In the West Bank, Israeli settlers assault a Palestinian woman in Artas, causing fractures. Israeli settlers also assault a Palestinian street vendor in Bizarya. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers set fire to a house in Duma. Israeli settlers also set fire to farmland, damaging 21 olive trees. Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian man and injure a child during a raid in Balata refugee camp. Israeli forces also assault a Palestinian man during a raid in al-Arroub refugee camp. Elsewhere, Israeli forces assault a Palestinian man in ‘Azzun. Israeli forces also demolish a home in Beit Umar, displacing 6 people. Meanwhile, Israeli forces demolish 3 homes under construction in an-Nuway’imah. Israeli forces also arrest 28 Palestinians during raids in and around Bethlehem, Jenin, Ramallah, Qalqilya, Hebron, and Jericho. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Gaza City, Jabalia refugee camp, Beit Lahiya, Dayr al-Balah, al-Bureij refugee camp, and Nuseirat refugee camp, killing at least 63 people, including senior DFLP member Talal Abu Zarifa in Gaza City. The Israeli military expands operations in Jabalia refugee camp, the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, Beit Lahiya, and Beit Hanun after ordering Palestinians to evacuate those areas. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Ramyah. Hezbollah forces fire rockets at al-Malkiyya and Shebaa Farms. (AJ, HA, HA, HA, NYT, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/12; AJ 5/13; UNOCHA 5/15)
More than 35,034 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 14,520 children and 10,000 women, and around 78,755 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 10,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 488 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, 271 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. Doctors Without Borders leave the Indonesian Hospital in Rafah due to the Israeli invasion. (HA, WAFA 5/12; AJ, AP 5/14)
Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh meets with Turkish National Intelligence Organization director Ibrahim Kalin in Doha. (AJ 5/12)
The PA requests that the Arab League reactivates its monthly safety net fund in support of Palestine to keep the PA funded, as Israel continues to withhold the PA’s tax revenue, and announces that public sector employees will only receive 50% of their salaries for April. The PA also says that Israeli forces have destroyed or damaged 226 buildings in the West Bank since April 1, the vast majority of which were in Qusra, Duma, Nur Shams refugee camp, and the Ramallah area. Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa meets with a delegation from the World Bank, discussing relief efforts in Gaza and the West Bank. (AJ, REU, WAFA 5/12)
Addameer calls on the ICC to investigate Israeli war crimes against Palestinian detainees, including systematic torture. (AJ 5/12)
Egypt says it will formally join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the ICJ. Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry says there is a lack of political will to reach a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. (AJ, AJ, HA, HA, WAFA 5/12; HA 5/13; AJ 5/16)
U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken says the U.S. could expand its withholding of military aid to Israel if Israel escalates its invasion of Rafah without a clear plan to protect civilians. Blinken also speaks with Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant, saying the U.S. opposes “a major operation in Rafah.” (AJ, HA, NYT, NYT 5/12; AJ 5/13)
Cambridge University’s Trinity College withdraws its investments from all arms manufactures, complying with demands from pro-Palestine protesters. Pro-Palestine student protesters at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore dismantle their encampment after the university pledges to review its ties with Israel. (AJ 5/12; AJ 5/13)
Donors pledge more than $2 billion in aid to Gaza during a conference in Kuwait. (AJ 5/12)