In the West Bank, a Palestinian man succumbs to injuries sustained from Israeli forces during a raid on Jenin on 7/5. Israeli settlers vandalize olive trees in Burqa. Israeli forces shoot and injure 2 Palestinians, including a child, during a raid in Beit Furik. Israeli forces also raid al-Bireh and Abwein, firing tear gas at Palestinians protesting the raids. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolish 3 agricultural structures in Jalamah, a home in Kafr ad-Dik, and a home in Ein ad-Duyuk at-Tahta. Israeli forces also begin construction of a new settler road near Kardala. Meanwhile, Israeli forces arrest 25 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Jenin, Hebron, Bethlehem, Nablus, Qalqilya, and Ramallah, and 2 American activists in Qusra. In East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities force a Palestinian family to demolish their own home in Sur Baher. Israeli settlers tour the Haram al-Sharif compound. Israeli forces demolish a commercial structure in Wadi al-Juz. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Gaza City, Jabalia refugee camp, Khan Yunis, Nuseirat refugee camp, and Maghazi, killing at least 55 people. Israeli forces also continue to besiege and assault Jabalia refugee camp for the 11th day in a row. In Yibna (Yavne), an Israeli police officer is shot and killed, and 4 others are injured. The attacker, who is shot and killed, is not identified. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Riyaq, Qana, Toul, Kafr Jouz, Jarhouh, Jennata, and Nabatieh, killing at least 41 people. Hezbollah forces fire rockets at Safed. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/15; HA 10/16; UNOCHA 10/17)
More than 42,344 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 17,000 children and 11,487 women, and around 99,013 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 10,000 people are missing in rubble. 742 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 155 children. More than 6,315 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, 353 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 2,345 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. (AJ, UNOCHA, WAFA 10/15)
The WHO says it has restarted the polio vaccination campaign in Gaza, providing the second dose of the vaccine to nearly 100,000 children. (AP, WAFA 10/15; AJ10/16)
A letter from U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer from 10/13 is made public. In the letter, the U.S. government gives Israel 30 days to comply with U.S. law and allow humanitarian assistance in Gaza or face legal consequences relating to U.S. military aid. The 30 day period would expire after the U.S. presidential election and there has been speculation that this timing is deliberate. Senator Bernie Sanders reiterates that he will bring legislation to Congress, when it reconvenes, to end offensive weapons sales to Israel but urges President Biden to end the sales now, saying “Israel is clearly violating U.S. and international law, using starvation as a toll of its all-out war against the Palestinian people.” EU high commissioner for foreign affairs Josep Borrell questions why the U.S. would give Israel 30 days to comply, when Israel should be complying immediately to save lives. (AJ, AJ, AP, AX, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, REU 10/15; AX, NYT 10/16; AJ, AJ, REU, WAFA 10/17)
UN humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza Sigrid Kaag visits south and central Gaza. (AJ 10/15)
Lebanese prime minister Najib Mikati tells Al Jazeera that he has been provided with assurances from the U.S. that Israel will reduce the attacks on Beirut and its suburbs. Hezbollah deputy secretary-general Naim Qassem says a ceasefire is the best solution for Lebanon and Gaza. The UN says 25% of Lebanon is under Israeli evacuation orders. (AJ, HA, REU 10/15)
French president Emmanuel Macron speaks with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to the Israeli readout of the conversation, Netanyahu tells Macron that Israel will not accept “any arrangement” that does not allow Israel to attack Hezbollah until it cannot threaten people in northern Israel. (AJ, HA, REU 10/15)
The U.S. and Canada impose sanctions on the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Network. The U.S. Treasury Department calls Samidoun “a sham charity that serves as an international fundraiser” for the PFLP. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA 10/15)
The UK announces sanctions on the settler groups Od Yosef Chai Yeshiva, Hashomer Yosh, Torat Lechima, and Amana, and on the settlement outposts Tirzah Valley Farm Outpost, Meitarim Outpost, and Shuvi Eretz Outpost. (AJ, HA, HA, REU, WAFA 10/15)
Columbia University temporarily suspends Israeli assistant professor Shai Davidai for harassing employees at the university. There have been calls for Davidai to be fired from the university for the past year due to his campaign of harassment and intimidation of pro-Palestine students and faculty on campus. (AJ, HA 10/16)