In the West Bank, Israeli settlers place barbed wire around the homes of 12 Palestinian families in ‘Ain al-Hilweh. Israeli forces uproot around 60 olive trees and destroy water irrigation networks in Nahalin. Israeli forces also fire tear gas at Palestinians during raids in Beit Furik, Qalqilya, Dura, Fawwar refugee camp, and Kafr Dan. Meanwhile, Israeli forces arrest 28 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Nablus, Ramallah, Tulkarm, Tubas, and Jerusalem. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Gaza City, Rafah, Beit Lahiya, and Nuseirat refugee camp, killing 48 Palestinians, including 15 people in an apartment building in Beit Lahiya and 2 patients at the Kamal Adwan Hospital. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Bint Jbeil, injuring 5 people. (AJ, AP, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/5; UNOCHA 12/10)
More than 44,580 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 17,500 children and 11,487 women, and around 105,739 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 10,000 people are missing in rubble. 806 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 170 children. More than 6,500 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, 380 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 2,463 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. 87% of all housing units in Gaza have been destroyed or severely damaged since 10/7/2023. (AJ, UNOCHA, WAFA 12/5)
The Palestinian Prisoners Society announces that Palestinian prisoner Alaa Marwan Hamza Mahlawi has died in the Naqab Prison after being taken from Gaza on 12/21/2023 and says that Israel is withholding the bodies of 46 Palestinians who have died in Israeli prisons since 10/7/2023. (AJ, WAFA 12/5)
Amnesty International says that it has found that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Amnesty says Israel is violating at least 5 acts banned by the 1948 Genocide Convention, including killings, causing serious bodily or mental harm, and deliberately inflicting conditions calculated to bring about a group's physical destruction. U.S. State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel says the U.S. finds the allegations of genocide are “unfounded.” The Israeli Foreign Ministry calls Amnesty “a deplorable and fanatical organization” that has “once again produced a fabricated report.” (AI, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, HA, NYT, REU, REU, WAFA 12/5)
PA prime minister Mohammad Mustafa speaks to new EU high commissioner for foreign affairs Kaja Kallas about the need for EU recognition of a Palestinian state and for the EU to pressure Israel to end its attacks on Gaza. (AJ, WAFA, WAFA 12/5)
Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich tells employees of the Civil Administration that he hopes to close the department as Israel is going to annex the West Bank during the upcoming Trump administration. Smotrich says he has spoken to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter about annexation. (AJ 12/5)
The PA tables 2 draft resolutions at the UN General Assembly set to be voted on on 12/11. The first resolution demands an immediate ceasefire in Gaza while the second deplores Israel's judicial and physical attacks on UNRWA. (AJ 12/6)
German military chief of staff Carsten Breuer meets with Israeli military chief of staff Herzi Halevi in Israel. (AJ 12/6)
Hezbollah says Israel has violated the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon more than 60 times. (AJ 12/5)
U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken meets with Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar in Malta, discussing the need for more aid to enter Gaza. (AJ, HA 12/5)
Former Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant is in New York. The U.S. says it will not arrest Gallant as it rejects the validity of the ICC arrest warrant issued for him. (AJ 12/6)