In the West Bank, Israeli settlers assault Palestinian shepherds in Nahalin and Maeen in the Masafer Yatta area. Israeli settlers also steal the wheat harvest from Palestinians in al-Maniya. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers destroy residential tents in Khirbet as-Sakout. Israeli settlers also set fire to olive trees in al-Mughayyir. Israeli forces shoot and kill 2 Palestinians and wound 2 others near the Salem checkpoint west of Jenin, preventing ambulances from reaching them for more than 1 hour. Israeli forces also arrest 20 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Ramallah, Nablus, Tulkarm, Jenin, and Jerusalem. Elsewhere, Israeli forces also arrest 2 Israeli settlers in Susiya after they attack Israeli soldiers. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Rafah, Nuseirat refugee camp, al-Bureij refugee camp, and Shati’ refugee camp, killing at least 32 people. In Baqa al-Gharbiyye, hundreds of Palestinians demonstrate, demanding that Israel releases the body of Walid Daqqa to his family. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb a house in Srobbine, injuring 14 civilians. Israeli forces also bomb Markaba. Hezbollah forces fire 30 rockets at the Golan Heights. In Syria, Israeli forces bomb Daraa. (AJ, AJ, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/27; HA 4/28; UNOCHA 4/29)
More than 34,388 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 14,520 children and 10,000 women, and around 77,437 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 7,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 479 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 117 children. More than 4,974 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, 260 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,584 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. 262 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza. (AJ, HA, WAFA 4/27; UNOCHA 4/29)
Axios reports that Israel is willing to discuss the “restoration of sustainable calm” in Gaza and allow Palestinians to return to northern Gaza in the current ceasefire negotiations. Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz says a ceasefire deal would lead Israel to suspend its planned invasion of Rafah. Hamas says it has received the ceasefire proposal. Hamas also releases a video of 2 Israel captives who demand an exchange deal. Haaretz reports that an Israeli business jet arrives in Riyadh after visiting Cairo and Doha. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AX, HA, HA, HA, HA, NYT, REU, REU, REU 4/27)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas meets with Algerian foreign minister Ahmed Attaf in Riyadh and sends a letter to Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez expressing his appreciation for Sanchez’s efforts to have EU countries recognize the State of Palestine. (AJ, WAFA, WAFA 4/27)
Saudi foreign minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud chairs a meeting on Gaza in Riyadh, attended by Jordanian foreign minister Ayman al-Safadi, Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry, PLO secretary-general Hussein al-Sheikh, UAE diplomatic advisor Anwar Gargash, and Qatari minister of state for foreign affairs Mohammed bin Abdulaziz al-Khulaifi. (WAFA 4/28)
The Lebanese government votes in favor of instructing its foreign ministry to file a declaration with the ICC to accept its jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute crimes committed in Lebanese territory since 10/7/2023. (AJ, REU 4/27)
Iran says the crew of the Israeli-owned ship seized on 4/13 have received consular support and will be released. (AJ, REU 4/27)
Reuters reports that U.S. State Department officials have told Secretary of State Antony Blinken that they do not find Israel’s assurances that U.S.-provided weapons are being used in accordance with international law “credible or reliable.” (AJ, REU 4/27; AJ, WAFA 4/28)
Police in St. Louis arrest 80 pro-Palestine protesters at Washington University, including Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein. Police also arrest 23 pro-Palestine protesters at Indiana University’s Bloomington campus. Police in Boston arrest 102 protesters and remove tents from the Northeastern University campus. Arizona State University campus police arrest 69 protesters, mostly students, faculty, and staff. Police in Washington D.C. decline a request by George Washington University to remove tents from its campus, saying the demonstrations are peaceful. The university has threatened students participating in the protest with having their student housing and course credits taken from them. Students at Columbia University issue 5 demands for ending their protest, including that the university divests from companies that aid the Israeli government, sever ties with Israeli universities, stop policing Palestinian students, issue a statement calling for a permanent ceasefire, and stop displacement of residents in Harlem. (AJ, AJ, NYT, NYT 4/27; AJ, AJ, HA, HA, NYT, WAFA, WAFA 4/28; AP 4/29)