In the West Bank, Israeli forces shoot and injure 4 Palestinians, including a child, during a raid in Qalqilya. Israeli forces also shoot and injure 2 Palestinians during a raid in Beit Furik. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shoot and injure a Palestinian man during a raid in Jifna. Israeli forces also shoot and injure a Palestinian during a raid in al-Yamun. Meanwhile, Israeli forces fire flash grenades at Palestinians during a raid in Tulkarm, causing damage to crops and a greenhouse as the grenades spark a fire. Israeli forces also arrest 35 people during late-night raids in and around Dahariya, Askar refugee camp, Jayyus, Tammun, Qalqilya, and Hebron. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Rafah, Gaza City, Mawasi, and Nuseirat refugee camp, killing at least 24 people, including 9 people waiting to receive aid near the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Yaroun, killing 3 Hezbollah members. Israeli forces also bomb Taybeh, Odaisseh, Jibbain, and Ayta ash Shab. Hezbollah forces fire rockets at Kiryat Shmona. In Syria, Israeli forces bomb military sites in the Quneitra and Deraa provinces, killing a Syrian army officer and causing damage. (AJ, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/19; AP, AP 6/20)
More than 37,396 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 15,694 children and 10,000 women, and around 85,523 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 10,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 542 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 129 children. More than 5,200 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, 312 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,947 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. UNRWA estimates that 65,000 people remain in Rafah, compared to 1.4 million on 5/6. The UN Environment Programme estimates that 60% of Gaza’s water infrastructure has been destroyed and that 40 million tonnes of debris have been created in Israeli bombings. (AJ, HA, NYT, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA 6/19)
U.S. officials tell Reuters that the floating pier has been moved back to Gaza’s shore and anchored, saying it will be operational again on 6/20. The pier, which first became operational on 5/17, has only been open for aid deliveries on 10 days since. U.S. officials told the New York Times on 6/18 that the pier could be dismantled next month. (NYT 6/18; HA, REU 6/19)
2 Israeli settlers are convicted and sentenced to 3 and 3.5 years in prison for a racially motivated axe assault on a Palestinian family in Huwwara on 3/6/2023. The settlers chanted “death to Arabs” as they attacked the Palestinian family’s car with stones and an axe. (HA 6/19)
Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari tells Israeli media that “Hamas is an ideology; we cannot eliminate an ideology.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issues a statement contradicting Hagari, saying the Israeli military is committed to eliminating Hamas. (AJ, AP, HA, HA 6/19; AJ, NYT 6/20; HA 6/21)
Hezbollah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah responds to Israel’s approval of the operational plans for an attack against Lebanon on 6/18, saying no place in Israel will be spared if it starts an all-out war. Nasrallah also warns that Hezbollah will take action against Cyprus if it continues to allow an Israeli presence at its airports and military bases. Cyprus denies being involved in Israeli military activity. Lebanese foreign minister Abdallah Bouhabib tells his Cypriot counterpart Constantinos Kombos that the Lebanese government believes Cyprus plays a positive role in Middle East stability. (AJ, AJ, AJ, HA, NYT 6/19; AJ, AP, AP, HA 6/20; REU 6/21)
The UN Human Rights Office publishes a report on 6 “emblematic attacks” by Israel in Gaza in 2023 raising “serious concerns under the laws of war,” finding that Israel has consistently ignored laws forcing it to avoid or minimize civilian casualties. The UN’s Independent Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel tells the Human Rights Council that Israel is denying the commission access to Israel and Palestine. Commission chairperson Navi Pillay says Israeli forces commit sexual and gender-based violence against Palestinians “to humiliate and further subordinate the Palestinian community.” Pillay adds that the Israeli usage of heavy weapons in densely populated areas is an “intentional and direct attack on the civilian population.” Commission member Chris Sidoti says “the Israeli army is one of the most criminal armies in the world.” (AJ, AJ, AJ, REU, WAFA 6/19; AP 6/20)
Canada lists the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity, citing links to Hamas and Hezbollah. (AJ 6/19)
Editors of the online encyclopedia Wikipedia vote to declare the Anti-Defamation League “generally unreliable” as a source on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and on the topic of anti-Semitism. (HA 6/19)
Brussel’s first alderman of climate and sports Benoit Hellings says the city has informed the Belgian football federation that it cannot host the match between Belgium and Israel on 9/6 due to the “humanitarian and security situation in Gaza and its repercussions,” including potentially provoking protests in Brussels if the match should take place. (AJ, HA 6/19)