In the West Bank, Israeli settlers raid and vandalize a Palestinian home in Beit Kahil and set up an outpost near the town. Israeli forces continue raids in Jenin and Jenin refugee camp for the 38th day in a row, shooting and injuring 2 Palestinians, including a doctor. Israeli forces also raid Tulkarm, Tulkarm refugee camp, and Nur Shams refugee camp for the 32nd day in a row. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian man and injure a child in Balata refugee camp. Israeli forces also shoot and injure a Palestinian man in Bayt Rima. Meanwhile, Israeli forces shoot, injure, and arrest a Palestinian man during a raid in Qusra. Israeli forces also demolish a restaurant and sports facilities in Nahalin. Separately, Israeli forces issue notices that Israel will seize 5 dunams (1.25 acres) of land near Tammun. PA forces arrest Tulkarm Battalion commander Kamal al-Khatib in Nur Shams refugee camp. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Rafah, injuring a child. Between Haifa and Tel Aviv, Israeli police shoot and kill a Palestinian man after he allegedly rammed and injured 13 people at a bus stop. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Deir Qanoun and Hermel, killing 1 person and injuring another in Hermel. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/27)
More than 48,365 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 17,881 children and 12,749 women, and around 111,780 have been injured since 10/7/2023. In addition, 14,222 Palestinians who have been missing are presumed dead. 922 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. (AJ, UNOCHA 2/27)
Fatah secretary-general Jibril Rajoub meets with Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan in Ankara, discussing Palestinian reconciliation. (AJ 2/27)
Egypt says negotiations for the second stage of the Gaza ceasefire have begun in Cairo. Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar says an Israeli delegation has traveled to Egypt to see if there is common ground to negotiate an extension of the first phase. Former War Cabinet member Benny Gantz says Prime Minister Netanyahu is dragging out phase one for his own “political interests.” Defense Minister Israel Katz says Israel will not leave the Philadelphi Corridor and will keep it as a buffer zone. Katz also says that the U.S. has approved Israeli plans to occupy parts of Syria, beyond the Golan Heights, and southern Lebanon indefinitely. (AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AP, HA, NYT, REU 2/27; AJ 2/28)
The GCC condemns the Israeli airstrikes on Syria on 2/25. (AJ 2/27)
Israeli environmental protection minister Idit Sliman and Israeli MKs, including Itamar Ben-Gvir, take part in Gaza resettlement conference in Jerusalem. Sliman calls for the “full transfer” of Palestinians from Gaza. Ben-Gvir says that “everyone knows I was right regarding encouraging emigration” from Gaza. (AJ, HA 2/27)