In the West Bank, Israeli settlers throw stones at Palestinian homes and vehicles during a raid in Yatma. Israeli forces shoot and kill 2 Palestinians during a raid in Qalqilya. Israeli forces also shoot and injure 3 Palestinians during a raid in Qaddura refugee camp. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shoot and injure 2 Palestinians, including a child, during a raid in Beita. Israeli forces also arrest 19 Palestinians during raids in and around Tulkarm, Beita, Azmut, Jalazone refugee camp, Qaddura refugee camp, and Silwad. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Khan Yunis, Gaza City, Rafah, Nuseirat refugee camp, Shati’ refugee camp, Dayr al-Balah, and Mawasi, killing dozens of people, including at least 25 people in a tent camp in Mawasi. The Red Cross says “heavy-caliber projectiles” land meters away from its office in Mawasi, causing damage. Israeli forces also kill 5 municipal workers repairing a well in Gaza City. There is no overall casualty figure reported for Gaza for the past 24 hours. 2 rockets fired from Gaza damage an agricultural structure in Kibbutz Ein HaShlosha, killing several cows. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Meiss Ej Jabel, Taybeh, Khiam, and Talloussa. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/21; AJ, AP, HA, HA, WAFA 6/22)
More than 37,431 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 15,694 children and 10,000 women, and around 85,653 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 10,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 545 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 130 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, 314 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,940 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. (UNOCHA 6/21)
UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres describes the situation in Gaza as “total lawlessness,” saying Israel does not allow local police escorts of UN aid convoys and that it is up to Israel as the occupying power to restore order. Guterres also warns of all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah. Doctors Without Borders says it has not been able to bring medical supplies to Gaza since the end of April, saying Israeli impediments to getting aid into Gaza may force the organization to drastically scale back its activities in Gaza. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, NYT, REU, REU 6/21)
Armenia officially recognizes the State of Palestine. The PA, Turkey, and Jordan welcome the decision. The Israeli Foreign Ministry summons the Armenian ambassador “for a serious reprimand.” (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/21; AX 6/22)
Qatari prime minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani says there has been some progress in ceasefire negotiations. (AJ, AP, HA 6/21)
Cuba joins the South African genocide case against Israel at the ICJ. (AJ, WAFA, WAFA 6/22)
The New York Times reports on a recording of Israeli finance minister and minister at the Defense Ministry Bezalel Smotrich telling settlers that the Israeli government is working to transfer authority over the West Bank from the military to civilians, allowing the government to annex the West Bank without too much international attention. Smotrich tells the settlers that the government is deceiving the international community by keeping the “separate civilian system” in the Defense Ministry. (HA, NYT, PCN 6/21; HA 6/24)
CNN reports that U.S. officials told Israeli officials that the U.S. will back Israel in an all-out war against Hezbollah. Kuwait urges its citizens to leave Lebanon as soon as possible. (AJ, CNN, HA 6/21; HA 6/22)
Forensic Architecture, Earshot, and Al Jazeera publish a joint investigation into the killing of 6-year-old Hind Rajab, 6 of her family members, and 2 paramedics trying to reach her in Gaza City on 1/29/2024. The investigation shows that the vehicle that Hind and her family were in when they were killed had 335 bullet holes in it, that the volume of the shoots fired at the vehicle at the time of Hind’s death, which can be heard in Hind’s call with the Red Crescent dispatchers, is consistent with Israeli-issued M4 assault rifles and FN Mag machine guns on the Merkava tanks and that the shots were fired 13-23 meters from the vehicle. The investigation also assesses that the ambulance carrying the 2 paramedics was hit by an Israeli tank shell 50 meters from the family’s car. (FA 6/21)
U.S. deputy assistant secretary for Israeli-Palestinian affairs Andrew Miller resigns, reportedly in frustration over the Biden administration’s approach to Israel’s war on Gaza. (AJ, HA 6/21; AJ, AJ, HA 6/22)
