Tuesday, September 24, 2024

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set fire to Palestinian agricultural land and vandalize vehicles near Yasuf. Israeli settlers also raze farmland in Qaryut, uprooting olive trees. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers attack Palestinians in Khirbet Zanuta and al-Karmel. Israeli forces shoot and injure 4 Palestinians during a raid in Fawwar refugee camp. Israeli forces also shoot and injure a Palestinian doctor during a raid in ‘Azzun. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolish a home in Tura. Israeli forces also arrest 22 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Madama, Deir Abu Masha’al, Ya’bad, al-Yamun, ‘Askar refugee camp, Nablus, and al-Bireh. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Khan Yunis, Gaza City, Dayr al-Balah, Nuseirat refugee camp, Rafah, al-Bureij, and Beit Lahiya, killing at least 12 people. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Jiyeh, Beirut, Habbouch, Doueir, Charqiyeh, Nabatieh Fawqa, and Tyre, killing at least 77 people. Israeli forces also target an ambulance in Habbouch, injuring several medics. Hezbollah forces fire missile at 16 sites in Israel, including Atlit naval base and the Dado military base. In Syria, Israeli forces bomb Tartus. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, NYT, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/24; UNOCHA 9/27)

More than 41,467 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 16,456 children and 11,088 women, and around 95,921 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 2,287 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, HA, WAFA 9/24)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas meets with Latvian president Edgars Rinkevics, Colombian president Gustavo Petro, Finnish president Alexander Stubb, and Irish prime minister Simon Harris and on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting. PA prime minister Mohammad Mustafa meets with Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo, New Zealand foreign minister Winston Peters, Canadian foreign minister Melanie Joly, and Swedish foreign minister Maria Stenergard. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/24; WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/25)

At the UN General Assembly, world leaders make their annual addresses to the body. UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres opens the session by saying that the “level of impunity in the world is politically indefensible and morally intolerable.” Qatari emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani calls Israel’s attack on Gaza “the most barbaric heinous and extensive aggression, violating human values, international conventions, and norms.” Al Thani also calls the failure to stop the attacks a major scandal and condemns the assassination of former Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan tells the assembly that Gaza has become “the world’s largest cemetery for women and children,” that international justice cannot be left in the hands of 5 countries with veto powers in the UN Security Council, and calls on the General Assembly to consider utilzing its authority to use force to stop Israel. Erdogan also says “[j]ust as [Adolf] Hitler was stopped by the alliance of humanity 70 years ago, Netanyahu and his murder network must be stopped by the alliance of humanity.” Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian says Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and calls on the international community to end the violence immediately. Maldivian president Mohamed Muizzu says Israel needs to be held accountable for the genocide in Gaza. South African president Cyril Ramaphosa says the Palestinian people have been subjected to half a century of apartheid, saying “[w]e South Africans know what apartheid looks like.” U.S. president Joe Biden warns Israel against a “full-scale war in Lebanon,” saying “a diplomatic solution is still an option.” Biden also calls on Israel and Hamas to finalize a ceasefire deal while defending Israel’s right to keep attacking Gaza, saying “any country, would have the right responsibility to ensure that such an attack could never happen again” referring to 10/7/2023. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AX, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/24)

Lebanese prime minister Najib Mikati reverses his decision not to travel to New York for the UN General Assembly meeting, citing Israel’s attack on Lebanon on 9/23. Chinese foreign minister Wang Li meets with Lebanese foreign minister Abdallah Bou Habib in New York, saying he condemns Israel’s attacks on Lebanon. (AJ 9/24)

The UK foreign office says the country will move 700 troops to Cyprus as part of a contingency plan to evacuate British citizens from Lebanon. The UK also says all UK nationals should leave Lebanon. U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby calls on U.S. citizens to leave Lebanon while flights are still available. (AJ, HA 9/24)

The New Arab reports that an Israeli soldier who was arrested in Morocco in July will be tried in a Moroccan court for committing war crimes in Gaza. (AJ 9/24)

ProPublica reports that U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken lied to the Congress in May when he said it was not the U.S.’s assessment that Israel was prohibiting or restricting the delivery of aid into Gaza, despite USAID and the State Department’s refugee bureau finding in April that Israel was restricting aid. (AJ, PP 9/24)

New York City police arrest multiple people at a pro-Palestine demonstration near the UN building. (HA, REU 9/24; HA, WAFA 9/25)