In the West Bank, Israeli settlers open fire at Palestinians and start fires in ‘Asira al-Qibliya. Israeli forces continue the raid on Jenin for a second day, killing 5 Palestinians and injuring 7 others, bringing the toll to 12 dead, including 4 children, and 25 wounded. The Israeli forces also cause extensive damage to buildings and other property and open fire at an Al Jazeera news crew covering the raid. Elsewhere, Israeli forces issue stop-work orders for homes and agricultural structures in Duma. Israeli forces also arrest 12 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Bethlehem, Hebron, Nablus, and Jenin. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir tour the Haram al-Sharif compound. Ben-Gvir, who is filmed praying at the compound, says he is touring the compound to show Ireland, Norway, and Spain that the holy site only belongs to Israel. Israeli forces arrest 2 Israeli settlers attempting to bring a goat to the compound for a ritual slaughter. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Gaza City, Jabalia refugee camp, Rafah, Dayr al-Balah, and Nuseirat refugee camp, killing at least 62 people. 3 Israeli soldiers are killed in combat. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Ayta ash Shaab and Marwahin. Hezbollah forces attack Israeli military posts in al-Sadh, Avivim, as-Summaqa, Jal al-Allam, and Beit Hillel. In Yemen, U.S. forces bomb 4 sites in the western part of the country. (AJ, AP, AP, HA, HA, HA, HA, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/22; AJ, AP, HA, HA, HA, WAFA 5/23)
More than 35,709 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 15,103 children and 10,000 women, and around 79,990 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 10,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 510 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 123 children. More than 5,000 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, 286 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,776 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. The WHO says all staff and patients have been evacuated from the Kamal Adwan Hospital and it is no longer in operation. (AJ, AP, AP, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA 5/22)
Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh meets with Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei and acting President Mohmmad Mokhber in Tehran, after attending the funeral for President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian who died in a helicopter crash on 5/21. (HA, HA, NYT 5/22; AP 5/23)
Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant announces that he will expand the law that allows Israeli settlers to return to settlements that were evacuated as a result of the 2005 Disengagement Plan, including in Sa-Nur, Ganim, and Kadim. The war cabinet approves the continuation of ceasefire talks. (AJ, AP, HA, HA, PCN, REU 5/22; HA, HA 5/23)
Ireland, Norway, and Spain announce in separate press conferences that they will formally recognize the State of Palestine along the 1967 borders on 5/28, joining 143 out of 193 members of the UN. Slovenia says it will make an announcement on whether it will recognize the State of Palestine by 6/13. Malta says it will recognize Palestine “when the circumstances are right.” France says recognizing the Palestinian state is not a taboo for the country, but that it is waiting for the right time. PA president Mahmoud Abbas calls Irish prime minister Simon Harris, Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez, and Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Store, expressing gratitude for their decisions. PLO secretary-general Hussein Sheikh calls the recognitions a historic moment. Hamas calls the recognitions “a turning point in the international position on the Palestinian issue.” Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the recognition of Palestine rewards terrorism. Foreign Minister Israel Katz says he has summoned the ambassadors of Ireland, Norway, and Spain so they can watch videos of the 10/7/2023 attack and recalls the Israeli ambassadors from Ireland and Norway. Energy Minister Eli Cohen tweets in response to the recognitions, “[f]rom the River to the Sea, there will be one state: The State of Israel.” The U.S. says recognition of the State of Palestine should be the result of negotiations between Israel and Palestine, not through unilateral recognition. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AP, AX, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, REU, REU, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/22; AJ, AP, AP, HA, HA, NYT, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA 5/23)
Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich says he will no longer transfer the PA’s tax revenue to Norway in response to its recognition of the State of Palestine and that he will not extend the indemnity given to Israeli banks that transfer funds to Palestinian banks. Smotrich also demands the government take more punitive measures, including more settlements, establishing a new settlement for each country that recognizes Palestine, and revoking VIP permits for PA officials and sanctioning them and their families. U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan warns against withholding the tax revenue, saying it hurts innocent people. Sullivan also calls Israel’s Rafah invasion “more targeted and limited.” (AJ, AP, HA, NYT, WAFA 5/22; WAFA 5/23)
Colombia says it will open an embassy to Palestine in Ramallah. (AJ, HA 5/22)
Jordan, Kuwait, Slovenia, Algeria, Belgium, Brazil, Guyana, Singapore, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, South Africa, Spain, and the PA launch an initiative in support of UNRWA, inviting other UN members to join. (AJ, AP 5/22; WAFA 5/23)
Japan donates $10 million to the WHO in support of the Gaza health sector. (AJ 5/22)