Israeli settlers begin establishing a new settlement nr. Nablus, having brought several mobile homes from the nearby Elon settlement. Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 4 Palestinians during raids nr. Nablus and Hebron; and patrol nr. Qalqilya and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct raids in Hizma village, sparking clashes with stonethrowing Palestinians; 1 Palestinian is injured. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no serious damage or injuries. Along Gaza’s s. border, Egyptian forces discover and demolish 12 tunnels leading from Gaza into n. Sinai. IDF troops stationed along Gaza’s e. border nr. Khan Yunis open fire on Palestinian agricultural areas, causing no serious damage. (MNA, WAFA 1/1; MNA 1/2; PCHR 1/5)
Israel’s cabinet reaffirms the security cabinet’s 12/8 decision to stop returning to their families the corpses of Hamas-affiliated Palestinians who carried out serious attacks against Israelis. The bodies will be buried in a special cemetery instead. The move is meant to compel Hamas to return to Israel the bodies of the 2 IDF soldiers who died during Israel’s assault on Gaza in the summer of 2014. (AFP, HA, TOI 1/1)