In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attack Palestinians in their homes in al-Mughayyir. Israeli settlers also throw stones at Palestinians in the old city of Hebron. Israeli forces shoot and injure a child during a raid in Qarawat Bani Hassan. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Rafah, Gaza City, Nuseirat refugee camp, Khan Yunis, and Beit Lahiya. The Ministry of Health in Gaza says 119 people have been killed in the past 72 hours, including 22 at al-Zaytun School in Gaza City, 13 of whom are children, and 5 health workers at a ministry facility in Musbah today. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Tayr Harfa, Jibbain, Zibqin, Tefahta, al-Bissariya, Jabal al-Rafi’, Kharayeb, al-Zarariyeh, and Wadi Hamool, killing one person in Wadi Hamool. Hezbollah forces fire rockets at the Ramat David airbase near Haifa. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, HA, NYT, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/21; AP 9/22; UNOCHA 9/23)
More than 41,391 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 16,456 children and 11,088 women, and around 95,760 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 10,000 people are missing in rubble. 706 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, WAFA 9/21)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas arrives in New York ahead of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly. Abbas, who is scheduled to speak at the assembly on 9/26, meets with Kuwaiti crown prince Sabah Khaled al-Hamad Al Sabah. (WAFA 9/21; WAFA 9/22)
Lebanese prime minister Najib Mikati cancels his plans to address the UN General Assembly next week due to the escalation in Israel’s attacks on Lebanon. (AJ, AP, AX, HA 9/21)
U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan says the killing of Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil on 9/20 is a “good outcome.” Aqil was killed along with at least 49 others in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut. The U.S. alleges that Aqil took part in the 1983 bombing of the U.S. embassy in Beirut. Axios reports that Israel is calling its strategy in Lebanon “de-escalation through escalation” and that the U.S. agrees with the strategy. (AJ, AX, HA, REU 9/21)
Israeli diaspora affairs minister Amichai Chikli says in a tweet that Israel has the right to take over southern Lebanon because the Lebanese government does not exercise control over the area. Chikli also says that Lebanon does not meet the definition of a state. (HA 9/22)