In the West Bank, Israeli forces fire tear gas at Palestinian shepherds in al-Fardis, forcing them to flee. Israeli forces also assault and arrest a Palestinian child in al-Khader. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolish 4 Palestinians homes in al-Jiftlik, a home in Furush Beit Dajan, and a home under construction in Bayt Ta’mer. Israeli forces also seal the doors to the old municipal building in Hebron. Meanwhile, Israeli forces arrest 34 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Ya’bad, Jenin refugee camp, Nablus, ‘Asira al-Qibliya, Hebron, and Bethlehem. A Palestinian family demolishes their 4 shops in Nahalin to avoid paying Israeli demolition fees. An Israeli soldier dies of injuries sustained during a raid in Tulkarm on 5/4. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Rafah, Nuseirat refugee camp, Khan Yunis, and Gaza City, killing at least 55 people. In the Naqab, Israeli authorities begin demolishing 47 homes in Umm Batin. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Kafr Kila, Ayta ash Shaab, Khiam, Maroun al-Ras, Hula, Jibbain, Tayr Harfa, and Aitaroun. Hezbollah says 2 of its fighters were killed in Israeli bombings, while Islamic Jihad says 3 of its fighters were killed. Hezbollah forces attack Metula, Manara, Malkia, and Shlomi, killing an Israeli soldier in Malkia. (AJ, AP, HA, HA, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA. WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/8; AJ, AP, HA 5/9; UNOCHA 5/10)
More than 34,884 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 14,520 children and 10,000 women, and around 78,404 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 10,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 487 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 117 children. More than 5,000 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, 266 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,610 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 79,000 housing units have been destroyed and 370,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7/2023. Israel allows a fuel truck to enter Gaza via the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing before closing the crossing again. Israeli claims the crossing, which has been closed since 5/5, is open again but humanitarian agencies deny the claim. UNRWA secretary-general Philippe Lazzarini says Israel must reopen the crossings to allow aid and fuel into Gaza, saying aid trucks, hospitals, and water pumps will stop functioning. The WHO says hospitals in southern Gaza will run out of fuel in 3 days. Al-Helal Al-Emirati Maternity Hospital stops receiving new patients. The hospital has been handling 85 out of 180 new births in Gaza each day. The Mohammed Yousef El-Najjar Hospital in Rafah shuts down after all staff evacuate the hospital. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AP, HA, NYT, NYT, REU, NYT, REU, REU, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/8; AP, AP, REU 5/9)
49 Palestinian bodies are uncovered in a mass grave at al-Shifa Hospital. The total number of bodies discovered in mass graves at the Kamal Adwan, Nasser, and al-Shifa hospitals now stands at 520. Hamas calls on international organizations to document the crimes related to the mass graves and submit their findings to the ICC and other courts. (AJ, HA, WAFA 5/8; AP 5/9)
Hamas political bureau member Izzat al-Risheq says Israel is using the ceasefire talks as a cover to invade Rafah and that Hamas will not compromise any further than it has already done so in accepting the ceasefire proposal. (AJ, REU, REU 5/8)
PA prime minister Mohammad Mustafa meets with Dutch foreign minister Hanke Bruins-Slot in Ramallah, discussing Israel’s withholding of aid to the PA and the situation in Gaza. PA ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour sends letters to the UN secretary-general and the presidents of the General Assembly and Security Council, urging immediate intervention against Israel’s war on Gaza and invasion of Rafah. (WAFA, WAFA 5/8)
Human Rights Watch says in a report that in 4 separate cases Israeli forces shot and killed 8 Palestinians in the West Bank that posed no security threat between July 2022 and October 2023. The report also states that Israel killed more than twice as many Palestinians in the West Bank in 2023, 492, including 120 children, than in any other year since systematic data started being collected in 2005, further warning that the kill rate is higher in 2024 so far. (AJ, AP, HRW 5/8)
U.S. president Joe Biden tells CNN that he is withholding large payload munitions from being transferred to Israel, but that he will still supply Israel with defensive weaponry, including Iron Dome interceptor rockets, saying “I made it clear that if they go into Rafah, they have not gone in Rafah yet, if they go into Rafah, I am not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities, that deal with that problem.” House speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) send a letter to Biden expressing “alarm” over the pause in weapons shipments to Israel. The J Street lobbying group express support for Biden’s decision. Axios reports that Israeli officials have threatened their American counterparts that the withholding of military aid could jeopardize the ceasefire negotiations. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller calls Israeli MK Tali Gotliv’s comment that Israeli will use “inaccurate missiles” to create more damage in Gaza “deplorable.” (AJ, AJ, AX, AX, AX, AX, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU, REU 5/8; AJ, AP, HA, HA, HA, HA, REU, REU, REU, REU, REU 5/9; AP, AX, HA, REU 5/10)
CIA director Bill Burns arrives in Israel, meeting with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mossad director David Barnea. Burns returns to Cairo after the meeting. (AJ, AP, HA, NYT 5/8; AJ, AP 5/9)
Qatar and the UAE condemn Israel’s bombardment and invasion of Rafah, calling for international intervention. Indonesia, the OIC, and the African Union also condemn the attack. Tunisia “calls upon all the free people of the world to stand united against the genocide and forced displacement being carried out by the Zionist occupation forces.” WHO director-general Tedros Ghebreyesus says a “ceasefire is needed urgently for the sake of humanity.” (AJ, AJ, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/8)
Haaretz reports that on 5/2 Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu proposed to the war cabinet that Israel start its Rafah invasion as soon as possible, as Israeli officials had assessed that Hamas was close to agreeing to a ceasefire deal. The war cabinet reportedly rejected the idea. (HA 5/8)
Ireland’s national broadcaster RTE News reports that Ireland, Spain, Malta, and Slovenia are considering making a joint announcement on 5/21 to recognize the State of Palestine. (AJ, HA, REU 5/9)
Data for Progress and Zeteo release a new poll showing that a plurality of all respondents think Israel is carrying out genocide in Gaza, including 56% of Democrats. 70% of all respondents support a permanent ceasefire, including a majority of Republican voters. (AJ 5/8)
Police in Washington D.C. clear the encampment at the George Washington University, arresting around 30 people. Dutch police arrest 32 protesters at an encampment at the University of Amsterdam. Students at Trinity College in Dublin end their protest after the university meets their demand to divest from Israeli companies that have activities in the occupied territories and appear on the UN blacklist. Xavier University in Louisiana cancels the commencement speech that was supposed to be delivered by U.S. ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield. (AJ, AJ, HA, REU 5/8; AJ, AP, AP 5/9; NYT 5/10)
Switzerland resumes funding for UNRWA, contributing $11 million earmarked for operations in Gaza, which is half what the country originally had pledged to the agency. (AJ, WAFA 5/8)