In the West Bank, Israeli settlers uproot trees and open fire at Palestinians without causing injuries during a raid in Hizma. Israeli settlers also raid Burqa; no injuries are reported. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers steal a sheep in Khirbet Yirza. Israeli forces kill a Palestinian child and injure 9 others in a drone strike on Balata refugee camp. Later in the day, Israeli forces raid the town, shooting and killing a Palestinian man and injuring 22 others. Israeli forces also shoot and injure 2 Palestinian children during a raid in al-Mazra’a al-Gharbiya. Elsewhere, Israeli forces arrest 40 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Qalqilya, Kafr Ra’i, and Nablus. An Israeli soldier is shot and injured at the Beit Furik checkpoint. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces shoot and injure a Palestinian man in Isawiya. Israeli forces also assault and injure 6 Palestinians during a raid in Isawiya, including a child and a 76-year-old woman. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Dayr al-Balah, Khan Yunis, Rafah, Gaza City, Maghazi, Nuseirat refugee camp, and al-Bureij refugee camp, killing at least 41 people, including more than 30 at a field hospital in the Khadija school in Dayr al-Balah. Israeli forces also order the evacuation of areas in the southern part of Khan Yunis; the UN estimates that more than 200,000 people are affected by the order. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Kafr Kila, Odeisseh, and Meiss Ej Jabal, killing 4 people, including 2 Hezbollah members in Kfar Kila. Hezbollah forces launch drones at Israeli forces at a military site near Yiftah and fire rockets at Misgav Am and Jardeh Hill. In the Golan Heights, a rocket hits a soccer pitch in Majdal Shams, killing 12 people and injuring 29 others, mostly children. Israel blames Hezbollah, which denies responsibility. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, HA, HA, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/27; AJ, AJ, AP, NYT, NYT 7/28; UNOCHA 7/29; AP 7/30)
More than 39,258 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 16,054 children and 10,869 women, and around 90,589 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 10,000 people are missing in rubble. 585 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 138 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, 328 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 2,161 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. 9 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza. (AJ, WAFA 7/27; UNRWA 7/29)
Irish prime minister Simon Harris condemns the Israeli attack on Dayr al-Balah, calling it “inhumane and despicable.” (WAFA 7/27)
After the attack on Majdal Shams, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu ends his trip to the U.S. earlier than scheduled to return to Israel. Energy Minister Eli Cohen says, “Lebanon should burn.” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says “Lebanon as a whole has to pay the price.” Former security cabinet member Benny Gantz says Israel should reach a ceasefire deal in Gaza and start a war in Lebanon. UNIFIL says it is more concerned than ever about the possibility of an escalation across the Blue Line. The White House condemns the attack. EU high commissioner for foreign affairs Josep Borrell calls the attack unacceptable and calls for an independent international investigation. Several countries warn their citizens against traveling to Lebanon and urge their citizens to leave the country. Axios reports that the U.S. warned Israel about responding by attacking Hezbollah in Beirut. (AJ, AX, HA, HA, REU, REU 7/27; AJ, AX, HA, NYT, REU, REU 7/28)