In Occupied Palestine

Zionism in practice

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

08:00, 07 February until 08:00, 08 February 2024

[Source of statistics: Palestinian Monitoring Group]

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: 130 people killed in Gaza brings the total number of deaths since 7 October to at least 27,840. With another 170 wounded, that has risen to 67,317. Fully accurate statistics are not available, due to insecurity menacing hospitals in the Gaza Strip.

OCHA Flash Update #114

Intense Israeli bombardment and fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups continue to be reported across much of the Gaza Strip, resulting in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of civilian infrastructure. In remarks to the UN General Assembly on 7 February, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the expansion of hostilities to Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have sought refuge, “would exponentially increase what is already a humanitarian nightmare with untold regional consequences.”

The risk of famine in Gaza is increasing by the day, particularly for hundreds of thousands of people in northern Gaza who have been predominantly cut off from assistance and where food security assessments show the greatest needs, with many reportedly grinding animal feed to make flour. Since the onset of the crisis, the World Food Programme (WFP) delivered a total of 1,940 trucks (19 per cent of all aid trucks) carrying over 32,413 metric tons of life-saving food supplies. The last time UNRWA was able to carry out a food distribution in the north of Wadi Gaza was 23 January. Between 1 January and 8 February, seven out of 28 planned humanitarian aid missions to deliver food to the north of Wadi Gaza were facilitated by the Israeli authorities, one was partially facilitated, eight were impeded, seven were denied, and five were postponed due to internal operational constraints.

Health care in Gaza remains extremely precarious amid continued bombardment and hostilities, a lack of supplies and medical personnel, access restrictions, and fast deteriorating health conditions. On 8 February, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reported the killing of one paramedic and the injury of two people during a coordinated humanitarian mission to evacuate several wounded people and humanitarian cases from Gaza city. Since 7 October, 12 PRCS staff and volunteers were killed while carrying out their humanitarian work, according to PRCS. Yet, in January, the access of missions to support critical hospitals and facilities providing water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH) services to areas north of Wadi Gaza were among those overwhelmingly denied by the Israeli authorities. As of 7 February, there are no fully functional hospitals in Gaza while 36 per cent of hospitals are only partially functional, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Moreover, according to UNRWA only four out of 22 UNRWA health facilities are operational due to continued bombardment and access restrictions.

Intense fighting in Khan Younis, particularly near Nasser and Al Amal hospitals, continues to jeopardise the safety of medical staff, the wounded and the sick as well as internally displaced persons (IDPs), driving thousands of people into Rafah. On 8 February, PRCS reported continued shelling and heavy gunfire in the vicinity of Al-Amal Hospital, which has reportedly been under siege for 17 days. On 8 February, MoH in Gaza reported that 300 medical staff, 450 wounded and 10,000 displaced people at Nasser hospital are exposed to a health and humanitarian catastrophe amid a severe shortage of fuel, anesthesia, as well as intensive care and surgical supplies. According to MoH, the Israeli military has prevented the movement of ambulances, the disposal of medical and non-medical waste, and the arrival of the wounded and sick to Nasser hospital. Moreover, allegations of sniper shooting in the vicinity of Nasser hospital continue. On 8 February, a nurse was reportedly shot and critically injured while inside the operations room in Nasser hospital and two Palestinians were reportedly shot and killed in the vicinity of the hospital. On 7 February, a Palestinian woman was reportedly shot and killed while purportedly fetching water from Nasser hospital.

IDPs across Gaza continue to face fast-deteriorating humanitarian conditions amid acute shortages of shelter, fuel, clean water, food and medicine. As of 5 February, UNRWA estimates that some 75 per cent of Gaza’s population (1.7 million out of 2.3 million people) are displaced, the majority situated in Rafah governorate. On 8 February, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)​​​​​​​ warned hat further deterioration in humanitarian conditions in Rafah “would be catastrophic as disease and starvation already persist among the displaced population,” and “could collapse the humanitarian response.” Findings from an NRC assessment of nine shelters hosting 27,400 civilians in Rafah show that “people had no drinking water, showers, or personal hygiene items,” and every assessed location had reported cases of “hepatitis A, gastroenteritis, diarrhoea, smallpox, lice, [and] influenza.” On 7 February, Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim for the Occupied Palestinian territory, Jamie McGoldrick, emphasized that fuel, generators and spare parts are urgently needed to enhance people’s access to clean water, noting that the southern Gaza desalination plant is only working at 14 or 15 per cent of its capacity.

Hostilities and casualties (Gaza Strip)

The following are among the deadliest incidents reported on 7 and 8 February:

On 7 February, at about 13:00, at least 13 Palestinians were reportedly killed and others injured when a water distribution truck in Al Thalathini Street in Gaza city was hit while people were reportedly gathering to fill their water barrels.

On 7 February, multiple casualties were reported when a group of people were struck while purportedly awaiting humanitarian aid trucks at Al Kuwaiti roundabout west of Gaza city. This is reportedly at least the sixth incident involving casualties among people waiting for humanitarian aid in Gaza city.

On 7 February, at about midnight, a journalist and his son were reportedly killed, and tens of others injured, when a house was hit in Deir al Balah.

On 8 February, at about midnight, 14 Palestinians, including five children, were reportedly killed, and dozens injured when two houses in Tal As Sultan area and As Saudi neighbourhood, both west of Rafah, were struck.

West Bank Updates

On 8 February, Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian man at an Israeli checkpoint near Deir Sharaf village in Nablus, reportedly in an exchange of fire. Another Palestinian man was injured in the incident while in his car and the checkpoint was closed in both directions for two hours. Also on 8 February, a Palestinian man died of wounds sustained during an Israeli search-and-arrest-operation in Kafr ‘Ein village in Ramallah on 22 January 2024. Between 1 January and 8 February 2024, 70 Palestinians, including 15 children, were killed, the majority by Israeli forces.

On 8 February, the Palestinian Prisoners Club announced the death of a Palestinian prisoner, aged 21 years, from Ad Dhahiriya village (Hebron), who had been under administrative detention since May 2022 in the Israeli prison of Ofer near Ramallah. The circumstances of his death remain unclear. Since 7 October 2023, seven Palestinian prisoners died while under Israel custody in unclear circumstances.

Since 7 October 2023 and as of 8 February 2024, 383 Palestinians have been killed, including 96 children, and 4,433 Palestinians, including 671 children, injured in conflict-related incidents across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. During the same period, 10 Israelis, including four members of security forces, were killed and 73 injured in conflict-related incidents in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Israel.

On 7 February, Israeli settlers threw stones at cars driven by Palestinians travelling near Bizzariya village in Nablus, on the main road connecting the three governorates of Nablus, Tulkarm and Jenin, reportedly to protest the opening of the road. The road, which had been closed since October 2023, was reopened on 7 February, but was closed again following the stone-throwing incident. On 8 February, Israeli settlers raided Huwwara village in Nablus, threw incendiary materials at a Palestinian-owned house, and vandalized a parking vehicle; residents of the village were subsequently able to force the settlers out of the village and extinguish the fire.

Since 7 October 2023 and as of 8 February 2024, OCHA has recorded 514 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians, resulting in Palestinian casualties (49 incidents), damage to Palestinian-owned property (407 incidents), or both casualties and damage to property (58 incidents). October, followed by November, represented the peak of such incidents, after which the frequency of settler violence incidents returned to their pre-October levels. Overall, in 2023, OCHA documented 1,264 settler attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the highest such number in any given year since OCHA started recording incidents involving settlers in 2006.

Since 7 October 2023 and as of 8 February 2024, 508 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.

On 8 February, the Israeli authorities punitively demolished an apartment in a four-storey building in Hebron city, displacing seven people, including two children. The residence belonged to the family of one of three Palestinians who were shot and killed while carrying out a shooting attack against Israeli forces at Beit Jala checkpoint near Bethlehem on 16 November. Since 7 October 2023 and as of 8 February 2024, Israeli forces have punitively demolished 23 Palestinian-owned homes, displacing 112 Palestinians, including 47 children.

Since 7 October 2023 and as of 8 February 2024, 775 Palestinians, including 322 children, have been displaced, following the destruction of 123 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.

HUMANITARIAN NEEDS: 29 January – 5 February

Health

Primary health services are critically needed in informal shelters across the Gaza Strip.

There is a need to increase routine immunization coverage as well as the provision of medication for non-communicable diseases, psychotropics, and anaesthesia to address the health needs of the population and prevent the spread of infectious disease.

Expanding sexual and reproductive health services at the community level is necessary to alleviate overcrowding in maternity hospitals and ensure that women have access to the care they need.

The establishment of field hospitals in additional areas of the Gaza Strip is crucial to accommodate the medical needs of the local population.

People are unable to effectively access healthcare due to the lack of laboratory equipment and reagents needed for accurate diagnosis and testing.

Patients in need of timely and necessary transfusions, cannot receive them due to the unavailability of blood products in hospitals.

Nutrition

Needs:

Provision of nutrition interventions, including lifesaving supplies in Gaza, is critically needed across the Strip.

Malnutrition among children, particularly children under-five, and pregnant and breastfeeding women (PBW) remains a significant concern, amid lack of functioning health and WASH systems and deterioration of the food security situation.

Food Security

Needs:

The food security situation in the Middle Area and southern governorate presents an exceptionally challenging scenario. In Khan Younis, most of the population are grappling with extreme hunger.

The influx of IDPs into Rafah governorate has placed considerable strain on available resources. Providing adequate food assistance to the population challenging, given overcrowding

Vulnerable segments of the population, including children, the elderly, and individuals with underlying health conditions, are particularly susceptible to the risk of malnutrition.

There is an immediate need to establish uninterrupted and secure humanitarian corridors that facilitate the delivery of essential aid throughout Gaza, including through the private sector.

West Bank

[Palestinian Monitoring Group]

Israeli Army attack – 1 wounded: Tubas – 13:55–16:05, Israeli Occupation forces stormed Tubas, Aqaba and the al-Far’a refugee camp, wounding one person, Youssef Zaher Shaheen, and takingprisoner one other.

Israeli Army attack – home destroyed: Tulkarem – 14:00, Israeli forces stormed the city, besieging and firing missiles at a house, before demolishing it.

Israeli Army attack – 3 killed – 7 wounded – 1 taken prisoner – home destroyed: Tulkarem – 14:00, the Israeli Army stormed the Nur Shams and Tulkarem refugee camps, besieging and firing missiles at a house in the the Nur Shams refugee camp, before demolishing it and killing three people: Ziad Ali Daama, Islam Ibrahim Al Ali and Moatasem Ali Muhammad Hussein Ali. Seven others, Samia Jamil Hussein Ali, Heba Ibrahim Hussein Ali, Rawan Muhammad Ibrahim Hussein Al Ali, Bilal Ahmed Deeb Hussein, Anas Ibrahim Muhammad Ali, Ibrahim Muhammad Ali and Wissam Ali Muhammad Hassan Ali, were wounded. The last named was also taken prisoner.

Death: Ramallah – 00:50, a 29-year-old villager from Kafr Ein, Muhammad Khalil Al-Barghouthi, has now died from wounds sustained last month, during an attack by Israeli forces on his village.

Home invasions: Nablus – 00:35–02:05, Israeli Occupation forces raided the village of Kafr Qallil and searched a number of homes.

Home invasions: Nablus – 05:05–06:10, Israeli forces raided Osirin and searched a number of homes.

Home invasion: Hebron – 18:00, the Israeli Army raided the village of Faqiqis and invaded a house.

Home invasion and explosives demolition: Hebron – 23:15–03:00, Israeli troops raided the city and used explosives to destroy a home on the third floor of an apartment building.

Home invasions: Hebron – 01:10, the Israeli military raided Idhna and searched two homes.

Israeli Army destruction and population–control: Jerusalem – the Israeli Occupation bulldozed a market’s parking lot, near the north-eastern corner of the Jerusalem annexation Wall.

Israeli Army forced personal destruction and population–control: Jerusalem – 13:00, the Israeli Occupation forced one man, Imad Hijazi, to personally demolish his business in the Ras al-Amoud neighbourhood, or otherwise face an exorbitant fine from the Occupation, to pay for the demolition.

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 destruction and population–control: Bethlehem – 09:35, the Israeli Army demolished the foundations of a house-under-construction, north of Beit Jala.

Occupation settler population–control: Nablus – 10:35, Israeli Occupation settlers closed, for a time, the entrance to Burqa village.

Occupation settler stoning: Nablus – 11:15, Israeli settlers stoned passing vehicles, near the entrance to Bizzaria village.

Occupation settler stoning: Nablus – 13:15, Israeli settlers raided the outskirts of Qusra and stoned villagers’ homes.

Armed Occupation settler terrorism and population–control: Hebron – armed Israelis, from the Otniel Occupation settlement, destroyed crops on nearby farmland and terrorised residents, preventing them from leaving their homes.

Raid: Jerusalem – 02:10, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled Anata.

Raid: Jerusalem – 05:30, Israeli forces raided and patrolled Hizma.

Raid: Ramallah – 08:45, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the village of Rantis.

Raids: Ramallah – 09:55-16:15, Israeli troops raided and patrolled Silwad, as well as the village of Yabrud.

Raids: Ramallah – 15:35, the Israeli military raided and patrolled Sinjil and Abwein, as well as the villages of Aroura and Jaljuliya.

Raid: Ramallah – 17:40, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the village of Deir Nizam.

Raid – on refugee camp: Ramallah – 18:40-midnight, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the al-Jalazoun refugee camp.

Raid: Ramallah – 02:15–05:40, Israeli forces raided and patrolled Taybeh.

Raid: Ramallah – 04:15, the Israeli Army again raided and patrolled the village of Deir Nizam.

Raid: Jenin – 07:20, Israeli troops raided and patrolled Ya’bad.

Raid: Jenin – 19:55-20:20, the Israeli military raided and patrolled the village of al-Jalama.

Raid – 4 taken prisoner: Jenin – 21:10, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled Ya’bad, taking prisoner four people.

Raid: Jenin – 23:30–02:55, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled Araba.

Raid: Tulkarem – 07:35-08:55, Israeli troops raided and patrolled Quffin.

Raids: Tulkarem – 09:35-13:10, Israeli Army forces raided and patrolled Anabta as well as Kafr al-Labad, and the village of Ramin.

Raid: Qalqiliya – 14:40, the Israeli military raided and patrolled Hablat.

Raid – 4 taken prisoner: Qalqiliya – 05:10, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled Azzun, taking prisoner four people.

Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Nablus – dawn, Israeli Occupation forces raided the village of Majdal Bani Fadil, taking prisoner one person.

Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Nablus – 11:25, Israeli forces raided Qabalan, taking prisoner one person.

Raid: Nablus – 16:25, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the village of Burin.

Raids: Nablus – 19:10–23:55, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the villages of Orif and Asira al-Qibliya.

Raid: Nablus – 19:45, the Israeli military raided and patrolled the village of Odala.

Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Nablus – 20:10–23:55, Israeli soldiers raided Beita, taking prisoner one person.

Raid: Nablus – 20:25–23:45, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the city.

Raid: Nablus – 20:35–23:55, Israeli forces raided the village of Burqa.

Raid: Nablus – 23:00–03:10, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled Beit Furik.

Raid: Nablus – 23:25–03:10, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the village of Salem.

Raid: Nablus – 00:10–03:10, the Israeli military raided and patrolled the village of Deir al-Hatab.

Raid: Nablus – 01:30–06:10, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the village of Jurish.

Raid: Salfit – 09:45-12:15, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the village of Masha.

Raid – 2 taken prisoner: Salfit – 17:45, Israeli forces raided Deir Ballut, taking prisoner two people.

Raid: Salfit – 23:55–03:20, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled Qarawat Bani Hassan.

Raid – refugee camp: Jericho – 02:00, Israeli troops raided and patrolled Jericho as well as the Aqbat Jabir refugee camp.

Raid: Bethlehem – 20:30–04:00, the Israeli military raided and patrolled al-Khadr.

Raid: Bethlehem – 22:20-midnight, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the village of Marah Rabah.

Raid: Hebron – 13:40-15:35, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled Tafuh.

Raid: Hebron – 18:45, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the village of al-Rihiya.

Raid: Hebron – 22:10–00:55, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled Yatta.

Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Hebron – 00:10–02:10, Israeli troops raided al-Samou, taking prisoner one person.

Raid: Hebron – 00:35, the Israeli military raided and patrolled Halhul.

Raid: Hebron – 02:20, Israeli soldiers raided Sa’ir and searched a vehicle-maintenance shop.