In the West Bank, Israeli settlers demolish an agricultural structure and steal equipment in Bani Na’im. Israeli settlers also raze Palestinian farmland, destroying crops, in Shaab al-Butum. Israeli forces raid Jenin and Jenin refugee camp for the 31st day in a row. Israeli forces also raid Tulkarm, Tulkarm refugee camp, and Nur Shams refugee camp for the 25th day in a row, ramming a Palestinian car, killing the driver and injuring a passenger. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian child during a raid in Shabtin. Israeli forces also shoot and injure a Palestinian man during a raid in Shuqba. Meanwhile, Israeli forces assault and injure 2 children in Khirbet Yirza. Israeli forces also violently disperse Palestinians in Turmus ‘Ayya with tear gas. Separately, Israeli forces punitively demolish the family home in Salfit of a Palestinian killed in Holon last year. Israeli forces also demolish a home in Majdal Bani Fadel. Meanwhile, Israeli forces deliver notices to Palestinians to clear farmland in Duma. In Gaza, Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian man in Gaza City. In Bat Yam, 3 buses explode in parking lots; no one is injured. Israel says it has found 2 other explosive devices that did not detonate. In Lebanon, Israel forces bomb a site on the Syrian border. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, NYT, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/20; AJ, AJ, AP, WAFA 2/21)
More than 48,319 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 17,881 children and 12,749 women, and around 111,733 have been injured since 10/7/2023. In addition, 14,222 Palestinians who have been missing are presumed dead. 916 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 184 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, 408 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 2,579 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. 92% of all housing units in Gaza have been destroyed or severely damaged since 10/7/2023. 48,319 111,749 (AJ, UNOCHA, WAFA 2/20)
Hamas and Islamic Jihad release the bodies of 4 captives to Israel. Hamas says 3 of the captives, a mother and her 2 children, were killed in an Israeli airstrike in November 2023, a statement the group also made at the time. Islamic Jihad says the fourth captive was killed in an Israeli airstrike, a claim Israel denies, saying he was killed by his captors. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims that the body of the mother of the 2 children is not right body, calling it a “cruel and evil” violation of the ceasefire deal. The Gaza Media Office later says her remains appear to have been mixed with the remains of other casualties at the site where she died in the Israeli airstrike. U.S. envoy for hostage affairs Adam Boehler says “[i]f I were them [Hamas], I would release everybody or they are going to face total annihilation.” UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres condemns the “parading and displaying of the coffins of the deceased Israeli hostages by Hamas.” The bodies of 665 Palestinians are currently held by Israel. (AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AP, AX, HA, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, REU 2/20; AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AP, HA, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, REU, REU 2/21; UNOCHA 2/25)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 12th session of the Fatah Revolutionary Council in Ramallah, saying he will continue to work to ensure the State of Palestine assumes responsibility in Gaza and that the territorial integrity of Palestine is protected. (AJ, WAFA 2/20)
Islamic Jihad secretary-general Ziyad al-Nakhalah meets with Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran. (HA 2/20)
Israeli defense minister Israel Katz orders the Israeli military to “increase the intensity of activities to thwart terrorism in the Tulkarm refugee camp and in the refugee camps in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank] in general.” Prime Minister Netanyahu says Israel will deploy 3 extra battalions in the West Bank. (AJ, HA, REU 2/20)
U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff says at the Saudi Arabian investment summit held in Miami that the “issue with phase two [of the ceasefire deal] is that there is supposed to be an end to the war . . . and I think the Israelis have a red line, which is you cannot have Hamas in government. And so, it is hard to sort of square that circle,” adding he is optimistic about the second phase. Witkoff also says President Donald Trump’s plan to displace Palestinians in Gaza to other countries is about providing opportunities to the Palestinians the U.S. wants to displace. Israeli Channel 13 reports that Prime Minister Netanyahu is demanding that the Hamas leadership be exiled abroad if the second phase of the ceasefire is to take place. (AJ, HA, HA, REU 2/20)