In Occupied Palestine
Zionism in practice
Israel’s Daily Toll on Palestinian Life, Limb, Liberty and Land
08:00, 21 December until 08:00, 22 December 2023
[Source of statistics: Palestinian Monitoring Group]
Restrictions of movement: Palestinians in the Occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza are under relentless and extreme control over all travel and movement.
Gaza Strip
Armed Palestinian Resistance: Palestinian Resistance continued launching dozens of missiles towards the Green Line.
Air strikes: Heavy aerial bombardment on buildings, homes and many facilities.
Victims: More people killed in Gaza, raising the total to 20,057. About 70 per cent of those killed are said to be women and children. As of then, 53,320 Palestinians have been injured.
Attacks: All over Gaza, there are air strikes, heavy gunfire, tank and artillery shelling, as well as missiles fired from Israeli forces and military occupation, especially in Khan Yunis. The Israeli Navycontinues to fire missiles, targeting facilities and buildings along the shoreline of the whole of Gaza.
On 22 December, heavy Israeli bombardments from air, land and sea, continued across most of the Gaza Strip. Except for Rafah, intense ground operations and fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups continue, in most areas. The firing of rockets by Palestinian armed groups into Israel also continued. Between 18 and 20 December, 390 Palestinians were reportedly killed, and another 734 were injured, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza.
According to the MoH in Gaza, between 7 October and 7:00 on 22 December, at least 20,057 Palestinians were killed in Gaza. About 70% of those killed are said to be women and children. As of then, 53,320 Palestinians have been injured. Many people are missing, presumably buried under the rubble, waiting for rescue or recovery. On 22 December, the UN Secretary-General stated: “There is no effective protection of civilians in the Gaza Strip” as “intense Israeli bombardment and ground operations continue.”
Between 21 and 22 December, two Israeli soldiers were reportedly killed in Gaza. Since the start of the ground operation, 140 soldiers have been killed in Gaza, and 784 soldiers have been injured, according to the Israeli military.
On 22 December, the Israeli military designated a new area covering about 15% (approximately 9 square kilometres) of the Middle Area governorate for evacuation. The area was marked in an online map published on social media. Prior to the onset of hostilities, this area was home to nearly 90,000 people. The area also includes six shelters that accommodated about 61,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), the vast majority of whom were previously displaced from the north.
The affected areas include Al Bureij and An Nuseirat Refugee Camps and north of An Nuseirat (Az Zaharaa, and Al Moughraga). Instructions accompanying the map call residents to move immediately to shelters in Deir al Balah, which is already overcrowded, hosting several hundred thousand of IDPs. The scope of displacement resulting from this evacuation order remains unclear.
The Chief Economist of the World Food Programme (WFP) noted that the scale and speed of the unfolding acute food insecurity situation in Gaza, observed over just two months, are unprecedented in their severity. The entire population in the Gaza Strip faces an imminent risk of famine, according to the latest estimates from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) global partnership on 21 December. The proportion of households affected by acute food insecurity is the largest ever recorded globally, according to IPC report.
The Famine Review Committee (FRC), activated due to evidence surpassing the acute food insecurity Phase 5 (Catastrophic threshold) in the Gaza Strip, warns that the risk of famine increases daily amid intense conflict and restricted humanitarian access. The committee added that to eliminate the famine risk, it’s imperative to halt the deterioration of health, nutrition, food security, and mortality through the restoration of health and WASH services. The cessation of hostilities and the restoration of humanitarian space for delivering multi-sectoral assistance are vital first steps to eliminate any risk of famine.
On 22 December, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 2722 on expanding the immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale into Gaza. The UN Secretary-General emphasized that evaluating the effectiveness of the humanitarian aid operation in Gaza should not solely rely on the number of trucks entering the enclave. “The real problem is that the way Israel is conducting its offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid inside Gaza,” he said. “An effective aid operation in Gaza requires security; staff who can work in safety; logistical capacity; and the resumption of commercial activity. These four elements do not exist,” the Secretary-General concluded, urging Israel to take measures that would remove barriers in the way of aid distribution.
On 22 December, 69 trucks carrying supplies and five ambulances entered Gaza through Rafah crossing and 23 trucks entered through Kerem Shalom crossing. This remains well below the daily average of 500 truckloads (including fuel and private sector goods) that entered every working day prior to 7 October.
The following are among the deadliest incidents reported on 22 December:
On 21 December at about 21:57, a residential building in Old Gaza Street, in Jabalya City, where tens of IDPs were sheltering was struck. On the following day, 22 December, 16 Palestinian bodies were reportedly pulled out from the rubble and more than 50 Palestinian injuries were reported.
On 21 December, at 15:00, seven Palestinians were reportedly killed when a house was struck in An Nuseirat Refugee Camp.
On 21 December, at about 21:55, eight Palestinians were reported ly killed when a house was struck in Customs Control, in the Ma’an area, east of Khan Yunis.
On 22 December, at about 10:50, four Palestinians were reportedly killed when a residential building was struck in Jabalya city.
On 22 December, a UNDP staff member was killed, along with his wife, three sons and two daughters as an air strike hit the area where they were sheltering in Gaza City. The air strike also reportedly claimed the lives of more than 70 members of his extended family. A total of 136 UNRWA staff, one WHO staff and one UNDP staff have been killed since 7 October.
According to the Palestinian Journalist Syndicate in Gaza, 82 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed in Israeli air strikes since 7 October. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, 310 Palestinian medics have been killed. According to the Palestinian Civil Defence at least 20 civil defence members have been killed.
Displacement (Gaza Strip)
Areas encompassing about 30% of the Gaza Strip (excluding the orders to evacuate the areas north of Wadi Gaza) have been marked for evacuation on the Israeli military’s online map. Access to this information is impaired by recurrent interruptions in telecommunications and the lack of electricity.
Following multiple orders by Israeli forces for Palestinians to evacuate, many IDPs are now in southern Gaza. The two largest sites in the Rafah governorate, where thousands have relocated to and erected makeshift structures and tents, are in an under-construction hospital (‘the Qatari field hospital’) and the campus of the Al Quds Open University.
Tens of thousands of IDPs, who have arrived in Rafah since 3 December, continue to face extremely overcrowded conditions in both inside and outside shelters. Large crowds wait for hours around aid distribution centres, in desperate need of food, water, shelter, health, and protection. Without enough latrines, open-air defecation is prevalent, increasing concerns of further spread of disease, particularly during rains and related flooding.
Obtaining an accurate figure of the total number of IDPs remains challenging. According to UNRWA, 1.9 million people in Gaza, or nearly 85% of the population, are estimated to be internally displaced, including people who have been displaced multiple times.
Lack of food, basic survival items, and poor hygiene, further exacerbate the already dire living conditions, amplify protection and mental health issues, and increase the spread of disease.
Electricity
Since 11 October, the Gaza Strip has been under an electricity blackout, after the Israeli authorities cut off the electricity supply, and fuel reserves for Gaza’s sole power plant were depleted. For more information on electricity supply to the Gaza Strip, please see this dashboard.
Health care, including attacks (Gaza Strip)
On 22 December, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) announced that some of its staff members and paramedics who had been arrested on 21 December, were released late in the evening after being subjected to beatings, while eight staff members remained in custody. Additionally, PRCS reported that during the military operation, Israeli forces destroyed the wireless communication system in the centre along with ambulances in the branch.
On 21 and 22 December, the vicinities of Al Amal and European hospitals, both located in Khan Younis in the south of Gaza and operational medical facilities were struck. While no casualties were reported, PRCS announced that shrapnel scattered into the building of Al Amal Hospital, causing fear and panic among patients and IDPs.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), as of 22 December, nine out of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are partially functional, all located in the south. These hospitals are operating at three times their capacity, while facing critical shortages of basic supplies and fuel, while some are hit. According to the MoH in Gaza, occupancy rates are now reaching 206 per cent in inpatient departments and 250 per cent in intensive care units.
On 21 December, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that northern Gaza had been left without a functional hospital due to the lack of fuel, staff, and medical supplies. Al Ahli Hospital is still treating patients but not admitting new ones, along with Shifa, Al Awda and Al Sahaba hospitals. These hospitals are not accessible, resupply is currently not possible, and continue to care for existing patients while also sheltering thousands of IDPs.
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
On 20 December, UNICEF stated that children in Gaza are not able to access 90 per cent of their normal water use. The impact on children is severe, as they are more susceptible to dehydration, diarrhoea, disease, and malnutrition. Concerns of waterborne diseases such as cholera and chronic diarrhoea are particularly heightened given the lack of safe water, especially following the seasonal rains and flooding. Officials have recorded almost 20 times the monthly average of reported cases of diarrhoea among children under the age of 5, 160,000 cases of acute respiratory infection, and increases in other infectious conditions and illnesses, such as scabies, lice, chicken pox, and skin rashes.
On 20 December, the Director General of WHO echoed a concern for the rises in infectious disease stating that “Gaza is already experiencing soaring rates of infectious disease outbreaks. Diarrhoea cases among children aged under 5 are 25 times what they were before the conflict. Such illnesses can be lethal for malnourished children, more so in the absence of functioning health services.”
Food security
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), identifies five Phases of classification for food security: Minimal (1), stressed (2), crisis (3), emergency (4) and catastrophe/Famine (5). The recent estimates from the IPC reveal an unprecedented level of acute food insecurity in the Gaza Strip. Over 90 per cent of the population in the Gaza Strip (about 2.08 million people) was estimated to face high levels of acute food insecurity, classified in IPC Phase 3 or above (Crisis or worse). Among these, over 40 per cent of the population (939,000 people) were in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) and over 15 per cent (378,000 people) were in Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5).
Furthermore, in the projected period from the latest IPC findings, spanning from 8 December 2023 to 7 February 2024, the entire population of the Gaza Strip (approximately 2.2 million people) is anticipated to experience severe food insecurity, classified as IPC Phase 3 or higher (Crisis or worse). The IPC Famine Review Committee has been activated amid evidence exceeding acute food insecurity Phase 5 threshold. Among these, over half a million people are facing catastrophic conditions—IPC Phase 5 (Catastrophe), characterized by households experiencing an extreme lack of food, starvation, and exhaustion of coping capacities.
Hostilities and casualties (Israel)
Over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed in Israel, including 36 children, according to the Israeli authorities, the vast majority on 7 October. During the humanitarian pause (24-30 November), 86 Israeli and 24 foreign national hostages were released. The Israeli authorities estimate that about 129 Israelis and foreign nationals remain captive in Gaza. On 22 December, the UN Secretary-General reiterated his call for all remaining hostages to be released immediately and unconditionally.
Violence and casualties (West Bank)
Since 7 October, 293 Palestinians, including 76 children, have been killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Additionally, two Palestinians from the West Bank were killed while carrying out an attack in Israel on 30 November. Of those killed in the West Bank, 283 were killed by Israeli forces, eight by Israeli settlers and another two either by forces or settlers. This toll represents nearly 60 per cent of all Palestinians killed in the West Bank this year. With a total of 493 Palestinians killed in the West Bank, 2023 is the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank since OCHA began recording casualties in 2005.
Since 7 October, four Israelis, including three members of the Israeli forces, have been killed in attacks by Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Another four Israelis were killed in an attack by Palestinians from the West Bank in West Jerusalem (one of the four was killed by Israeli forces who misidentified him).
Seventy-one per cent of the Palestinian fatalities in the West Bank since 7 October have occurred during search-and-arrest and other operations carried out by Israeli forces, including some – mainly in Jenin and Tulkarm governorates – involving exchanges of fire with Palestinians. Half of the fatalities were reported in operations that did not involve armed clashes.
Since 7 October, Israeli forces have injured 3,801 Palestinians, including at least 575 children; 51 per cent in the context of search-and-arrest and other operations and 41 per cent of them in the context of demonstrations. Another 88 Palestinians have been injured by settlers and 18 other Palestinians injured either by Israeli forces or settlers. Some 33 per cent of those injuries have been caused by live ammunition, compared with 9 per cent in the first nine months of 2023.
Settler Violence
Since 7 October, OCHA has recorded 353 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians, resulting in Palestinian casualties (35 incidents), damage to Palestinian-owned property (272 incidents), or both casualties and damage to property (46 incidents).
The weekly average of incidents since 7 October stands at 33, compared with 21 incidents per week between 1 January and 6 October 2023. The number of incidents since 7 October has declined from 80 incidents in the first week (7-14 October) to 21 incidents between 9 and 14 December. One-third of these incidents included firearms, including shootings and threats of shootings. In nearly half of all recorded incidents, Israeli forces were either accompanying or reportedly seen as supporting the attackers.
Displacement (West Bank)
\Since 7 October, at least 198 Palestinian households comprising 1,208 people, including 586 children, have been displaced amid settler violence and access restrictions. The displaced households are from at least 15 herding/Bedouin communities. More than half of the displacements occurred on 12, 15, and 28 October, affecting seven communities.
On December 21, Israeli forces demolished seven residential and livelihood structures in the Tell al Khashaba community (Nablus) due to the lack of Israeli-issued building permits in Area C of the West Bank. As a result, three households, comprising 19 people, including 11 children, were displaced.
This brings the total number of people displaced following the demolition of their homes to 386 Palestinians, including 204 children, due to lack of Israeli-issued building permits in Area C of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which are almost impossible to obtain. The monthly average of displacement between 7 October and 7 December represents 27 per cent increase compared with the monthly average of displacement in the first nine months of the year.
A total of 19 homes have been demolished on punitive grounds since 7 October, resulting in the displacement of 95 Palestinians, including 42 children. This figure is higher than the 16 homes punitively demolished in the first nine months of the year, resulting in the displacement of 78 Palestinians. The Human Rights Committee, in its review of the fourth periodic report of Israel, in 2014, concluded that punitive demolitions are a form of collective punishment and as such are illegal under international law.
Another 451 Palestinians, including 207 children, have been displaced since 7 October following the destruction of 69 residential structures during other operations carried out by Israeli forces across the West Bank; 55 per cent of the displacement was reported in Jenin Refugee Camp, and 39 per cent in Nur Shams and Tulkarm Refugee Camps (both in Tulkarm).
West Bank
Israeli Army attack: Jerusalem – 20:20, Israeli Occupation forces fired live ammunition towards people, near the Shuafat checkpoint.
Israeli Army attack and home invasions: Ramallah – 16:55, Israeli forces, firing live ammunition, stormed into and invaded a number of homes, wounding six residents.
Israeli Army attack – 1 wounded – 2 taken prisoner: Tubas – dawn, the Israeli Army, firing live ammunition, wounded one person and took prisoner two others.
Israeli Army attack – 1 wounded: Qalqiliya – 09:30, Israeli troops at the Eyal checkpoint, firing live ammunition, wounded one person, Omar Shadi Jabara.
Israeli Army attack: Qalqiliya – 23:05, the Israeli military, firing live ammunition, invaded Azzun.
Israeli Army attack – 1 wounded: Nablus – 11:35, Israeli soldiers opened fire on a man, Karim Ghassan Muhammad Khadr, wounding and hospitalising him.
Israeli Army attack – 1 wounded: Nablus – 15:45, Israeli Occupation forces, storming Tal village, wounded a villager: Abdullah Muwaffaq Hilmi Ramadan.
Israeli Army attack – 1 child injured – 3 wounded: Bethlehem – 10:40, Israeli forces raided Husan village, firing live ammunition and wounding three people. One child, Abdullah Haitham Zaoul, was injured when he was run into by an Israeli military vehicle.
Israeli Army attack: Bethlehem – 19:30, the Israeli Army fired live ammunition towards people, near the entrance to the village of Husan.
Israeli Army attack – 2 wounded: Hebron – 20:20, Israeli troops invaded Halhul, wounding two people: Ahmed Rami Nayef Mishal and Jamal Abdel Nasser Ibrahim Abu Asba.
Israeli Army attack – home invasions: Hebron – 21:50–00:30, the Israeli military, firing live ammunition, stormed Surif and raided a number of homes.
Home invasions: Bethlehem – 00:40, Israeli Occupation forces raided al-Ubeidiya and searched a number of homes.
Israeli police and settlers’ mosque violation: Jerusalem – 08:00, settler militants, escorted by Israeli police, invaded the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and molested worshippers.
Israeli Army population–control – 1 taken prisoner: Tulkarem – 17:30, the Israeli Army took prisoner a man, Iyad Hosni Nasser, after he reported, as ordered, for interrogation at Israeli Military Intelligence.
Israeli Army destruction – pastoral sabotage: Nablus – Israeli Occupation forces demolished eight livestock shelters, as well as six tents used for raising sheep, in the Khirbet al-Tawil area of Aqraba.
Israeli Army – beating: Bethlehem – 07:10, a resident of Doha, Muhammad Al-Ajouri, was beaten up by Israeli forces at the Container checkpoint.
Occupation settler violence – beating: Qalqiliya – 10:00, near the village of al-Funduq, Israeli settlers beat up and hospitalised a man: Izz Al-Din Omar Abdullah Maslamani.
Occupation settler stoning: Bethlehem – 14:20, stone-throwing Israeli settlers, near the entrance to the village of Jorat al-Shama’a, damaged a passing taxi.
Occupation settler – agricultural sabotage: Bethlehem – Israelis, from the Neve Daniel Occupation settlement, laid waste to farmland in the al-Thaghra area and uprooted around 1000 grapevines and almond trees.
Occupation settler – agricultural sabotage: Bethlehem – Occupation settlers invaded Kisan village agricultural land and seized produce.
Raid: Ramallah – 10:35, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the village of Rantis.
Raid: Ramallah – 11:35, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the village of Deir Ammar.
Raid: Ramallah – 13:35, the Israeli Army raided the village of Deir Abu Masha’al.
Raid: Ramallah – 16:35, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the village of Medea.
Raids: Ramallah – 16:55, the Israeli military raided al-Bireh, Beitunya and the village of Ein Qiniya.
Raid: Ramallah – 17:35, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the town of Ni’lin.
Raid: Ramallah – 23:25–02:55, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the village of Beitin.
Raid: Ramallah – 23:35–03:45, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the village of Budrus.
Raid – refugee camp: Ramallah – 00:15–02:55, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the al-Jalazoun refugee camp.
Raid: Ramallah – 02:45–03:20, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the village of Deir Abu Masha’al.
Raid – 3 taken prisoner: Ramallah – 03:40, the Israeli military raided Beit Rima, taking prisoner three people.
Raid: Jenin – 11:55, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the town of Jaba.
Raid: Jenin – 12:10, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the village of Nazlet Zaid.
Raid: Jenin – 13:10, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the village of Jalboun.
Raids: Jenin – 13:50, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the villages of Zububa and Rumana.
Raid: Jenin – 18:30–22:15, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the Ya’bad.
Raid: Jenin – 20:05–22:15, the Israeli military raided and patrolled Araba.
Raids: Tulkarem – 16:10–23:35, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled Baqa al-Sharqiya and Zeita.
Raid – child injured: Tulkarem – 20:35–22:25, Israeli Occupation forces raided Quffin, injuring a child.
Raid: Tulkarem – 20:45–23:35, Israeli forces raided and patrolled Kafr al-Labad.
Raid: Tulkarem – 22:10–23:35, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled Beit Lid and Safarin.
Raid: Qalqiliya – 09:20, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the city.
Raids: Qalqiliya – 12:50, the Israeli military raided and patrolled the villages of Izbit Salman, Azzun Atma and Beit Amin.
Raid: Qalqiliya – 18:25, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled Hablat.
Raid: Qalqiliya – 20:50, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the Hotel village.
Raid: Qalqiliya – 20:55, Israeli forces raided and patrolled Hajjah village.
Raid: Qalqiliya – 23:05, the Israeli Army raided Azzun.
Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Qalqiliya – 02:35, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the city, taking prisoner one person.
Raids: Nablus – 11:00, the Israeli military raided and patrolled Asira al-Shamaliya as well as Yasid village.
Raids: Nablus – 14:00, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the villages of Rujeib and Kafr Qallil.
Raid – injury: Nablus – 15:45, Israeli Occupation forces raided the village of Tal, injuring a villager.
Raids: Nablus – 17:50-20:10, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the villages of Orif and Asira al-Qibliya.
Raid: Nablus – 18:00–22:40, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the village of Sarra.
Raid: Nablus – 19:10, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the village of Osirin.
Raid: Nablus – 22:10–00:20, the Israeli military raided and patrolled the village of Azmout.
Raid: Nablus – 22:40, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the village of Awarta.
Raids: Nablus – 07:15, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the villages of Salem and Deir al-Hatab.
Raids: Salfit – 14:05, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the villages of Yasuf and Iskaka.
Raid: Salfit – 23:25–01:00, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the village of Marda.
Raid:s Salfit – 04:20, the Israeli military raided and patrolled Kifl Haris and Deir Istiya.
Raid: Jericho – 10:00, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the village of Marj Naja.
Raid – 1 child injured: Bethlehem – 10:40, Israeli Occupation forces, raiding Husan village, ran a military vehicle into, and injured, a child.
Raid: Bethlehem – 21:25, Israeli forces raided and patrolled al-Khadr.
Raids: Bethlehem – 00:35–02:55, the Israeli Army raided Beit Sahour and Za’atara.
Raid: Hebron – 23:40–02:30, Israeli troops raided and patrolled Beit Kahil.
Raid: Hebron – 23:45–01:45, the Israeli military raided and patrolled the city.
Raid: Hebron – 02:50–04:45, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled al-Dhahiriya.
Raid – 4 taken prisoner: Hebron – 02:50, Israeli Occupation forces raided Dura as well as the village of Kharsa, taking prisoner four people.
Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Hebron – 04:00, Israeli forces raided Tafuh, taking prisoner one person.
Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Hebron – dawn, the Israeli Army raided the village of as-Sura, taking prisoner one person.
YAWN!