In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops open fire on stone-collectors close to the border fence nr. Bayt Hanun, wounding 1. Separately, IDF troops shoot and wound 1 Palestinian close to the border fence nr. Jabaliya r.c. In the West Bank, the IDF leaves confiscation notices in lands nr. al-Khadir, amounting to 984 dunams. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Hebron in the morning, and in 1 village nr. Qalqilya in the afternoon; patrols in 2 villages nr. Salfit, 1 village nr. Ramallah and in Qalqilya in the morning, in Salfit and 1 village nr. Qalqilya in the afternoon, and in Jericho and 1 village nr. Qalqilya at night. In East Jerusalem, U.S. Reps. Bill Johnson (R-OH) and David McKinley (R-WV) join Jewish activists touring Haram al-Sharif. (MNA 4/10; PCHR 4/17)
State Dept. spokesperson Jen Psaki says that U.S. officials and Israeli and Palestinian negotiators remain “in intensive” discussions, with the gaps “narrowing” and the goal being “to determine what the path forward is for these negotiations.” She also says that U.S. Special Envoy Indyk, who meets again with both sides, would return to Washington for consultations, before returning again to the region. Meanwhile, an anonymous Israeli official says that the govt. will deduct debt payments from tax transfers destined for the PA, and limit its bank deposits in Israel. PA Pres. Abbas meets with EU foreign affairs chief Ashton in Cairo to discuss the latest developments and the outcome of the recent Arab League emergency meeting. (HA, MNA, REU, YA, WAFA 4/10)