In the West Bank, Israeli settlers and soldiers assault Palestinian shepherds in Nahalin, causing injuries. Israeli settlers also graze their sheep on Palestinian crops in Wadi al-Faw. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers set fire to a mosque and a tractor in Arab al-Milehat. Israeli forces bomb Jenin and Qabatiya, killing 5 Palestinians, including a child and a Palestinian who was exchanged in a prisoner swap during the November 2023 Gaza ceasefire, during the 12th day of raids in the city and its refugee camp. Israeli forces also continue raiding Tulkarm for the sixth day in a row, shooting and killing a Palestinian man and demolishing homes and shops. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shoot and injure a Palestinian man during a raid in Beit Furik. Israeli forces also open fire at a Palestinian vehicle near Halhul, no injuries are reported. Meanwhile, Israeli forces steal equipment from 2 Palestinian journalists covering damage to Palestinian crops near Beit Umar. Israeli forces also force shops to close in Huwwara. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian teacher and prevents him from distributing PA textbooks at a school in the Old City. Israeli authorities force a Palestinian family to demolish their own home in Umm Tuba. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/1; AJ, AJ, WAFA 2/2; AP, HA 2/3)
More than 47,487 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 17,818 children and 12,287 women, and around 111,588 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 11,000 people are missing in rubble. 899 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 180 children. More than 6,500 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, 408 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 2,485 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. (AJ, WAFA 2/1)
The Rafah crossing is reopened for the first time in 9 months for medical evacuations; 37 Palestinians, including 34 children, and 39 companions are evacuated today. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, NYT 2/1)
183 Palestinians prisoners, including 111 who have been abducted from Gaza after 10/7/2023, are exchanged for 3 Israeli captives. The Red Cross criticizes the Israeli handling of the release of Palestinian prisoners, saying they were shackled above their heads and wearing bracelets that had text saying, “Eternity does not forget.” The Palestinian Prisoners Society says the released prisoners bear signs of starvation, medical crimes, beatings, and scabies infections. Israeli defense minister Israel Katz writes a message on X to Zakaria Zubeidi, who was released on 1/30, saying “One mistake and you’ll meet old friends.” (AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AX, HA, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU, WAFA, WAFA 2/1)
The PA, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, and the Arab League issue a joint statement rejecting U.S. president Donald Trump’s call for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza, saying “[w]e affirm our rejection of [any attempts] to compromise Palestinians’ unalienable rights, whether through settlement activities, or evictions or annex of land or through vacating the land from its owners.” The statement follows a meeting between the foreign ministers of Jordan, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt, as well as Arab League secretary-general Ahmed Aboul Gheit and PLO secretary-general Hussein al-Sheikh in Cairo. (AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AX, HA, NYT, REU, WAFA, WAFA 2/1; HA 2/3)
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu appoints Eyal Zamir to replace Herzi Halevi as the new military chief of staff. Herzi Halevi said he would leave the position in March when he resigned in January. (AJ, HA, HA, REU 2/1; HA 2/2)
President Trump speaks with Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, discussing the Gaza ceasefire. The White House says in a statement that el-Sisi expressed confidence that Trump “could usher in a golden age of Middle East peace.” (AJ, AX, HA, REU 2/1)