In the West Bank, Israeli settlers assault a Palestinian man in Khallet al-Daba’a. Israeli settlers also set fire to agricultural land near al-Mughayyir. Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian child in Ni’lin. Israeli forces also raid Qabatiya, opening fire at journalists and raiding homes. Elsewhere, Israeli forces issue a stop-work order for the Kisan village council building in Kisan. Israeli forces also raze 6 dunams (1.5 acres) of land planted with olive trees between Husan and Nahalin. Meanwhile, Israeli forces arrest 22 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Salfit, Husan, and Wadi Fukin. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian child and injure another during a raid in Shu’fat refugee camp. Israeli forces also demolish commercial structures in Sur Bahir. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Jabalia refugee camp, Rafah, Khan Yunis, and Gaza City, killing at least 20 people. 4 Israeli soldiers die in an explosion in Rafah. In Lebanon, Israel launches a new terror attack, killing at least 25 people, including 4 children, and wounding 708 others in explosions caused by charges hidden in electronic devices such as walkie-talkies, smartphones, and laptops. The death toll for the 2 days of attacks reaches 37. Israeli forces also bomb Majdal Selem, Odaisseh, Markaba, Blida, Maroun al-Ras, and Chihine. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AX, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, NYT, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/18; AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, NYT, NYT, NYT 9/19; UNOCHA 9/20)
More than 41,272 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 16,456 children and 11,088 women, and around 95,551 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 10,000 people are missing in rubble. 698 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 151 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, 346 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 2,281 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. (AJ, UNOCHA, WAFA 9/18)
The UN General Assembly adopts a resolution on the “Advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legal consequences arising Israel’s policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and from the illegality of Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.” The resolution is submitted by the State of Palestine and demands that Israel ends its occupation of Palestinian territories within a year and calls on member states to cease importing settlement products and not arm Israel with weapons that will be used in the occupation. 124 countries vote in favor, 12 against, and 43 abstain. PA ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour calls the vote a turning point “in our struggle for freedom and justice.” The U.S. says it will vote no because there is no path to peace offered in the resolution. Israeli ambassador to the UN Danny Danon calls the resolution “diplomatic terrorism.” The 12 countries voting against the resolution are Argentina, Czechia, Fiji, Hungary, Israel, Malawi, Micronesia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Tonga, Tuvalu, and the U.S. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, HA, NYT, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/18; AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ 9/19)
Israel says it has moved the 98th division, comprised of 10,000-20,000 soldiers, from Gaza to the Blue Line. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant says Israel has started a new phase of its war, turning the focus toward Lebanon. Gallant also speaks with U.S. secretary of defense Lloyd Austin. U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby says the U.S. does not want to see an escalation between Israel and Hezbollah and calls for restraint. UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres says civilian objects should not be weaponized, referring to Israel’s attacks on Lebanon using booby-trapped pagers and walkie talkies. EU high commissioner for foreign affairs Josep Borrell condemns the attack. The UN Security Council will convene on 9/20 to discuss the attacks on Lebanon. Jordan, Iran, and Iraq offer medical assistance to Lebanon. The New York Times reports that the Hungarian company BAC Consulting that has been linked to the sale of the pagers is an Israeli shell company. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, REU 9/18)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas arrives in Madrid for an official visit to Spain. (WAFA 9/18)
The Israeli High Court of Justice rejects a petition to force the closure of the Sde Teiman detention camp but orders the government to comply with laws on the detainment of enemy combatants during wartime. (HA 9/18; AJ 9/19)
Egyptian foreign minister Badr Abdelatty meets with U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken, saying Egypt will not accept any changes to the pre-10/7/2023 situation at the Philadephi Corridor. Abdelatty also calls the terror attack on Lebanon an affront to the country’s sovereignty. Blinken says 15 out of 18 points in the ceasefire plan have been agreed to but that there is a lack of political will. Abdelatty says one side in particular is preventing the ceasefire. (AJ, AP, HA, NYT, REU 9/18)
Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman tells the Saudi Shura Council that the kingdom renews the “rejection and strong condemnation of the crimes of the Israeli occupation authority against the Palestinian people,” reaffirming that he will not establish ties with Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as the capital. (AJ, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA 9/18; NYT 9/19)
Reuters reports that Germany has stopped approving weapons exports to Israel, citing a source close to the ministry for economic affairs. Germany later issues a statement saying that there “is no German arms export boycott against Israel.” According to the ministry, Germany approved $364.5 million worth of arms exports to Israel in 2023 while the approvals granted in 2024 have fallen to $16.1 million. (HA, REU 9/18; AJ 9/19)
Canada imposes sanctions on 11 individuals and 2 entities connected to Hamas and on 4 Israeli settlers and the settler organizations Mount Hebron Fund and Shlom Asiraich. (AJ 9/19)
U.S. senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) says in a letter to his Senate colleagues that he will force a vote next week to block the planned $20 billion arms sale to Israel, citing the “carnage in Gaza.” (AP, HA, REU 9/18)