In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked 2 Palestinians in al-Zubeidat. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian minor using live ammunition during a confrontation in al-‘Arub refugee camp. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Husan, leading to tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Hebron, leading to tear-gas related injuries. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians protesting in Jenin, leading to tear-gas related injuries. Palestinian protests were also held in Qabatiya and Rumana. 8 Palestinians were arrested, including 7 during late-night raids in Dayr Abu Mash‘al, Jenin, Jericho, and Bayt Rima; 1 was arrested while in a park in Jenin. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers raided the Bab al-Rahma cemetery at the Haram al-Sharif compound. 3 Palestinians were arrested during raids in al-Tur, the Old City, and Silwan. In Gaza, 13 Palestinians were killed, including 2 children, and dozens were injured, raising the comprehensive death toll since 5/10 from 203 to 216, including 62 children and 2 pregnant women. The casualties included: 1 in an air strike on a house in Jabaliya; 1 while driving a car near Gaza City; 4 by an Israeli air strike near a seaside café west of Gaza City; 2, including 1 child, in an air strike on an apartment building in Gaza City; 1 child, and 1 child was wounded during an air strike at a house in Dayr al-Balah; 1, and 1 injured in an air strike in Abasan; 2, and 2 injured in a drone strike in Bayt Lahiya; 1 succumbed to wounds sustained on 5/13 during an air strike on the American Hospital west of Bayt Lahiya; 1 Palestinian was found in rubble from a massive air strike that killed 43 in Gaza City on 5/16, raising the death toll from that strike to 44. Israel also conducted large-scale air attacks on al-Bureij, Nuseirat refugee camp, Dayr al-Balah, Gaza City, and Khan Yunis, causing extensive damage and injuries; among the buildings damaged was the Gaza COVID-19 vaccination center and a large bookstore. It was reported that several power lines had been destroyed, making the electricity supply to Gaza even worse. In Israel, 1 Jewish-Israeli man was killed by Palestinian-Israeli stone-throwers in Lydda. Israel said 6 rockets were fired from Lebanon toward Israel, but landed in Lebanese territory; Israel subsequently attacked areas of Lebanon. (AP, HA 5/16; AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, HA, MEE, MEE, PCHR, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/17; PCHR 5/18; HA, MEE 5/19; PCHR 5/20; MEE 5/21; NYT 5/26)
The Fatah central committee called for a general strike to protest evictions of Palestinians from East Jerusalem and the Israeli attacks on Gaza on 5/18. A similar call was made by the High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of Israel on 5/16. (MEE, WAFA 5/17)
PA civil affairs minister Hussein al-Sheikh, general intelligence chief Majid Faraj, and advisor for the president on diplomatic affairs Majdi Khaldi met with U.S. deputy assistant secretary for Israel and Palestinian affairs Hady Amr in Ramallah. The trio urged the U.S. to pressure Israel to stop its attack on Gaza and evictions of Palestinians in East Jerusalem. Deputy Assistant Secretary Amr also met with PA president Mahmoud Abbas and PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh. (AJ, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/17)
U.S. president Joe Biden called for a ceasefire during a phone call with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (AJ, AX, NPR, REU 5/17; AJ, AP, HA 5/18; AP 5/19)
Amnesty International said Israel’s attacks on Gaza must be investigated as war crimes, given their targeting of residential homes. (AI 5/17; WAFA 5/19)