In the West Bank, Israeli settlers destroy 15 residential structures in Juret al-Khiel near Sa’ir. Israeli settlers also open fire at an electricity transformer in Yasuf, causing power outages. Israeli forces shoot and injure a Palestinian man in Halhul. Israeli forces also assault a Palestinian man during a raid in Tell. Elsewhere, Israeli forces ram and injure 4 Palestinians near ‘Azmut. Israeli forces also fire tear gas at a school in al-Khader, causing tear-gas related injuries. Meanwhile, Israeli forces fire tear gas at Palestinians during a raid in Husan. Israeli forces also raze a tract of land in al-Zawiya. Separately, Israeli forces seize a vehicle during a raid in al-Karmil. Israeli forces also arrest 6 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Nablus, Qalqilya, Tubas, Ramallah, and Jerusalem. 2 missiles landing near Qalqilya injure 2 Palestinians; it is unclear whether the missiles were fired from Lebanon or were Israeli interceptors. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers tour the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Jabalia refugee camp, Beit Lahiya, Gaza City, Nuseirat refugee camp, Dayr al-Balah, and Rafah, killing at least 74 people. An Israeli drone strike hits an UNRWA vehicle in Dayr al-Balah, killing 2 people. Israeli forces also target and injure 3 members of the Civil Defense in Jabalia refugee camp, forcing the organization to halt its operations in the camp. An Israeli quadcopter shoots and kills the northern Gaza municipal police director Mazen al-Kahlout near al-Yaman al-Saeed Hospital in Jabalia. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Beirut, Tyre, Khiam, Baalbek, Jibchit, Jouaiya, and Qana, killing 28 people and destroying at least 6 buildings in 11 airstrikes on Beirut’s suburbs. Hezbollah forces launch rockets and drones at Tel Aviv and a military base in Haifa; no injuries are reported. 5 Israeli soldiers are killed in southern Lebanon. (AJ, AP, HA, NYT, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/23; AJ 10/24)
More than 42,792 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 17,000 children and 11,487 women, and around 100,412 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 10,000 people are missing in rubble. 760 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 166 children. More than 6,500 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, 356 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 2,363 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 polio vaccination campaign in northern Gaza is halted. The WHO says the security situation relating to the Israeli siege and bombardment of the area is making it impossible to have children in northern Gaza arrive safely at vaccination points. The Gaza Media Office says that at least 770 people have been killed and more than 1,000 wounded during Israel’s 19-day siege of Jabalia refugee camp. (AJ, AP, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA 10/23; AJ 10/24)
Hamas political bureau member Mousa Abu Marzouk meets with Russian deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov in Moscow, discussing Palestinian reconciliation. Marzouk is reportedly asking Russia to push the PA to begin negotiations for a national unity government. (HA, REU 10/23; AJ, HA, REU 10/24)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas meets with Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan. In a declaration, the BRICS countries reaffirm their support for full UN membership for the State of Palestine. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/23)
UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres says civilians in the besieged North Gaza governorate must be protected as required under international law. (AJ 10/23)
The Israeli military claims that 6 Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza are members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Al Jazeera denounces the claim as “unfounded” and says the accusations are “a blatant attempt to silence the few remaining journalist in the region,” calling the purported evidence fabricated. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims that Israel has uncovered Hezbollah plans to invade it. U.S. secretary of defense Lloyd Austin says the U.S. has not seen evidence that supports Israel’s claim that Hezbollah is hiding cash and gold underneath the Sahel Hospital in Beirut. Austin also speaks with Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant, expressing concern over Israeli attacks on Lebanese forces. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, NYT, REU, REU 10/23; AJ 10/24)
Hezbollah confirms the head of its Executive Council Hashem Safieddine has died. Safieddine, who was the presumed successor to secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah, reportedly died in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut on 10/3. (AJ, AP, HA, REU 10/23)
German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock arrives in Lebanon. In a post on X she claims that Hezbollah is using human shields. (AJ, AP, REU, X 10/23)
U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken meets with Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh. (AP, AP, REU 10/23)
Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden issue a joint statement expressing “deep concern” over Israeli legislation to ban UNRWA from the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza. (AJ, AP 10/23)
Lufthansa extends its suspension of flights to Beirut until 2/28/2025. (AJ 10/23)