In Occupied Palestine

Zionism in practice

Israel’s Daily Toll on Palestinian Life, Limb, Liberty and Land

The Criminal Purpose of Zionism

[Source of statistics: Palestinian Monitoring Group]

08:00, 31 January until 08:00, 01 February 2024

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.

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.

Victims: 118 people killed in Gaza brings the total number of deaths since 7 October to at least 27,019. With another 190 wounded, that has risen to 66,139. Fully accurate statistics are not available, due to insecurity menacing hospitals in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Occupation forces continued their invasion and positioning, dividing the Gaza into three and continuing deadly fire inside the enclave as well as air strike and live fire, including shelling, from behind the Green Line. The Israeli Navy also carried on targeting civilian areas including homes, as well as agriculture. The Palestinian Resistance continued to fire dozens of missiles towards the Green Line.

OCHA Flash Update #108

Thousands of Palestinians continue fleeing to the southern town of Rafah, which is already hosting over half of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million people. Most are living in makeshift structures, tents, or out in the open, according to UNRWA. On 31 January, UNRWA reported that some 184,000 people had registered for humanitarian assistance in the western outskirts of Khan Younis, after they were displaced from Khan Younis city in recent days amid evacuation orders and continued hostilities. As of 29 January, according to UNRWA, there are an estimated 1.7 million IDPs in the Gaza Strip.

On 1 February, UNRWA stated that the “colossal humanitarian needs of over 2 million people in Gaza now face the risk of deepening following the decision of 16 donor countries to stop financial support to UNRWA.” The cuts in support are in response to allegations by the Israeli authorities that several UNRWA staff members participated in the attacks in southern Israel on 7 October 2023. UNRWA has terminated the contracts of nine of the accused and an investigation by the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) has been activated. The Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, reiterated “the call of the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to resume funding to UNRWA. If the funding remains suspended, we will most likely be forced to shut down our operations by end of February not only in Gaza but also across the region.” In a statement issued on 30 January, Principals of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee warned that cuts to UNRWA’s funding would have “catastrophic consequences for the people of Gaza,” as “no other entity has the capacity to deliver the scale and breath of assistance that 2.2 million people in Gaza urgently need.”

Health care in Gaza remains extremely precarious, according to WHO. As of 25 January, only 14 of 36 hospitals in Gaza are partially functional; seven in the north and seven in the south. Heavy fighting in the vicinity of Nasser and the Al-Amal hospitals in Khan Younis has continued, jeopardizing the safety of medical staff, the wounded and the sick, as well as thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) seeking refuge at the hospitals. On 1 February, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reported that the Israeli military stormed the courtyards of the hospital for the third time and opened fire, hitting five vehicles, including three ambulances. On the same day, the PRCS reported that two staff members had been killed by Israeli gunfire near the gate of the hospital the day before and reiterated that the fate of the two staff members in the ambulance team which was dispatched to reach a young girl in Gaza city on 29 January remains unknown.

Nasser and PRCS Al-Amal hospitals are reportedly suffering from a serious shortage of oxygen but are seeking to share supplies between them to save lives; on 31 January, PRCS reported that their teams managed to bring 25 oxygen cylinders from Nasser hospital in risky conditions to Al Amal hospital. On 30 January, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, stated: “Nasser Hospital is currently serving 400 patients. Once the most important referral hospital in southern Gaza, within a week Nasser has gone from partially to minimally functional, reflecting the unwarranted and ongoing dismantling of the health system.”

On 30 January, the Israeli authorities returned the bodies of dozens of Palestinians killed in Gaza in recent weeks through Kerem Shalom crossing. According to statements by the Israeli authorities, bodies are taken for identification to ascertain if they had been hostages. According to the MoH in Gaza, between 80 to 100 bodies were received and most were unidentifiable due to decomposition and were consequently buried in a mass grave in Rafah. Also on 30 January, Palestinians reportedly discovered at least 30 corpses buried in black bags under the sand in an UNRWA school in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza. On 7 December, the facility was reportedly besieged and an unknown number of casualties were reported. The school had not been accessed by residents since about 10 December, when a fire broke out, causing significant damage, and reportedly forcing displaced people who were sheltering in the location, to flee.

On 30 January, the IRC and MAP issued a statement confirming further details on a near-fatal airstrike on the organizations’ deconflicted guesthouse in Al Mawasi on 18 January. According to the statement, an independent assessment by the UN has concluded that the damage was the result of an airstrike, most likely involving weaponry which is only accessible to the Israeli military. This incident caused injuries to several MAP medical and operational team members, significant damage to the building, and required the withdrawal of six international emergency medical team members from Gaza.

Violence and casualties (West Bank)

Since 7 October 2023 and as of 1 February 2024, 372 Palestinians have been killed, including 94 children, in conflict-related incidents across 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 these 372 fatalities, 360 were killed by Israeli forces, eight by Israeli settlers and two by either Israeli forces or settlers. The other two Palestinians, including a woman holding Israeli citizenship, were killed in an attack by Palestinians on 7 January 2024, reportedly in the belief they were settlers. So far as of 1 February 2024, 63 Palestinians, including at least 13 children, have been killed, the majority by Israeli forces. The number of Palestinians (507) killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in 2023 marks the highest number of Palestinians killed in the West Bank since OCHA started recording casualties in 2005.

Since 7 October 2023 and as of 1 February 2024, ten Israelis have been killed in conflict-related incidents in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and in Israel. These include five Israelis, including four members of Israeli forces, killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem; four Israelis killed by Palestinians from the West Bank in Israel, and one Israeli killed by Israeli forces who misidentified him during a Palestinian-perpetrated attack in West Jerusalem. The number of Israelis killed in the West Bank and Israel in 2023 (36) in attacks perpetrated by Palestinians from the West Bank was the highest since OCHA started recording casualties in 2005.

Since 7 October 2023 and as of 1 February 2024, 4,391 Palestinians, including 661 children, have been injured in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Of them, 4,254 have been injured by Israeli forces, 116 by settlers and 21 by either Israeli forces or settlers. Of the total injuries, 54 per cent were reported in the context of search-and-arrest and other operations, 34 per cent in demonstrations and 8 per cent during settler attacks against Palestinians. 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 2023 and as of 1 February 2024, OCHA has recorded 494 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians, resulting in Palestinian casualties (49 incidents), damage to Palestinian-owned property (388 incidents), or both casualties and damage to property (57 incidents). In 2023, 1,264 incidents involving Israeli settlers in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem (with or without Israeli forces), resulted in Palestinian casualties, property damage or both. Some 945 of these incidents resulted in damage, 165 resulted in casualties and 154 resulted in both. This is the highest number of settler attacks against Palestinians in any given year since OCHA started recording incidents involving settlers in 2006.

Displacement (West Bank)

Since 7 October 2023 and as of 31 January 2024, 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 displacement occurred on 12, 15, and 28 October, affecting seven communities. The displacement toll since 7 October 2023, represents 78 per cent of all displacement reported due to settler violence and access restrictions since 1 January 2023 (1,539 people, including 756 children).

Since 7 October 2023 and as of 1 February 2024, 499 Palestinians, including 248 children, have been displaced following the demolition of their homes in Area C and East Jerusalem due to lack of Israeli-issued building permits, which are almost impossible to obtain. Overall, in 2023, 892 structures were demolished, sealed off and/or confiscated due to the lack of Israeli-issued building permits in Area C and East Jerusalem, resulting in the displacement of 1,148 Palestinians, including 575 children. Some 39 per cent of people displaced occurred between October and December 2023.

Since 7 October 2023 and as of 1 February 2024, 22 Palestinian-owned homes have been punitively demolished, displacing 105 Palestinians, including 45 children. The numbers exceed those reported in the first nine months of 2023, during which 16 homes were punitively demolished and 78 people displaced in that context.

On 30 January, two Palestinian-owned homes were severely damaged during an Israeli military operation in Tulkarm refugee camp in Tulkarm, which led to the displacement of 12 people, including two children. Since 7 October 2023 and as of 1 February 2024, 756 Palestinians, including 313 children, have been displaced, following the destruction of 119 homes during operations carried out by Israeli forces across the West Bank. About 95 per cent of the displacement was reported in the refugee camps of Jenin, Nur Shams and Tulkarm. This represents 83 per cent of all displacement reported due to the destruction of homes during Israeli military operations since January 2023 (908 people).

West Bank

[Palestinian Monitoring Group]

Israeli Army attack – 1 wounded: Ramallah – 09:45–13:55, Israeli Occupation forces, firing live ammunition, stormed into Dura al-Qarara and wounded a man: Tariq Sufyan Issa al-Maghribi.

Israeli Army attack – 2 wounded: Tubas – 00:10–03:55 , Israeli forces, firing live ammunition, stormed Tubas, wounding two people: Aws Amer Abu Shamla and Musab Sitan Fawzi Al-Taj. One other person was taken prisoner.

Home invasion and armed robbery – 3 taken prisoner: Ramallah – 10:40, Israeli Occupation forces raided the village of Ein Arik and searched a house, robbing the householder of the equivalent of over $US12,000 in cash and taking prisoner three residents.

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 – plunder: Jenin – 21:10, Israeli Occupation forces seized a bus, at the Jaba road junction.

Israeli Army – destruction – population–control: Hebron – 09:35, Israeli forces demolished a house-under-construction in the Khallet Al-Jarra area, in the town of Tarqumiya.

Occupation settler agricultural sabotage: Nablus – Israelis, from the Shavei Shamron Occupation settlement, raided Deir Sharaf village farmland and uprooted 450 olive, as well as almond, trees.

Occupation settler pastoral sabotage: Jericho – an Israeli settler drove his motor vehicle into, and killed, several sheep on the al-Ma’arjat Road before making off with a number of others from the flock.

Occupation settler mosque violation and robbery: Hebron – 12:40, Israeli settlers invaded the Ibrahimi Mosque and took away a 200-year-old window.

Occupation settler agricultural sabotage: Hebron – 08:45, Israelis, from the Carmiel Occupation settlement, entered the Fatih Sidra area, east of Yatta, destroyed a tent-dwelling and cut off the branches from 20 olive trees.

Occupation settler agricultural sabotage: Hebron – 12:30, Israeli settlers grazed their sheep on crops growing in the She’b al-Batem area, east of Yatta.

Occupation settler – beating and pastoral sabotage: Hebron – 15:00, Israeli settlers beat up a shepherd, Gabriel Musa Numan, severely injuring him and preventing him from grazing his sheep in the Qawawis area, east of Yatta.

Occupation settler child beatings and robbery: Hebron – 15:05, Israeli settlers invaded an area, near the village of Susiya, and beat up two 15-year-old children: Yassin Raed Hoshiya and Muhammad Saleh. The settlers then made off with two stolen horses.

Raids: Jerusalem – 00:10, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled Bir Nabala and Qalandiya.

Raids: Ramallah – 09:45, Israeli forces raided the villages of Yabrud, Jifna and Kafr Ni’ma.

Raid: Ramallah – 11:00-13:55, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the village of Medea.

Raid: Ramallah – 11:45, Israeli troops raided and patrolled al-Mazra’a al-Gharbiya.

Raids: Ramallah – 13:35, the Israeli military raided and patrolled the village of Kharbatha Bani Harith.

Raid: Ramallah – 16:05, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled Ni’lin.

Raid: Ramallah – 19:45–22:55, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled al-Bireh.

Raid: Ramallah – 20:35–00:10, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the village of Safa.

Raid: Ramallah – midnight-03:20, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled Sinjil.

Raid: Ramallah – 00:40–05:10, Israeli troops raided the village of Beit Ur al-Tahta.

Raid: Ramallah – 01:30, the Israeli military raided and patrolled Turmusaya.

Raid: Ramallah – 06:55, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the village of Deir Nizam.

Raids: Jenin – 11:30, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled Araba as well as the villages of al-Zawiya and Sanur.

Raid: Jenin – 14:05, Israeli forces raided and patrolled Silat al-Dahr.

Raid: Jenin – 15:40, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled Ya’bad.

Raids: Jenin – 21:00, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the Sabah Al-Khair suburb as well as the villages of al-Jalama, Arranah and Faqua.

Raid – 4 taken prisoner: Jenin – 00:45, the Israeli military raided Araba, taking prisoner four people.

Raid: Jenin – 00:45, Israeli soldiers raided the village of Fahma.

Raids: Tubas – 00:10–03:55, Israeli Occupation forces raided Tubas and Tamoun.

Raid: Tulkarem – 21:30–01:55, Israeli forces raided and patrolled Quffin.

Raid: Qalqiliya – 13:40, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the village of Kafr Laqif.

Raids: Qalqiliya – 23:50–05:55, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the villages of Hajjah, al-Funduq and Kafr Qaddum.

Raids: Nablus – 12:05, the Israeli military raided and patrolled Qabalan as well as the village of Yatma.

Raids: Nablus – 13:50, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the villages of Odala and Talfit.

Raid – 1 beaten up, 1 other taken prisoner: Nablus – 21:20, Israeli Occupation forces raided the city, beating up one person, Ayman Nayef Shakhshir, and taking prisoner another.

Raid: Nablus – 21:40–02:10, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the village of Asira al-Qibliya.

Raid – 2 taken prisoner: Nablus – 22:30–03:10, the Israeli Army raided the village of Salem, taking prisoner two people.

Raid: Nablus – 22:30–03:10, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the village of Deir al-Hatab.

Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Nablus – 01:30–06:55, the Israeli military raided Beit Iba, taking prisoner one person.

Raid: Nablus – 01:35, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled Aqraba.

Raid: Nablus – 07:35, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the village of Majdal Bani Fadel.

Raid: Salfit – 12:10-17:10, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the village of Yasuf.

Raid: Salfit – 17:10, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled Qarawat Bani Hassan.

Raid: Salfit – 20:25-midnight, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the village of Masha.

Raids – refugee camp: Jericho – 03:50–05:15, the Israeli military raided the city as well as the Aqbat Jabir refugee camp.

Raid – 1 youngster abducted – 2 taken prisoner in refugee camp: Jericho – 03:50–05:15, Israeli soldiers raided the Ein al-Sultan refugee camp and abducted a 17-year-old youth, Muhammad Omar Abu Dan. Two other people were taken prisoner.

Raid: Bethlehem – 10:30, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled al-Khadr.

Raids: Bethlehem – 11:55, Israeli forces raided and patrolled Nahalin as well as the villages of Husan and Battir.

Raid: Bethlehem – 23:25–01:20, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled Beit Fajjar.

Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Bethlehem – 01:20, Israeli troops raided Tuqu, taking prisoner one person.

Raid – 27 taken prisoner: Bethlehem – 02:50, the Israeli military raided Husan, taking prisoner 27 people.

Raid: Hebron – 14:30, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled Hebron.

Raid – 2 taken prisoner: Hebron – 01:20, Israeli Occupation forces raided Yatta, taking prisoner a man and a woman.

Raid: Hebron – 04:00, Israeli forces raided and patrolled Idhna.