In the West Bank, 1,500 Israeli settlers raid al-Mughayyir, shooting and killing a Palestinian man, injuring 25 others with gun shots and 10 by assault, burning down 21 homes, setting fire to 32 vehicles, stealing and killing 220 sheep, vandalizing 360 trees, and opening fire at Red Crescent vehicles in al-Mughayyir, causing damage; Israeli forces prevent medics from entering the town. Israeli settlers also raid Khirbet Abu Falah, shooting and injuring 4 Palestinians and setting fire to 12 cars, 5 motorcycles, and 4 greenhouses. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers throw stones at Palestinian vehicles near Jericho. Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian man and injure 2 others during a raid in al-Fara’a refugee camp. Israeli forces also shoot and kill a Palestinian man during a raid in Tubas and beat and arrest a Red Crescent medic. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shoot and injure a Palestinian man during a raid in al-Fandakumiya. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Nuseirat refugee camp, Gaza City, Maghazi, and Khan Yunis, killing at least 89 people, including 29 in a home in Gaza City. Israeli forces also shoot at Turkish State Television cameraperson Sami Shahada in Nuseirat refugee camp, causing injuries that require the amputation of his leg. Shahada was clearly marked as a journalist. 8 rockets are fired at Sderot; no injuries are reported. In Jaffa, an off-duty Israeli police officer shoots and kills a Palestinian citizen of Israel who works for USAID. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Ayta ash Shab and Taybeh. Hezbollah forces fire 50 rockets at the Golan Heights. (AJ, AJ, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/12; AJ, AP, AP, HA, NYT, NYT, WAFA 4/13; AJ, UNOCHA 4/15; HA 4/16; UNOCHA 4/17)
More than 33,634 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 14,520 children and 9,560 women, and around 76,214 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 7,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 452 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 112 children. More than 4,800 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, 259 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,561 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. At least 70,000 housing units have been destroyed and 290,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7/2023, constituting over 60% of all housing units. 208 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza. ANERA resumes operations in Gaza, saying that while it is not safe for its workers to operate in Gaza the workers want to resume work. (AJ, HA, WAFA, UNOCHA 4/12; UNOCHA 4/15)
The Israeli Supreme Court orders the eviction of 15 members of a Palestinian family in Silwan, saying their home belongs to the settler organization Ateret Cohanim. The family is ordered to leave their home before 6/1 and pay $1,340 in legal fees. The family has lived in the home since 1967. (HA, HA, PCN 4/16)
UNOCHA finds that Israel has erected 114 new obstacles to Palestinian movement in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including new checkpoints and placement of earth mounds, roadblocks, and road gates. (UNOCHA 4/12)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas speaks with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a phone call. (WAFA 4/12)
German police cancel the Palestine Congress, a pro-Palestine conference, shortly after it begins in Berlin, saying 1 of the speakers is banned from political activity in Germany. German authorities also detain Palestinian surgeon Ghassan Abu Sitta at Berlin airport before deporting him on the grounds of “the safety of the people at the conference and public order.” Abu Sitta, who was due to address the conference, is told he would violate German law if he participates in the conference from the UK via Zoom when he returns. Germany also informs former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis that he will not be allowed to visit Germany or participate via Zoom in the conference. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, REU 4/12; AJ 4/13)
Irish prime minister Simon Harris says Ireland is close to formally recognizing the State of Palestine along with Spain. Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Store says “Norway stands ready to recognize the state of Palestine” during a press conference with Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez. (AJ, AJ, HA, REU 4/12)
The Polish government says the killing of a Polish aid worker on 4/1 was murder and demands Israel support Poland’s investigation. (AJ 4/12)