In the West Bank, Israeli settlers assault a Palestinian and 2 foreign activists in Qusra. Israeli settlers also burn olive trees in Madama. Israeli forces shoot and injure a Palestinian man in Jaba’. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers tour the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb al-Bureij refugee camp, Nuseirat refugee camp, Gaza City, Rafah, Beit Lahiya, and Khan Yunis, killing at least 64 people. Israeli forces also open fire on an UN convoy headed to Gaza City, damaging a vehicle. UNRWA says the convoy had coordinated its movement with Israel ahead of time. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Ayta ash Shab, Khiam, Yarine, Hula, and Debaal, killing Hezbollah member Mustafa Hassan Fawaz in Dabaal and injuring 2 Lebanese soldiers in Ayta ash Shaab. In the Red Sea, Israel claims that it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen. (AJ, AP, AP, HA, NYT, REU, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/21; AJ, WAFA 7/22)
More than 38,983 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 16,054 children and 10,700 women, and around 89,727 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 10,000 people are missing in rubble. 571 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 134 children. More than 5,420 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, 326 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 2,134 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 79,000 housing units have been destroyed and 370,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7/2023. 24 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza. (AJ, HA, WAFA 7/21; UNRWA 7/22)
The Israel Prison Service announces that it has started taking in Palestinian prisoners transferred from the Sde Teiman detention camp. (HA 7/21)
The Israeli military begins vaccinating its soldiers against polio after it was announced on 7/18 that the virus was detected in sewage water in Gaza. (AJ, HA, HA, REU 7/21; NYT 7/22)
PA prime minister Mohammad Mustafa meets with UN senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza Sigrid Kaag in Ramallah, discussing relief efforts in Gaza. (WAFA 7/21)
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says he will dispatch a ceasefire negotiation team led by Mossad director David Barnea to Doha on 7/25. (AJ, HA, REU 7/21)
Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz claims that Turkey is “supplying arms and money to Hamas to kill Israelis.” Turkey calls the accusation “lies” and says Israel is trying to deflect attention from its attacks on Gaza. (AJ, WAFA 7/21)
U.S. president Joe Biden says he will not run for reelection in the 2024 presidential elections, endorsing his Vice President Kamala Harris. Biden has been under pressure from fellow Democrats not to run because of concerning public performances and questions regarding his mental acuity. Palestinian MK Ahmad Tibi criticizes Biden’s legacy, saying his promise that Palestinians in the West Bank would have access to 4G networks is unfulfilled while he has sent thousands of bombs to Israel to kill Palestinian children in Gaza. Former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett calls Biden a “true friend of Israel.” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant thanks Biden for his “unwavering support of Israel over the years.” Biden is expected to meet Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on 7/23 ahead of Netanyahu’s address to the U.S. Congress. Justice for All Party candidate in the U.S. presidential elections, Cornel West, says Biden “was first and foremost an enabler of genocide in Gaza.” (AJ, AX, AX, AX, HA, HA, HA, NYT 7/21; AJ, AP, AP, HA, HA, NYT, WAFA 7/22)
Lebanese journalist Chistina Assi carries the Olympic torch in Paris in honor of journalists who have been killed or wounded. Assi was targeted and injured in an Israeli attack on Lebanon on 10/13 which killed Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah and injured 4 others. Assi had to have her leg amputated due to her injuries. (AJ, AJ, AP 7/21)
The port of Eilat in Israel says it will have to lay off half its workers due to the Houthi blockade of ships headed to the port. (AJ 7/21)