In the West Bank, Israeli forces kill 5 Palestinians, including a child, and injure 19 others during a raid in Nur Shams refugee camp; the Red Crescent says Israel prevented its ambulances from entering the camp to treat the wounded and a Red Crescent medic is injured by Israeli forces. Israeli forces destroy roads, homes, shops, and sewage lines during the raid in what is described as the worst damage to the camp in decades. 2 soldiers are lightly wounded during the raid. Israeli forces also shoot and injure 3 Palestinians, including 2 children, during a raid in Beita. Elsewhere, Israeli forces assault 3 Palestinians at the Container checkpoint near Bethlehem. Israeli forces also arrest 3 Palestinians during raids in Nablus, Jericho, and Marda. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Rafah, Jabalia refugee camp, Shati’ refugee camp, Gaza City, and Nuseirat refugee camp, killing at least 42 people. Israeli forces also bomb a water truck from the International Development and Relief Foundation after it delivers clean drinking water. Rockets are fired at Sderot and Niram; no injuries are reported. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb several sites in the southern part of the country. Hezbollah forces fire 3 rockets at Israel. In Iran, Israeli forces attack an Iranian military base in Isfahan. Iran says its air defense systems repelled the attack. The Israeli attack was reportedly conducted with either missiles or drones. In Iraq, a Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) base south of Baghdad is attacked, killing 1 and injuring several others; the PMF blames the U.S. for the attack, which the U.S. denies. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AX, AP, AP, HA, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/19; AJ, AP, AP, HA, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU 4/20; AJ, HA 4/21; NYT, UNOCHA 4/22)
More than 34,012 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 14,520 children and 10,000 women, and around 76,833 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 7,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 461 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 115 children. More than 4,890 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, 259 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,582 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. 250 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza. (AJ, HA, UNOCHA, WAFA 4/19; UNOCHA 4/22)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas meets with Bahrani foreign minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani in Ramallah. (WAFA 4/19)
Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh arrives in Turkey for a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan scheduled for 4/20. (AJ 4/19)
Islamic Jihad criticizes the international community for its silence on Israeli settler and military violence in the West Bank and calls on the PA to end security coordination with Israel. (AJ 4/19)
Jordanian foreign minister Ayman Safadi speaks with Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, saying in a statement after the meeting that Jordan will not allow its territory to be an arena for Israeli-Iranian aggression and says the conflict between the 2 countries diverts attention from the Israeli attacks in Gaza. (AJ 4/19; AJ 4/21)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the only thing “standing between the Gazan people and a ceasefire is Hamas” and that Hamas has “rejected a generous proposal from Israel.” Hamas rejects the accusation, calling it a “falsification of reality.” Blinken also reiterates the U.S.’s opposition to an Israeli invasion of Rafah and hints that the U.S. may take action against part of the Israeli military over violations of human rights referring to the Leahy Law, which prohibits the U.S. from providing military assistance to units that violates international law. (AJ, HA, NYT, REU 4/19)
U.S. secretary of defense Lloyd Austin discusses regional stability and aid to Gaza in a phone call with Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant. (AJ, HA, REU 4/19)
The U.S. Treasury Department imposes sanctions on Israeli settler leader and founder of the Leheva organization Bentzi Gopstein, the Mount Hebron Fund, and Shlom Asiraich, saying that the 2 organizations have help raised tens of thousands for 2 sanctioned settlers in the West Bank. (AJ, AJ, AX, HA, HA, REU, WAFA 4/19; HA 4/21; HA 4/22)
The European Council says the EU has placed sanctions on 4 Israeli settlers, Meir Ettinger, Elisha Yered, Naria Ben Pazi, and Yinon Levi, and the settler groups Leheva and Hilltop Youth. (AJ, AJ, AX, HA, HA, REU, WAFA 4/19; WAFA 4/20)
Barbados recognizes the State of Palestine. 140 out of 193 UN member states now recognize the State of Palestine. (AJ, WAFA 4/20)
The Wall Street Journal reports that the U.S. is considering transferring $700 million worth of tank ammunition, $500 million worth of tactical vehicles, and around $100 million in mortar rounds to Israel. (AJ, HA 4/19)
Israeli media reports that the Israeli Foreign Ministry has discussed potential arrest warrants by the ICC against Israeli military and political officials and that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raised the issue with UK foreign secretary David Cameron and German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock earlier this week. (AJ 4/19)