In the West Bank, Israeli forces fire tear gas near a school in al-Khader, injuring students. Israeli forces also demolish commercial structures in Barta’a, a warehouse in Qalqilya, and issue 10 stop-work orders for agricultural structures in Jayyus. Elsewhere, Israeli forces arrest 16 Palestinians during raids in and around Hebron, Ramallah, Nablus, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem, including 4 students at Birzeit University. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Gaza City, Jabalia refugee camp, Beit Lahiya, Nuseirat refugee camp, and Rafah, killing at least 14 people, including 13 in an attack on al-Hurriya School in Gaza City. An Israeli soldier is killed in northern Gaza. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Beirut, including Hamra, Baalbek, Chaqra, Rashidieh, Hosh, and other towns and villages. Israeli forces also bomb the Arida and Dabousieh crossings to Syria. Separately, the Israeli military says its forces have reached the Litani River. Hezbollah forces fire rockets and drones at Tel Aviv and Kiryat Shmona. In Syria, U.S. forces bomb an “Iran-backed militia,” saying the militia had attacked U.S. forces. (AJ, HA, NYT, REU, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/26; UNOCHA 12/3)
More than 44,249 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 17,500 children and 11,487 women, and around 104,746 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 10,000 people are missing in rubble. 797 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 169 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, 378 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 2,456 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. 87% of all housing units in Gaza have been destroyed or severely damaged since 10/7/2023. 3,823 people have been killed and 15,859 have been injured in Israeli attacks on Lebanon since October 2023. The Jordanian military airdrops 7 tonnes of aid over Gaza from 2 C-130 planes. The Gaza Civil Defense says it has ceased operations in Gaza City because it has run out of fuel. (AJ, REU, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA 11/26)
In separate press conferences, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. president Joe Biden announce a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah starting at 4 a.m. on 11/27. The agreement, which is approved by the Israeli cabinet in a 10-1 vote, stipulates that Israel will withdraw from Lebanon during a 60-day period while the Lebanese army deploys to the south of the country. It also stipulates that only members of the Lebanese Armed Forces, the Internal Security Forces, the General Security, State Security, Lebanese customs, and municipal police are allowed to carry arms in Lebanon. The U.S., France, Israel, and Lebanon will share a joint monitoring and enforcement mechanism to ensure that the agreements are upheld. The Israeli military and the Lebanese army order people not to return to their homes in the south, orders that thousands defy. President Biden says Israel will have the “right to self-defense consistent with international law” if Hezbollah does not uphold the agreement. Biden also says the war in Gaza should end and that the U.S., Turkey, and Qatar are launching another effort for a ceasefire. Lastly, he says that Saudi-Israeli normalization is still possible. Prime Minister Netanyahu says Israel will now focus on Hamas and Iran and “retains complete military freedom of action. Should Hezbollah violate the agreement or attempt to rearm, we will strike decisively.” Israeli officials tell the media that the U.S. threatened Netanyahu with allowing UN Security Council resolutions to pass, a change to a more pro-Palestine U.S. policy, and delays in arms shipments. The U.S. denies making threats and giving ultimatums to Israel. (AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AX, HA, HA, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, REU 11/26; AP, AP, AP, AP, AX, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, REU, REU 11/27)
The Israeli government tells the High Court of Justice that it is in contact with the U.S. to develop a mechanism that can replace International Red Cross visits to Palestinian prisoners. (HA 11/27)
U.S. Republican congressional candidate in Florida Randy Fine, calling himself the “Hebrew Hammer,” warns representatives Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN) to leave Congress before he is elected, adding the hashtag “BombsAway” to his tweet. (HA 11/28)