In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attack a truck carrying flour in Beita, vandalizing its contents. Israeli settlers also set fire to agricultural lands in Sabastia and Bayt Dajan. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers erect settlement outposts near Deir Dibwan, al-‘Awja, and Karma. Israeli forces shoot and injure 2 Palestinian children near the separation wall in Jayyus. Israeli forces also shoot and injure a Palestinian woman during a raid in Qaffin. Elsewhere, Israeli forces raid Beit Fajjar, causing tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also notify residents of Nahalin and al-Jaba’ that Israel will seize 6 dunams (1.5 acres) of land. Meanwhile, Israeli forces arrest 18 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Bethlehem, Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron, and Jericho. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Jabalia refugee camp, Dayr al-Balah Gaza City, Beit Hanun, Rafah, Nuseirat refugee camp, and al-Faluja, killing at least 91 people, including at least 15 people at an aid storage facility in Dayr al-Balah. Israeli forces also assassinate Gaza National Security Forces assistant commander Diaa ad-Din ash-Shurafa in Gaza City and injure 4 others. Meanwhile, Israeli forces storm al-Awda Hospital in Jabalia after besieging it for 4 days, forcing medical staff to leave; 14 staff members and 11 patients remain at the hospital. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Nabatieh, killing Hezbollah commander Muhammad Nasser and injuring 3 students. (AJ, AP, HA, NYT, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/23)
More than 35,800 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 15,103 children and 10,000 women, and around 80,011 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 7,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 510 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 123 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, 286 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,776 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. Al-Aqsa Hospital warns that it will soon run out of fuel and have to stop providing care for 1,300 patients. (AJ, AP, HA, WAFA 5/23)
Israel agrees to perform on autopsy on the body of Dr. Adnan al-Bursh, who died in the Ofer Prison last month after being taken from Gaza by Israeli forces in December. The UN special rapporteur on torture Alice Jill Edwards calls on Israel to investigate allegations of cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment of Palestinians in Israeli prisons. ACRI, Physicians for Human Rights, HaMoked, the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, and Gisha petition the Israeli High Court of Justice to close the Sde Teiman detention camp, citing abuses including surgeries without anesthesia, prolonged stress positions, restraints leading to amputations, and keeping detainees in diapers. (AJ, HA, HA, REU, WAFA 5/23)
Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh meets with acting Iranian foreign minister Ali Bagheri in Tehran, discussing the situation in Gaza. Iran’s military says the preliminary investigation into the helicopter crash that killed President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian did not find any indication that the helicopter was shot down. (AJ, NYT 5/23; AP 5/24)
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel has a “clear, detailed, important, and even surprising plan” for Lebanon to achieve “safety in the north” of Israel and “to return the [Israeli] population to their homes safely.” (AJ, HA 5/23)
U.S. treasury secretary Janet Yellen expresses concern over Israeli plans to prevent Palestinian banks from receiving transfers from Israeli banks. President Joe Biden dodges a question on whether Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war and instead says that the ICC does not have jurisdiction over Israel. (AJ, HA, NYT, REU 5/23)
The ICJ announces it will deliver its ruling on the request for provisional measures sought by South Africa in the genocide case against Israel on 5/24. (AJ, AP, HA, HA, REU, WAFA 5/23)
U.S. House speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) announces that Prime Minister Netanyahu will address a joint session of Congress. Johnson did not say when it would happen. (HA 5/23; AJ, REU 5/24)
More than 100 human rights groups sign a letter to President Biden, urging him to support the independence of the ICC and oppose sanctions on the court and its officials. (AJ, AJ 5/23)