In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set fire to an agricultural structure near Yatta. Israeli settlers also steal a residential tent, a water tank, and other belongings during a raid in Khirbet Humsa. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers injure several sheep during a raid near Kisan. Israeli forces continue raids in Jenin and Jenin refugee camp for the 35th day in a row, Palestinians in the camp report that Israel appears to be preparing to stay in the camp long term. Israeli forces also raid Tulkarm, Tulkarm refugee camp, and Nur Shams refugee camp for the 29th day in a row, razing infrastructure. Elsewhere, Israeli forces assault a Palestinian and seize a vehicle in Sa’ir. Israeli forces also shoot and injure a Palestinian child and demolish an agricultural facility in Qabatiya with explosives. Meanwhile, Israeli forces violently disperse Palestinians during a raid in al-Khader, causing tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also vandalize Palestinian vehicles during a raid in Beita. Separately, Israeli forces arrest 16 Palestinians during raids in and around Silwad, Nablus, Sa’ir, Surda, Beit Rima, and Kobar. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers tour the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb 2 sites in Gaza, claiming that rockets were fired from them. South of Hebron, Israeli forces demolish al-Araqeeb village for the 236th time since 2010. In Haifa, Israeli police arrest Palestinian comedian Nidal Badarny on charges of “mocking” Israeli captives. Badarny is released later in the evening. (AJ, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/24; AJ, HA, UNOCHA 2/25)
More than 48,346 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 17,881 children and 12,749 women, and around 111,759 have been injured since 10/7/2023. In addition, 14,222 Palestinians who have been missing are presumed dead. 918 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 186 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 2,579 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. UNICEF says 547,200 children have been vaccinated for polio on the third day of the vaccination campaign. (AJ, WAFA 2/24)
The Palestinian Prisoners Society says Musab Haniyeh, a 35-year-old from Gaza, died in an Israeli prison in January, despite having no prior health problems. Haniyeh was brought to Israel from Gaza on 3/3/2024. The organization also says that Israel is not providing adequate clothing and bedding for the harsh winter conditions in Ofer Prison and that Israel has arrested 365 Palestinians during the past 35 days during raids in Jenin and Tulkarm. It calls for an international investigation into Israeli “executions” of Palestinian prisoners, saying at least 59 Palestinians have died from “systematic torture” in Israeli prisons and detention camps since 10/7/2023. (AJ, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/24; AJ 2/25)
The Jenin municipality says Israel has demolished around 120 homes in Jenin refugee camp. The Red Cross expresses concern over the displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank, saying Palestinians urgently need humanitarian aid. Islamic Jihad says Israel’s mass evacuations and deployment of tanks to the West Bank “confirms the occupation’s plans to annex the West Bank by force.” Brazil issues a statement calling on Israel to stop raids in the West Bank, condemning the use of tanks and the displacement of 40,000 Palestinians from refugee camps. (HA, NYT 2/24)
Hamas head of foreign relations Mousa Abu Marzouk tells the New York Times that Hamas’s political leadership was not aware of the specific plans for the attack on 10/7/2023 but that they had endorsed the overall strategy of attacking Israel militarily. (NYT 2/24)
Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar attends the first EU-Israel Association Council meeting in more than 12 years, meeting with the foreign minister of 20 EU countries. Before the meeting, Saar meets with EU high commissioner for foreign affairs Kaja Kallas, who says the EU is “watching developments and cannot hide our concern when it comes to the West Bank,” and that the EU supports the PA returning to Gaza, supports the return of all displaced Palestinians to Gaza, and supports the 2-state solution. Saar says at the press conference with Kallas that he does not want EU-Israel relations to be “held hostage” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (AJ, HA, REU 2/24)
Israel bars the Irish and French EU parliamentarians Lynn Boylan and Rima Hassan from entering Israel. Boylan says in a statement that “Europe must now hold Israel to account.” Boylan had planned to meet with PA officials and members of civil society organizations. Israeli interior minister Moshe Arbel says Hassan is barred because she “consistently works to promote boycotts against Israel in addition to numerous public statements both on social media and in media interviews.” The PA calls the Israeli decision “outrageous,” saying Israel is preventing EU officials from witnessing the atrocities it commits against Palestinians. (AJ, HA, HA, WAFA 2/24; AP, HA, WAFA 2/25)
Israel says that CDU leader Friedreich Merz, who is set to be chancellor after his party won the most votes in the German elections, invited prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Germany during a phone call. Merz says “I have promised myself that we will find a way to ensure that he [Netanyahu] can visit Germany and leave again without being arrested.” The ICC says Germany is legally obligated to arrest Netanyahu, saying it cannot “unilaterally determine the soundness of the court’s legal decisions.” (AJ, AJ, HA, REU 2/24)
Reuters and the Washington Post report that the Trump administration has rescinded orders that require the government to report potential violations of international law by U.S. allies involving U.S.-supplied weapons. (HA, HA 2/24; AJ, AJ 2/25)
The American organization Democracy for the Arab World Now asks the ICC to investigate former U.S. president Joe Biden, former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and former Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin for “their assessorial roles in aiding and abetting, as well as intentionally contributing to, Israeli war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.” (AJ 2/24)
Danish police arrests 20 people and violently disperses protesters outside of the Maersk headquarters in Copenhagen. Protesters, including climate activist Greta Thunberg, were demonstrating against Maersk transporting weapons and weapon components to Israel. (AJ 2/24)