In the West Bank, a Palestinian man succumbs to injuries sustained from Israeli forces during a raid in Qusra on 12/17. Israeli settlers try to steal livestock from Palestinians in al-Farisiya. Israeli forces ram and injure a Palestinian man during a raid in Nablus. Israeli forces also assault Palestinians during a raid in Marda. Elsewhere, Israeli forces raze farmland in Yasuf and ‘Askar refugee camp. Israeli forces also arrest 15 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Jericho, Tulkarm, Ramallah, Qalqilya, and Jerusalem. PA forces continue raiding Jenin in a purported effort to combat the Jenin Brigades. An Israeli settler is injured when unidentified gunmen open fire on a settler bus near Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Khan Yunis, Gaza City, Jabalia refugee camp, Beit Hanun, Beit Lahiya, Nuseirat refugee camp, and Dayr al-Balah, killing at least 38 people. Israeli forces also bomb the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya, starting a fire in the hospital’s ICU. Meanwhile, Israeli forces order the evacuation of parts of al-Bureij refugee camp. In Lebanon, Israeli forces demolish homes in Tayr Harfa, al-Jebbain, Shiheen, and Naqoura. In Yemen, Israeli forces bomb Sanaa, as-Salif, Hodeidah, and Ras Isa, killing 9 people and destroying electrical infrastructure leading to mass power outages in Sanaa. Houthi forces fire missiles at Ramat Efal in Tel Aviv, destroying a school. (AJ, AP, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/18; AJ, HA, NYT, REU, REU, UNOCHA 12/19)
More than 45,097 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 17,500 children and 11,487 women, and around 107,244 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 11,000 people are missing in rubble. 817 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, 386 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 2,485 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, HA, WAFA 12/18)
The Israeli military acknowledges that earlier this month Israeli settlers entered Lebanon and set up a camp before being dispersed. (AJ, HA 12/18)
At the UN Security Council, PA ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour calls for an immediate ceasefire and points out that several organizations have found that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. (AJ 12/18)
Haaretz publishes an article based on interviews with Israeli soldiers stationed at the Netzarim corridor in central Gaza, which is described as a kill zone for Palestinians. Soldiers say that there is an arbitrary boundary within which Israeli forces shoot to kill any Palestinian who enters and counts them as a terrorist. Divisions also reportedly compete with each other to kill more Palestinians in the zone and soldiers express excitement and joy when shooting Palestinians entering the zone. (HA, WAFA, WAFA 12/18)
U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan says ceasefire negotiations are close to being finalized but that there is disagreement about the names of captives and prisoners that would be exchanged in the first phase. The first phase of the ceasefire would reportedly last 6-8 weeks, during which 30 captives would be released from Gaza and hundreds of prisoners would be released by Israel. Israel would also allow more aid to enter Gaza, reopen the Rafah crossing, and Israeli troops would gradually withdraw from some population centers. A permanent ceasefire would be negotiated during the first phase. CIA director Bill Burns arrives in Qatar, meeting with Qatari prime minister Mohammed Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani. (NYT 12/17; AJ, AJ, HA 12/18; AP 12/19)