In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set fire to olive trees, a vehicle, and a scrapyard in Yatma. Israeli settlers also attack Palestinian property, vandalizing water pipes and water tanks in the Masafer Yatta area. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers raid al-Khader, spraying racist graffiti on buildings. Israeli settlers also throw stones at Palestinian homes in Khirbat al-Lawz. Israeli forces raid the Tubas governorate for the second day in a row, shooting and killing a Palestinian UNRWA employee during a raid in al-Fara’a refugee camp, assaulting another person, and raiding Tubas city. Israeli forces also shoot and injure 4 Palestinians during a raid in nearby Tammun. Elsewhere, Israeli forces raid the Tulkarm governorate for the third day in a row, causing damage while preventing the Red Crescent from reaching casualties in Tulkarm city. Israeli forces also raid Nur Shams refugee camp, causing damage. Local sources say Israeli forces have demolished 10 homes in the governorate in the past 2 days. Meanwhile, Israeli forces raid Dahariya, injuring 5 Palestinians with live ammunition, including a child. Israeli forces also shoot and injure a Palestinian woman during a raid in Qalqilya. Separately, Israeli forces dressed as civilian women raid a medical facility in Halhul, arresting 2 Palestinians. Israeli forces also issue a military order, seizing 0.2 acres of land in Umm al-Khair. Israeli forces demolish a home and commercial structure in Hebron, a home in al-Walaja, and a house under construction in Deir Balut. Elsewhere, Israeli forces arrest 40 Palestinians during late-night raids, most of them in the Hebron and Tubas governorates. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers tour the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Rafah, Jabalia refugee camp, Gaza City, Khan Yunis, al-Bureij refugee camp, and Nuseirat refugee camp, killing at least 34 people. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Kfar Jouz, killing 3 people, including a child. Hezbollah forces fire rockets at an Israeli military outpost in Bayad Blida. In Syria, Israeli forces bomb Khan Arnabeh, killing 2 people. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/12; AJ, WAFA 9/13)
More than 41,118 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 16,456 children and 11,088 women, and around 95,125 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 10,000 people are missing in rubble. 693 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 149 children. More than 5,420 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, 342 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 2,271 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. The WHO says more than 22,500 Palestinians in Gaza have sustained life-changing injuries. (AJ, HA, WAFA, WAFA 9/12)
UNOCHA says 4,594 Palestinians have been displaced in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, between 10/7/2023 and 7/31/2024, including 1,596 due to destruction of their property in Israeli raids, 1,510 from settler violence and access restrictions, 1,301 due to lack of permit demolitions, and 180 due to punitive demolitions. (UNOCHA 9/12)
The UN Trade and Development agency (UNCTAD) releases a report, saying Gaza’s economy has contracted to a sixth of its 2022 size and that 80% of businesses have been damaged or destroyed. UNCTAD also estimates that rebuilding Gaza would cost in the “high tens of billions or even more.” (AJ, AJ, AP 9/12; WAFA 9/13)
PA prime minister Mohammad Mustafa writes an op-ed in the Washington Post saying the PA is “ready to resume responsibility for the Gaza Strip, leading efforts to fully integrate governance across both it and the West Bank” after a permanent ceasefire is implemented. Mustafa describes the initiative as the “One Palestine” vision and calls on the international community to help with Gaza’s recovery. He says the Palestinian government governing Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem will be nonpartisan, responsive, transparent, and accountable. He mentions 5 pillars for the PA’s “day-after” plan for Gaza: 1) relief and early recovery to restore essential services which will be done in support of UNRWA and other UN agencies and international partners; 2) reconstruction and long-term recovery which requires the PA to set up an independent agency to lead and manage the reconstruction of Gaza; 3) security, rule of law, and border control, which require integrating security forces and police from both before and after Hamas took control of Gaza in coordination with local municipal councils and border control that is managed by the PA but with help from international actors; 4) integration of institutions and the civil service by setting up an interim leadership for government institutions in Gaza; and 5) restoring local government functions by appointing local figures to municipal and local councils that will oversee local projects before local and government elections can be held. (AJ, WP 9/12)
The Israeli government tells the High Court of Justice that it is not obliged to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza because it does not maintain “effective control” over Gaza. (HA 9/12)
U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken says the U.S. continues to raise protection of humanitarian sites with Israel after Israel killed 6 UNRWA staff at a school shelter on 9/11. The State Department approves the sale of heavy-duty tank trailers worth $164.6 million to Israel. U.S. ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield says at the Council of Foreign Relations that she does “not believe the Palestinians, as they exist right now, have all the elements to give it statehood.” (AJ, AP, AP, HA, NYT, REU, USUN 9/12; AJ 9/13)
Turkish justice minister Yilmaz Tunc says Turkey has opened an investigation into the Israeli killing of the American Turkish activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi on 9/6. The PA autopsy report from Eygi’s body says she was killed by a direct hit, conforming with eyewitness accounts but contradicting the Israeli narrative that she was “hit indirectly.” (AJ, AP, HA, NYT, WAFA 9/12; AJ 9/13)
The UN Security Council convenes to discuss the Israeli attack on al-Jaouni school in Nuseirat refugee camp on 9/11 in which 6 UNRWA staffers were killed. (WAFA 9/13)
Human Rights Watch calls on governments to impose sanctions on Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir for distributing weapons to settlers and directing Israeli police not to enforce laws against violent settlers in the West Bank. (AJ 9/13)