In the West Bank, a Palestinian man succumbs to wounds sustained from Israeli forces on 2/1 in Beit Furik. Israeli settlers assault and injure 2 Palestinians in Kobar. Israeli settlers also assault and injure 3 Palestinians from the same family after forcing their car to stop near Sa’ir. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers vandalize a water pipeline to al-‘Awja. Israeli forces shoot and injure a Palestinian child during a raid in Beit Fajjar. Israeli forces also continue raids in Jenin and Jenin refugee camp for the 96th day in a row, assaulting 2 Palestinians in nearby Ya’bad. Elsewhere, Israeli forces force workers paving a road between Bidya and Mis’ha to stop their work. Israeli forces also continue raids in Tulkarm, Tulkarm refugee camp, and Nur Shams refugee camp for the 90th day in a row. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Gaza City, al-Mawasi, Maghazi, Khan Yunis, Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanun, al-Bureij refugee camp, Nuseirat refugee camp, and Dayr al-Balah, killing at least 40 Palestinians, including 22 people sheltering in the same building in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City. In Iran, an explosion of chemical materials at the Bandar Abbas port kills at least 40 people and injures more than 1,000 others. In Yemen, Houthi forces launch a missile at the Nevatim Airbase, which is intercepted before making impact. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, NYT, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/26; AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, NYT, REU 4/27; AP 4/28; UNOCHA, UNOCHA 4/30)
More than 51,495 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 17,881 children and 12,749 women, and around 117,524 have been injured since 10/7/2023. In addition, 14,222 Palestinians who have been missing are presumed dead. 954 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 192 children. More than 8,000 people have been injured. Israel reports that 1,139 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,400 injured in Israel since 10/7/2023, including Israeli soldiers. In addition, 411 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 2,584 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. 92% of all housing units in Gaza have been destroyed or severely damaged since 10/7/2023. More than 2,062 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since 3/18. (WAFA 4/26)
The PLO Executive Committee approves PA president Mahmoud Abbas’s selection of PLO secretary-general Hussein al-Sheikh as the deputy chairperson of the PLO Executive Committee and deputy president of the State of Palestine. Hamas condemns the choice of al-Sheikh, calling it a “surrender to external dictates.” PA prime minister Mohammad Mustafa meets with Norwegian foreign minister Espen Barth Eide on the sidelines of Pope Francis’s funeral at the Vatican. (AJ, AP, AP, HA, HA, NYT, REU, WAFA, WAFA 4/26; AJ, HA 4/27)
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff hold a third round of indirect talks about Iran’s nuclear program in Muscat, Oman. (AJ, HA 4/26; AP 4/27)
The Spanish think tank Centre Delas says in a report that Spain has granted 46 contracts worth $1.2 billion to Israeli defense companies in 10/7/2023, despite pledges from Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez not to trade arms with Israel. (AJ, HA 4/26)
The public broadcasters from Iceland, Slovenia, and Spain call for Israel not to be allowed to participate in the Eurovision song contest. (HA 4/26)