In the West Bank, Israeli settlers assault and threaten Palestinians and steal 6 tents during a raid in Khalayel al-Loz. Israeli forces shoot and injure a Palestinian man near the separation wall in Qalqilya. Israeli forces also violently disperse Palestinians with tear gas during a raid in Dura. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers tour the Haram al-Sharif compound. A video shows a group of settlers singing, dancing, and praying at the compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Gaza City, Nuseirat refugee camp, Beit Hanun, and Rafah, killing at least 30 Palestinians, including 7 in a direct attack on al-Wafaa Hospital in Gaza City. A Palestinian infant dies of hypothermia. An Israeli soldier is killed in northern Gaza after being hit by a tank turret. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Meiss Ej Jabal. In Syria, Israeli forces bomb Adra, killing at least 11 people. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, HA, REU, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/29; AJ, AJ 12/30; UNOCHA 12/31; UNOCHA 1/2)
More than 45,514 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 17,818 children and 12,287 women, and around 108,189 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 11,000 people are missing in rubble. 836 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 172 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, 391 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. Israel says it will not allow the Kamal Adwan Hospital to reopen. (AJ, HA, HA, WAFA 12/29)
51-year-old Palestinian prisoner Ashraf Abu Wardah dies at the Soroka Medical Center after being transferred there from the Ktzi’ot Prison on 12/27. Abu Wardah was arrested on 11/20/2023 and did not have any known health issues at the time. (AJ, WAFA 12/29; UNOCHA 12/31)
Hamas spokesperson Osama Hamdan says Hamas went into the current ceasefire negotiations with maximum flexibility but that Israel continues to go back on items already agreed to. Egyptian sources tell Al Arabiya that ceasefire negotiations may collapse due to Israel’s conduct. (AJ, HA 12/29)
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu undergoes surgery, having his prostate removed. Netanyahu’s office says the operation was successful. (AJ, AP, HA, NYT 12/29)
Qatar, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia condemn the Israeli settler tours of the Haram al-Sharif compound. (AJ, WAFA 12/29; AJ 12/30)
The Washington Post reports that the Israeli military used the AI tool Habsora (The Gospel) to generate hundreds of Palestinian targets in Gaza after it had exhausted its kill list in the early weeks of the Israeli war on Gaza. The Post reports that the use of Habsora may have been a factor in Israel “significantly” expanding the number of civilian casualties it finds acceptable for each attack. Breaking the Silence and the New York Times have reported that the number of civilian casualties acceptable in the targeting of a low-level militant is about 15-20 while the number is much higher for mid- to high-level militants. +972 Magazine reported on Habsora on 11/30/2023. (+972 11/30/2023; WP 12/29; HA 12/30)