In Occupied Palestine

Zionism in practice

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

08:00, 08 February until 08:00, 09 February 2024

[Source of statistics: Palestinian Monitoring Group]

Gaza Strip

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: 107 people killed in Gaza brings the total number of deaths since 7 October to at least 27,947. With another 142 wounded, that has risen to 67,459. Fully accurate statistics are not available, due to insecurity menacing hospitals in the Gaza Strip.

OCHA Flash Update #115

Key points

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. Increased airstrikes in Rafah have heightened concerns of an escalation in the most southerly city in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have sought refuge. On 9 February, UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell, called on “the parties to refrain from military escalation in Rafah Governorate in Gaza where over 600,000 children and their families have been displaced – many of them more than once. Thousands more could die in the violence or by lack of essential services, and further disruption of humanitarian assistance. We need Gaza’s last remaining hospitals, shelters, markets and water systems to stay functional. Without them, hunger and disease will skyrocket, taking more child lives.”

Between the afternoons of 8 and 9 February, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, 107 Palestinians were killed, and 142 Palestinians were injured. Between 7 October 2023 and 11:00 on 9 February 2024, at least 27,947 Palestinians were killed in Gaza and 67,459 Palestinians were injured, according to the MoH.

Between the evenings of 8 and 9 February, no Israeli soldiers were reported killed in Gaza. As of 9 February, 225 soldiers were killed and 1,312 soldiers were injured in Gaza since the beginning of the ground operation, according to the Israeli military.

Internally displaced persons (IDPs) across Gaza continue to face deteriorating humanitarian conditions amid acute shortages of shelter, 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 where humanitarian operations are based. The Director of UNRWA Affairs in Gaza expressed concern at the prospect of an Israel military offensive in Rafah which could result in hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the fighting and warned that the Agency “will not be able to effectively or safely run operations from a city under assault from the Israeli army.”

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. According to UNRWA, only four out of 22 UNRWA health facilities are operational due to continued bombardment and access restrictions. As of 7 February, there are no fully functional hospitals in Gaza, with 13 of the 36 hospitals only partially functional, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). On 8 January, WHO reported that Shifa Hospital in Gaza city, which had recently resumed some services with the support of WHO and other health partners, had again reverted to only minimal functionality, following days of intense hostilities in its vicinity. “We cannot let the cornerstone of Gaza’s health system collapse again,” WHO stated. “Health care must be actively protected. Hospitals must be urgently resupplied.”

Intense fighting in Khan Younis, particularly near Nasser and Al Amal hospitals, continues to jeopardize the safety of medical staff, the wounded and the sick as well as internally displaced persons (IDPs), driving thousands of people into Rafah. On 9 February, PRCS reported continued attacks near Al Amal Hospital, which has reportedly been under siege for 19 days, and stated that due to hostilities, they had lost contact with the teams operating inside the hospital. Also on 9 February, allegations of sniper shooting near Nasser Hospital continued with two Palestinians reportedly killed near the facility. In two incidents on 8 February, Israeli forces reportedly fired at a group of people at the entrance of the hospital and another group in its vicinity, killing four and three Palestinians respectively.

On 8 February, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, stated that the “Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) are reportedly destroying all buildings within the Gaza Strip that are within a kilometre of the Israel-Gaza fence, clearing the area with the objective of creating a ‘buffer zone.’ Destructions carried out to create a ‘buffer zone’ for general security purposes do not appear consistent with the narrow ‘military operations’ exception set out in international humanitarian law. Since late October 2023, my Office has recorded widespread destruction and demolition by the IDF of civilian and other infrastructure, including residential buildings, schools and universities in areas in which fighting is not or no longer taking place. Israel has not provided cogent reasons for such extensive destruction of civilian infrastructure. Such destruction of homes and other essential civilian infrastructure also entrenches the displacement of communities that were living in these areas prior to the escalation in hostilities, and appears to be aimed at or has the effect of rendering the return of civilians to these areas impossible. I remind the authorities that forcible transfer of civilians may constitute a war crime.”

In December 2023, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) conducted a geospatial assessment, using satellite imagery, to analyze damage to the agricultural sector across the Gaza Strip. Major damage was recorded to 27.5 per cent of all crop land in Gaza and to 20.5 per cent of greenhouses. Some 488 agricultural wells also sustained damage. Another geospatial assessment, conducted by the UN Satellite Centre (UNOSAT), on 30 January 2024, showed damage to 34 per cent of arable land. Most of the infrastructure of the agrifood sector was damaged, ranging from commercial facilities (livestock farms, stores for products and inputs, etc.) to household facilities, such as home barns and animal shelters. The port of Gaza has been severely damaged, and most of the fishing boats have been destroyed. On 8 February, the bodies of the two fishermen were recovered after their boat was reportedly struck by Israeli forces in western Rafah on 7 February.

Since the start of January, humanitarian partners planned 76 missions to deliver aid and undertake assessments to areas to the north of Wadi Gaza. Of these, 12 were fully facilitated by the Israeli authorities, two were partially facilitated, 16 were impeded, 39 were denied, and nine were postponed by the agencies themselves. During the same period, there were 172 planned missions to areas assessed as necessitating coordination to the south of Wadi Gaza. Of these, 99 were fully facilitated, one was partially facilitated, 18 were initially facilitated but then impeded, 41 were denied access, and 13 were postponed internally. Areas not requiring coordination are excluded from these statistics. After seven consecutive daily planned missions to deliver fuel to Nasser Hospital in February, the mission was facilitated on the eighth attempt, on 9 February.

Hostilities and casualties (Gaza Strip)

The following are among the deadliest incidents reported on 9 February:

At about 1:00, eight Palestinians, including three children and one woman, were reportedly killed, and 18 others injured, when a residential building in the area of Al Kuwaiti Hospital, central Rafah, was struck.

At least 15 Palestinians were reportedly killed, when residential buildings in Deir al Balah and Az Zawayda were struck. Seven of the casualties were reportedly IDPs, who had been forced to evacuate from two schools in Khan Younis Camp.

In separate incidents, seven Palestinian IDPs were allegedly shot and killed by snipers, as they were trying to cross the road from Qandila School towards other areas in western Khan Younis.

West Bank Updates

On 9 February, Israeli forces shot and killed a 17-year-old Palestinian boy in a raid in Beita village in Nablus, where confrontations took place between them and Palestinians. Four more Palestinians were injured. Since 1 January 2024 and as of 9 February 2024, 71 Palestinians have been killed across the West Bank, including 16 children, the majority by Israeli forces.

Since 7 October 2023 and as of 9 February 2024, 384 Palestinians have been killed, including 97 children, and 4,443 Palestinians, including 672 children, injured in conflict-related incidents across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. During the same period, ten Israelis, including four members of security forces, were killed, and 73 injured, in conflict-related incidents in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, or in Israel.

Since 7 October 2023 and as of 9 February 2024, OCHA has recorded 516 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians, resulting in Palestinian casualties (49 incidents), damage to Palestinian-owned property (409 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, more than in any given year since it started recording incidents involving settlers in 2006.

Since 7 October 2023 and as of 9 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.

Since 7 October 2023 and as of 9 February 2024, Israeli forces have punitively demolished 23 Palestinian-owned homes, displacing 112 Palestinians, including 47 children.

Since 7 October 2023 and as of 9 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.

West Bank

[Palestinian Monitoring Group]

Israeli Army attack – 1 killed – 1 wounded: Nablus – 09:20, Israeli Occupation forces, at the Deir Sharaf checkpoint in Hajjah, opened fire on two people, killing one of them, Al-Mansour Billah Jalal Mahmoud Jaber, and wounding the other: Muhammad Youssef Abu Hamdan.

Israeli Army attack – 6 wounded: Nablus – 22:35, Israeli forces stormed into Beit Furik, wounding six people.

Death: Hebron – 18:10, Muhammad Ahmad Ratib Al-Sabar (aged 21), has now died in the Hadassah Hospital, due to a long period of medical negligence since being taken prisoner in May 2022, and held in the Ofer Prison.

Home invasions – 4 taken prisoner: Tulkarem – 03:50–05:20, Israeli Occupation forces raided the city, invading a number of homes and taking prisoner four people, including a news reporter.

Home invasion: Nablus – 15:35–16:45, Israeli forces raided Qabalan and searched a house.

Home invasions: Nablus – 01:45, the Israeli Army searched homes while raiding and patrolling Beita.

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 mosque violation and population–control: Jerusalem – 21:00, Israeli forces invaded the grounds of the the Al-Aqsa Mosque, to prevent worshippers from praying there for the Isra and Mi’raj anniversaries.

Israeli Army armed robbery: Jenin – 13:20, Israeli Occupation forces seized two cement trucks, a pump and two vehicles, at the Kefert village road junction.

Israeli Army pastoral sabotage: Nablus – 08:35, the Israeli Army demolished a livestock breeding shelter, in the village of Yatma.

Israeli Army armed robbery: Salfit – 07:40, Israeli troops searched and the seized one person’s motor vehicle, in the Wadi Qana area.

Israeli Army assault with stun grenades and tear gas canisters: Bethlehem – 14:30, the Israeli military fired stun grenades and tear gas canisters towards people, near the Aida refugee camp.

Occupation settler road rage – injury: Qalqiliya – 22:30, an Israeli settler drove his motor vehicle into, and hospitalised, one person, Suhaib Suleiman Qaraan, near the entrance to the city.

Occupation settler stoning: Nablus – 10:10–12:50, Israeli Occupation settlers stoned passing vehicles, at the entrance to the village of Bizzaria.

Occupation settler settlement encroachment and development: Nablus – 11:30, Israelis, from the Havat Gilad Occupation settlement outpost, installed additional electricity–supply poles on Talvillage land.

Occupation settler violence and pastoral sabotage: Hebron – 10:50, a gang of Israeli settlers assaulted, and injured, shepherds in the areas of Saddat al-Tha’la and Umm al-Khair, east of Yatta. In addition, the settlers also stoned and injured a number of sheep.

Occupation settler violence and pastoral sabotage: Hebron – 18:20, a gang of Israeli settlers assaulted and injured a shepherd, Ahmed Bargash Shawahin, in the al-Martaba area, east of Yatta.

Raid: Ramallah – 08:00–10:15, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the village of Umm Safa.

Raids: Ramallah – 12:30–17:35, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the villages of Rantis, Shuqba and Qibya.

Raid: Ramallah – 14:35–17:30, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the village of Bil’in.

Raid: Ramallah – 15:50, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the village of Kafr Ni’ma.

Raid – refugee camp: Ramallah – 17:30, the Israeli military raided and patrolled the al-Jalazoun refugee camp.

Raid: Ramallah – 17:50, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the village of al-Nabi Saleh.

Raid: Ramallah – 18:50–22:20, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the village of Beitin.

Raid – armed robbery – 3 taken prisoner: Ramallah – 22:25–04:05, Israeli forces raided Sinjil and the village of Budrus, robbing householders of a sum of money, equal to around $US2800, as well as two vehicles, and also took prisoner three residents.

Raid: Ramallah – 23:50–01:05, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled Bir Zeit.

Raid – 3 taken prisoner: Ramallah – 04:05–07:40, Israeli troops raided the village of al-Mughayir, taking prisoner three people.

Raids: Jenin – 14:20–16:00, the Israeli military raided and patrolled al-Yamoun, Silat al-Harithiya, as well as patrolling the villages of Zububa, Rumana and Ta’anak.

Raids: Jenin – 16:50, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the villages of Nazlet Zeid and Arqa.

Raids: Jenin – 18:10–21:10, Israeli Occupation forces raided the villages of al-Jalama, Arranah, Deir Ghazaleh, Faqua and Jalboun.

Raids: Tulkarem – 21:20–00:55, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the Shweika suburb of city.

Raid: Qalqiliya – 23:20–01:25, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled Azzun.

Raid: Qalqiliya – 00:15–07:00, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the village of Baqat al-Hatab.

Raid – population–control: Nablus – 08:35–14:15, the Israeli military raided the village of Madama and demolished a house–under–construction.

Raid: Nablus – 08:35, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the village of Beit Wazan.

Raid: Nablus – 12:50, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled Aqraba.

Raids: Nablus – 14:15, Israeli forces raided and patrolled Beit Iba and the villages of Salem and Deir Sharaf.

Raid: Nablus – 14:20, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the village of Qusin.

Raid: Nablus – 17:10, Israeli troops raided Beita.

Raid: Nablus – 20:00–04:20, the Israeli military raided and patrolled the village of Einabus.

Raid: Nablus – 00:40–02:20, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the city.

Raid: Nablus – 01:10–05:30, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled Aqraba.

Raid – population–control: Salfit – 13:00, Israeli forces raided Qarawat Bani Hassan and ordered a halt to the building of a house.

Raid: Salfit – 19:05–20:20, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled Kafr al-Dik.

Raid: Salfit – 23:40–01:30, Israeli troops raided and patrolled Salfit.

Raids: Jericho – dawn, the Israeli military raided the village of Ein ad-Duyuk al-Tahta, taking prisoner one person.

Raids – refugee camp: Jericho – 00:45, Israeli soldiers raided Jericho as well as the Ein al-Sultan and Aqaba Jabir refugee camps, taking prisoner one person.

Raid – stun grenades: Bethlehem – 23:45–02:30, Israeli Occupation forces, firing stun grenades, raided and patrolled Beit Fajjar.

Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Hebron – 10:10, Israeli forces raided the city, taking prisoner one person.

Raid: Hebron – 10:15, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled Dura.

Raid: Hebron – 23:20–04:15, Israeli troops raided and patrolled Bani Naim.

Raid: Hebron – 00:30, the Israeli military raided and patrolled Beit Ummar.

Raid: Hebron – 00:45–04:15, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled Yatta.

Raid: Hebron – 00:45, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled al-Samou.

Raid: Hebron – 01:00, Israeli forces raided and patrolled Idhna.