forces use solitary confinement, beatings, and stress positions to punish and intimidate critics and political opponents and to elicit confessions. (AP, HA, JP, REU 7/1)
It was reported that newly appointed Israeli prime minister Yair Lapid would move into a house seized by Israel from a Palestinian family who fled Jerusalem during the Nakba. The house, Villa Hanna Salameh on Balfour Street, will serve as Prime Minister Lapid’s temporary housing until renovations at the prime minister’s official residence has been completed. (HA, MEE 7/1)
31 Democrats in the House of Representatives sent a letter to U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken expressing concern over Israeli plans to construct settlements in the E-1 area of the West Bank. The Democrats were led by Mark Pocan (D-WI) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL). (Mark Pocan 7/1; WAFA 7/4)
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers from the Homesh settlement outpost threw stones at Palestinian vehicles near Burqa. Israeli forces prevented Palestinian farmers from working their lands near Beit Umar. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinians trying to enter Israel for work near Dahariya with tear gas and stun grenades, causing burns to 1 Palestinian. 5 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids, including 4 near al-Bireh and 1 during a house raid in Mazra’a al-Qibliya. In East Jerusalem, Israeli police violently dispersed Palestinians at the Damascus Gate plaza, injuring 19 with batons and baton rounds; 10 were arrested. Israel also summoned the deputy director of the Islamic Waqf department Najeh Bkeikat, issuing him a ban from entering the Haram al-Sharif compound for 6 months. (TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/3; AP, HA, JP, MDW, MEE, MEMO, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/4; PCHR 4/5; PCHR 4/7; UNOCHA 4/10)
1 Palestinian citizen of Israel said he was detained in Qalansawe by Israeli undercover forces who beat him before leaving him in a forest after discovering they had mistaken his identity for another person. The Israeli forces also damaged the man’s car during the incident. (HA 4/5)
1 Palestinian prisoner, arrested on 24 December 2020, was sentenced to life in prison and issued a fine of $936,600. The man’s family home was punitively demolished by Israeli forces on 10 February 2021. (WAFA 4/3)
In Lebanon, 1 member of the PA National Security Forces was shot and killed in the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp. It was unclear who the perpetrator was. (JP 4/4)
Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett spoke with Jordan’s king Abdullah II in a phone call. King Abdullah urged Prime Minister Bennett to avoid steps that could escalate violence during the month of Ramadan and to allow Muslim worshippers free access to the Haram al-Sharif compound. (HA, MEE 4/3; ALM 4/4)
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers with military escort raided Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus, leading to a confrontation with Palestinians protesting the incursion; no injuries were reported. Israeli settlers also attacked Palestinian farmers with pepper spray east of Hebron. Israeli forces delivered stop-work orders for 1 mosque, 3 houses, and 1 commercial structure in Marda. Israeli forces also forced Palestinian business owners to close their shops in Huwwara, claiming that stones had been thrown at Israeli settlers near the shops. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolished 4 water wells in Khallet al-Dabe. Israeli forces also demolished 1 commercial structure in ‘Anata. Israeli military said that shots were fired from a car at Israeli soldiers near Nablus; no injuries were reported. 13 Palestinians were arrested, including 10 during late-night raids in Dahariya, Za‘atra, Silwad, and Zeita; 3 were arrested at checkpoints near Bethlehem and Nablus. (TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/2; MEMO, MEMO, PCHR 2/3)
Haaretz reported that Israeli attorney general Avichai Mendelblit authorized establishing an Israeli settlement on the evacuated Evyatar settlement outpost near Beita. Attorney General Mendelblit is leaving office this week. Palestinians have held weekly protests at the site since the outpost was erected in May 2021. The outpost was evacuated in June 2021, but the houses erected remained as the settlers struck a deal with the Israeli government that they could move back if Israel deemed that the land is state-owned. Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz will have to declare the area state-owned, after which there will be a 45-day period to file objections. Several Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the past year while protesting the outpost. In a letter from Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid to Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett, Lapid warned that if the Israeli government legalized the Evyatar settlement outpost, it “could have serious diplomatic consequences and damage foreign relations, first and foremost from the United States,” saying that the U.S. has already made this clear to him. Labor and Meretz publicly opposed legalizing the settlement outpost. (AP, HA, IN 2/2; HA, JP, MEE, TOI, TOI, TOI 2/3; HA, HA, HA 2/4; UNOCHA 2/11)
The Shin Bet admitted to having threatened random Palestinians in Israel that it would “settle the score” if they had participated in protests related to the May 2021 uprising in Israel that coincided with Israeli attacks on Gaza and eviction threats against Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah. (HA, MEE 2/3)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with Amnesty International’s secretary-general Agnès Callamard in Ramallah, discussing the report Amnesty released on 2/1 that charged Israel with the crime of apartheid. (WAFA 2/2)
Defense Minister Benny Gantz said, at a conference in Tel Aviv, that the Israeli military on 4 occasions had offered assistance to Lebanon. According to Gantz, the offers were made to strengthen the Lebanese army in facing “the strengthening of Hezbollah under Iran’s support.” Israeli military sources later denied that Israel had made such offers and that Israel had only offered humanitarian aid following the explosion in the Beirut port. (HA 2/2; MEMO 2/3)
Israel, Oman, and Saudi Arabia all took part in the International Maritime Exercise 2022, led by the U.S. and with the participation of nearly 60 countries. It was the 1st time that Saudi Arabia and Oman partook in a naval exercise with Israel, which they have no formal relations with. (AJ, ALM 2/2)
The FBI confirmed reporting from the New York Times published on 1/28 that the agency had bought the NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware, but claimed to never have used it. The FBI further stated that it had bought the spyware for “product testing and evaluation.” (ALM, AP, HA, REU 2/2; MEMO 2/3)
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian houses and vehicles in Kafr Qaddum, causing damage. Israeli forces raided the homes of 4 of the Palestinians accused of participating in the killing of an Israeli settler on 12/16 and took measurements for punitive demolitions in Silat al-Harithiya; the forces also violently dispersed Palestinians protesting the raids, injuring 1 with live ammunition. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinians protesting an Israeli incursion near Ramallah, inuring 1 with live ammunition and 1 minor with a rubber-coated bullet. Elsewhere, Israeli forces raided al-Lubban Ash-Sharqiya, assaulting the mayor of the village and several students. 13 Palestinians were arrested during house raids in Birzeit, Dura, al-Bireh, Kafl Haris, Abu Dis, Qatanna, Beit Umar, and Dahariya. In East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities handed eviction orders to 2 families living on a plot of land in Sheikh Jarrah that Israel wants to construct a school on. The families were given until 1/25/2022 to leave their property, displacing 12 people. In Gaza, Israeli forces made incursions and leveled land east of al-Fukhari. Israeli forces also opened fire at Palestinian bird hunters east of Khuza‘a; no injuries were reported. In Israel, Israeli forces demolished the Bedouin village al-‘Araqeeb for the 196th time since 2000. (TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/20; MEMO 12/21; PCHR 12/23)
In East Jerusalem, EU representative to Palestine Sven Kühn von Burgsdorff led an EU delegation, meeting Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah threatened by Israeli forced evictions. (MEMO 12/21)
1 Palestinian prisoner in the Israeli Nafha prison allegedly stabbed 1 Israeli prison guard, lightly wounding the guard. There were subsequent reports of collective punishment of Palestinian prisoners in the same ward, including beatings and outdoor confinement in cold weather. (HA 12/20; WAFA 12/21)
Representatives for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel on administrative detention said the prisoners have decided to boycott sessions in Israeli military courts and in the supreme court from 1/1/2022 because of Israel’s arbitrary use of administrative detention on Palestinians. (HA 12/20)
PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said during the weekly cabinet meeting that the PA has sent a letter to the UN urging it to intervene against Israeli settler violence. (WAFA 12/20)
Palestinian member of the Knesset for United Arab List and chairperson of Knesset’s interior committee Walid Taha said he had canceled all official meetings for the week in protest over Israel’s interior minister Ayelet Shaked’s opposition to a bill that would provide electricity to Palestinian homes built in Israel without a permit. (HA 12/20)
Israel’s ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan wrote a letter to UN secretary-general António Guterres demanding that he acts to prevent UN funding from going to Palestinian rights organizations deemed terrorist organizations by Israel. The UN OCHA agency had mentioned its partnership with Health Work Committees in its plan for 2022, a Palestinian organization deemed illegal by Israel. (HA 12/20)
Israeli NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware was found on a Tunisian national’s phone. The man is part of a UN-mandated investigation into crimes committed in relation to the Saudi-led war in Yemen. (HA 12/20)
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers razed 20 dunums (5 acres) of land near Jalud. Israeli forces punitively demolished the home of an alleged attacker in Turmus ‘Ayya, displacing his family and damaging nearby buildings as the house was blown up. 8 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around al-Arroub refugee camp, Hebron, Dahariya, al-Khader, and Abu Dis. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces delivered a demolition order for a 4-story building in Shu‘fat, which would displace 55 Palestinians. 2 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Isawiya and the Old City. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on residential buildings east of Rafah, causing damage but no injuries. (AJ, ALM, AX, HA, JP, MEE, MEMO, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/8; AP, TOI 7/9; PCHR 7/15)
Palestinian owners of the land seized by Israeli settlers for the Evyater settlement outpost petitioned the Israeli high court of justice to cancel the deal made between the Israeli settlers and the Israeli government on 7/1. (HA, WAFA 7/8)
1 Palestinian prisoner held on administrative detention was released from detention to a hospital in Ramallah after 65 days of hunger strike. (PCHR 7/7; AP, HA, MEE, MEMO, WAFA 7/8; AJ 7/9)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas and other senior PA officials met with 11 U.S. congresspeople in Ramallah, including the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Ted Deutch (D-FL), David Cicilline (D-RI), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Kathy Manning (D-NC), Brad Schneider (D-IL), Andy Barr (R-KY), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), and French Hill (R-AR). The members of Congress met with Israeli officials on 7/6. (MEE 7/6; JNS 7/7; WAFA 7/8)
Israel charged a Palestinian Israeli imam of Lydda’s largest mosque, Shaykh Yousef al-Baz, with incitement to violence for sharing a movie clip on Facebook showing people killing a police officer. Shaykh al-Baz was arrested on 6/17. (ALM, HA 7/8)
Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid and Jordanian foreign minister Ayman Safadi met at the Allenby Bridge, where the 2 made agreements for Jordan to buy 50 million cubic meters of water from Israel and to increase the Jordanian export to the West Bank from $160 million to $700 million. Foreign minister Safadi also called for Israeli to halt settlement expansions, maintaining the status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem, and called evictions of Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem a “war crime.” Walla News also reported that Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett secretly met with Jordan’s king Abdullah II in Amman last week and that PA president Mahmoud Abbas was summoned to meet King Abdullah shortly after his meeting with Prime Minister Bennett. President Abbas met with King Abdullah in Amman on 6/30. (AJ, ALM, AP, AX, HA, HA, MEE, MEMO, REU, TOI 7/8; MEMO 7/9)
The Israeli high court of justice denied petitions challenging the legality of the nation-state law, ruling 10-1 that the law is not anti-democratic in the eyes of the judges. The dissenting judge is the court’s only Palestinian Israeli judge. Chairman of the Joint Arab List Ayman Odeh called the ruling “racist and anti-democratic.” Adalah said that the court had “enshrined Jewish supremacy and racial segregation as founding principles of the Israeli regime” with its ruling. For more about the Nation-State law, see the IPS publication “Israel's Nation-State Law: Institutionalizing Discrimination.” (AJ, AP, HA, JP, TOI, WAFA, WP 7/8; MEMO 7/9)
The U.S. embassy in Israel issued a statement criticizing the Israeli punitive demolition of the house of an accused Palestinian-American assailant in Turmus ‘Ayya (see above); secretary of state Antony Blinken “raised concern directly with senior Israeli officials” about the issue, possibly because the family living in the building are U.S. citizens. House chairman Meeks also called the Israeli foreign minister to protest the demolition. (AJ, ALM, AX, HA, JP, MEE, MEMO, REU, REU 7/8; AX 7/14)