In the West Bank, Israeli settlers vandalize olive trees near Kafr ad-Dik. Israeli settlers also throw stones at and pepper spray Palestinian vehicles near Ramallah. Israeli forces continue raids in Jenin for the tenth day in a row, shooting and killing 2 Palestinians, injuring another, conducting 2 airstrikes that injure 3 women with shrapnel, and demolishing homes and infrastructure. Israeli forces also shoot and injure a Palestinian man in Nablus. Elsewhere, Israeli forces attack Palestinians waiting for friends and relatives to be released outside of Ofer Prison, shooting and injuring 3 with live ammunition and 3 with baton rounds, while 8 others suffer tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also shoot and injure 2 Palestinians during a raid in Kobar. Meanwhile, Israeli forces shoot and injure 2 Palestinian children in al-Khader. Israeli forces also shoot and injure a Palestinian man during a raid in al-Ubeidiya. Separately, Israeli forces shoot and injure a Palestinian man in Fawwar refugee camp. Israeli forces also punitively demolish the family home in Qalqilya of a Palestinian who was killed by Israeli forces in Tulkarm in August 2024. Elsewhere, Israeli forces detain 5 Palestinians and 3 international activists, including former EU Parliament vice president Luisa Morgantini in Khirbet al-Rakiz in the Masafer Yatta area. An Israeli soldier is killed and 5 are injured in Jenin. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 12 Palestinians for celebrating the release of Palestinian prisoners. (AJ, AJ, HA, HA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 1/30)
More than 47,460 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 17,818 children and 12,287 women, and around 111,580 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 11,000 people are missing in rubble. 893 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 179 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. UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres demands that 2,500 Palestinian children be evacuated from Gaza immediately to receive treatment for life-threatening injuries, adding that there should be guarantees that the children and their families are allowed to return. (AJ, HA, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA 1/30)
UNOCHA reports that almost all residents of Jenin refugee camp have been displaced in the past 2 months and that 150-180 homes have been severely damaged. (UNOCHA 1/30)
110 Palestinian prisoners, including 30 children, and 8 captives, 3 Israelis and 5 Thai nationals, are exchanged as part of the ceasefire deal. 20 of the Palestinians released are exiled from Palestine. The release of the Palestinians is delayed by Israel for several hours as Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims that the release of some of the Israelis was too chaotic. Among the released prisoners is former Al-Aqsa Brigades leader and former theater director Zakaria Zubeidi, who was 1 of 6 Palestinians to escape Gilboa Prison in 2021. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AP, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA 1/30; AP, HA 1/31)
Hamas announces that its military commander Mohammed Deif, deputy military commander Marwan Issa, and 4 other leading military figures have died since 10/7/2023. The PFLP issues a statement mourning Deif, calling him a “great national leader.” (AJ, AJ, HA, NYT, REU 1/30)
The Israeli law banning UNRWA from operating in Israel and East Jerusalem and from contact with Israeli officials takes effect. UNRWA says its clinics will remain open in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The UK, France, and Germany issue a joint statement expressing “grave concern” over Israel’s implementation of the law. (AJ, AJ, AP, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 1/30; AJ, REU, REU 1/31)
The Lebanese health ministry says Israel has bombed 38 Lebanese hospitals in 68 attacks since 10/7/2023. 8 of the hospital have been closed due to the damage while 7 are partially operational. (AJ 1/30)
U.S. president Donald Trump responds to a question about Egypt and Jordan’s public refusal to take in forcibly displaced Palestinians from Gaza by saying “they will do it. They are going to do it. We do a lot for them, and they are going to do it.” Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff says it will take more than 10 years to rebuild Gaza. Witkoff also says that there “is almost nothing left of Gaza” and says that he is stunned by the damage he saw on his tour of the Netzarim Corridor yesterday. (AJ, HA, REU 1/30)
The U.S. based security firm UG Solutions sends out emails seeking to recruit around 100 former U.S. special forces soldiers to be stationed in Gaza. The company offers a starting daily rate of $1,100. (REU 1/30)