In Occupied Palestine
Zionism in practice
Israel’s Daily Toll on Palestinian Life, Limb, Liberty and Land
08:00, on 19 February until 08:00, 20 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: 103 people killed in Gaza brings the total number of deaths since 7 October to at least 29,195. With another 142 wounded, that has risen to 69,170. Fully accurate statistics are not available, due to insecurity menacing hospitals in the Gaza Strip.
OCHA Flash Update #122
Key points
Intense Israeli bombardment from air, land and sea continues to be reported across much of the Gaza Strip, resulting in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of civilian infrastructure. Widespread ground operations and heavy fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups also continue to be reported, especially in Gaza city, Khan Younis and Deir al Balah.
Between the afternoons of 19 and 20 February, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, 103 Palestinians were killed, and 142 Palestinians were injured. Between 7 October 2023 and noon on 20 February 2024, at least 29,195 Palestinians were killed in Gaza and 69,170 Palestinians were injured, according to MoH in Gaza.
Between the afternoons of 19 and 20 February, one Israeli soldier died of injuries sustained in fighting in Gaza. As of 20 February, 234 soldiers have been killed and 1,396 soldiers injured in Gaza since the beginning of the ground operation, according to the Israeli military. In addition, over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed in Israel, according to the Israeli authorities, the vast majority on 7 October. As of 20 February, the Israeli authorities estimate that some 134 Israelis and foreign nationals remain captive in Gaza and include fatalities whose bodies are being withheld.
The Global Nutrition Cluster is reporting a steep rise in malnutrition among children and pregnant and breastfeeding women in the Gaza Strip, as food and safe water become increasingly scarce and disease proliferates. The situation is especially serious in northern Gaza where 1 in 6 children under the age of 2 (15.6 per cent) who were screened at shelters and health centres in January were found to be acutely malnourished. Of these, almost 3 per cent suffered from severe wasting, the most life-threatening form of malnutrition. This rate of 15.6 per cent of wasting among children under the age of two indicates a decline in a population’s nutritional status that is unprecedented globally in three months, according to the report. Prior to 7 October, just 0.8 per cent of children under 5 in Gaza were acutely malnourished. In Rafah in southern Gaza, where aid has been more available than in the north, 5 per cent of children under the age of two are acutely malnourished, evidence that access to humanitarian aid can help prevent the worst outcomes. Accordingly, UNICEF, WFP and WHO are calling for safe, unimpeded and sustained access to urgently deliver multi-sectoral humanitarian assistance throughout the Gaza Strip. According to UNICEF, “the Gaza Strip is poised to witness an explosion in preventable child deaths which would compound the already unbearable level of child deaths in Gaza. We’ve been warning for weeks that the Gaza Strip is on the brink of a nutrition crisis. If the conflict doesn’t end now, children’s nutrition will continue to plummet, leading to preventable deaths or health issues which will affect the children of Gaza for the rest of their lives and have potential intergenerational consequences.”
On 20 February, WHO reported that over the previous two days, it had succeeded in transferring 32 patients in critical condition from Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis to three other hospitals in Gaza, with the support of the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and OCHA. The transfer was requested by hospital staff following the siege and raid on the hospital complex by the Israeli military. Prior to the mission, WHO had received two consecutive denials to access the hospital, causing delays in urgently needed patient referral and leading to the death of at least five patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), according to WHO. The Israeli military stated that it had discovered weapons inside the compound and arrested hundreds of suspects. The WHO team and partners also provided limited supplies of essential medicines and food for the remaining 130 sick and injured patients, and the estimated 15 doctors and nurses staff who remain in the hospital, which has no electricity or running water. The ICU is no longer functioning, and the remaining patient was transferred to a different part of the complex where other patients receive basic care. Efforts to facilitate further patient referrals are in process. Emphasizing that “the dismantling and degradation of the Nasser Medical Complex is a massive blow to Gaza’s health system,” WHO expressed its concern for the safety and wellbeing of the patients and health workers who remain and warned that further disruption to lifesaving care for the sick and injured would lead to more deaths.
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that it is pausing deliveries of food aid to northern Gaza. This follows incidents on 18 and 19 February when WFP convoys were unable to deliver aid as planned, largely due to a breakdown in civil order, leading to the looting of trucks and the beating of a driver on 19 February. The convoys had resumed on 18 February after a three-week suspension following a strike on an UNRWA truck and due to the absence of a functioning humanitarian notification system. WFP has reluctantly taken the decision to suspend operations, acknowledging that the situation in northern Gaza will deteriorate further and more people risk dying of hunger. WFP stated that it will seek to resume deliveries as soon as possible and reiterated that it is committed, “to urgently reaching desperate people across Gaza but the safety and security to deliver critical food aid – and for the people receiving it – must be ensured.” Between 1 January and 15 February, humanitarian partners planned 77 missions to deliver aid and undertake assessments to areas to the north of Wadi Gaza. Of these, 12 were facilitated by the Israeli authorities, three were partially facilitated, 14 were impeded, 39 were denied access, and nine were postponed. Facilitated missions primarily involved food distribution, while the access of missions to support hospitals and facilities providing water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH) services remained among those overwhelmingly denied.
The situation in Al Amal Hospital in Khan Younis continues to be critical, following a 29-day siege by the Israeli military. On 19 February, PRCS reported that the water desalination station at the facility is no longer functional after being hit by Israeli forces, and that available drinking water is only sufficient for three days. The facility already faces a lack of fuel reserves to generate electricity for high-risk patients and a near exhaustion of food supplies and has reportedly sustained damage due to recent artillery shelling.
As of 17 February, up to 1.7 million people have been displaced across the Gaza Strip, many multiple times, according to UNRWA. Following intense Israeli bombardment and fighting in Khan Younis and Deir al Balah, a significant number of Palestinians has moved to Rafah, where the influx of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) has overwhelmed the capacity of health and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services to meet the needs of the population. According to a recent assessment of satellite data by UNOSAT, it is estimated that over one million IDPs are currently residing in makeshift shelters, the majority in Rafah. On 20 February, the Israeli military announced an order for residents of two specific areas of Gaza city to evacuate to Al Mawasi area in Khan Younis. Since 7 October 2023, about 67 per cent of the Gaza Strip have been placed under evacuation orders.
Hostilities and casualties (Gaza Strip)
Incidents of the targeting of people as they wait for humanitarian aid convoys continue to be reported in Gaza city. On 19 February, at about 14:00, five Palestinians were allegedly killed, and several others injured, when people who had gathered for a possible delivery of humanitarian aid at Al Kuwaiti roundabout were allegedly shot by Israeli Defence Forces quadcopters. On 18 February, at about 16:00, at least one Palestinian was allegedly killed, and others injured, when a group that was waiting for relief aid at Al Nabulsi roundabout came under fire.
The following are among the deadliest incidents reported on 18 February:
On 18 February, seven Palestinians were reportedly killed, and others injured, when a residential building in Deir al Balah, central Gaza, was struck.
On 18 February, at about 13:00, five Palestinians were reportedly killed, and others were injured, when a residential building in Ash Shuja’iyeh neighbourhood, eastern Gaza city, was struck.
On 18 February, at about 15:30, at least five Palestinians, including three women and two girls, were reportedly killed, and others injured, when a residential building in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza, was struck.
West Bank Updates
Since 7 October 2023 and as of 19 February, 393 Palestinians have been killed, including 100 children, and 4,522 Palestinians, including 702 children, have been injured in conflict-related incidents across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. During the same period, 12 Israelis, including four members of Israeli forces, were killed and 80 injured in conflict-related incidents in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Israel.
On 19 February, large numbers of Israeli settlers, accompanied by Israeli forces, raided the village of Burqa in Nablus, after a Molotov cocktail was reportedly thrown at a settler vehicle driving in the area, injuring the passenger. Settlers set fire to two vehicles and damaged three others. Israeli forces reportedly conducted a search-and-arrest operation for fifteen hours, resulting in damage to at least ten houses. One Palestinian was injured after being physically assaulted by Israeli forces. Israeli forces have withdrawn but access to and from the village is still restricted.
In two separate incidents on 18 and 19 February, Israeli settlers set fire to an agricultural structure and stole machines and tools from another in the outskirts of At Taybe village in Hebron. On 19 February, settlers set fire to a Palestinian vehicle and wrote anti-Arab slogans on walls in Turmus’ayya village in Ramallah.
Since 7 October 2023 and as of 19 February, OCHA has recorded 561 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians that resulted in Palestinian casualties (50 incidents), damage to Palestinian-owned property (450 incidents), or both casualties and damage to property (61 incidents).
Since 7 October 2023, 524 people, including 256 children, have been displaced in Area C, and East Jerusalem, after their homes were demolished due to the lack of Israeli-issued building permits, which are almost impossible to obtain.
Since 7 October 2023, 830 Palestinians, including 337 children, have been displaced, following the destruction of 131 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 wounded: Ramallah – 17:20, Israeli Occupation forces, in the village of Dura al-Qar’ and firing live ammunition, wounded a resident: Moaz Safwat Fawaqa.
Israeli Army attack: Ramallah – 01:20, Israeli forces, firing live ammunition, stormed of the city
Israeli Army attack – 1 wounded – 2 taken prisoner – armed robbery: Tubas – 01:20–04:10, the Israeli Army firing live ammunition, stormed Tubas, wounding one person, Bakr Abbas Nayef Daraghmeh and taking prisoner two other residents as well as seizing agricultural fertiliser from the inside of a motor vehicle.
Israeli Army attack – 1 wounded: Tulkarem – 15:50, Israeli troops, firing live ammunition, stormed Zeita, wounding a woman: Raeda Abu Tammam.
Israeli Army attack – youngster wounded: Qalqiliya – 01:55, the Israeli military, firing live ammunition, stormed Qalqiliya, wounding a 17-year-old youth: Ahmed Nael Hussein.
Israeli Army attack – 2 wounded, including 1 youngster: Nablus – 14:45, Israeli soldiers, firing live ammunition, stormed the village of Sarra, wounding two people: 16-year-old Misr Mahmoud Ghanem and Tawfiq Muhammad Abu Hussein.
Israeli Army attack – 1 wounded: Hebron – 21:45–22:50, Israeli Occupation forces, firing live ammunition, stormed the al-Arroub refugee camp, wounding a resident: Muhib Muhammad Al-Najmi.
Israeli Army home invasions and road–rage: Jenin – 02:55, Israeli Occupation forces raided Burqin, invading homes as well as running a military vehicle into and injuring a man: Mahmoud Osama Muhammad Al-Tarzi.
Israeli settler arson attacks on homes: Nablus – 19:35, Israeli settlers raided the village of Burqa and set fire to two houses and two motor vehicles. One resident was taken prisoner.
Israeli Army home invasions: Hebron – 01:30–02:30, Israeli forces raided the city and invaded homes.
Israeli Army destruction and population–control: Jerusalem – 06:00, the Israeli Occupation, in the town of Beit Hanina, demolished a large eight-storey building–under–construction.
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 assault with rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades: Jerusalem – 11:00, Israeli forces fired rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades, towards people in the Silwan neighbourhood.
Occupation settlement development: Bethlehem – 09:05, Israeli Occupation forces invaded and bulldozed land, near the eastern entrance to Husan village, in order to build a 20-metre-wide, 500-metre-long settlement road.
Occupation settler land-grab: Jerusalem – 12:20, Israeli Occupation settlers fenced-off and seized an area of land, in the Silwan neighbourhood.
Occupation settler racist vandalism: Ramallah – 05:00, Israeli settlers raided the outskirts of Sinjil and stoned a house, smashing windows and spraying hateful racist messages, in Hebrew, on itswalls.
Occupation settler vandalism: Tubas – 16:30, Israeli settlers damaged the tyres of a vehicle, in an area of the North Jordan Valley.
Occupation settler land-grab: Qalqiliya – 11:30–13:45, an Israeli settler, supported by Israeli forces, claimed and occupied a piece of farmland, west of Jayus.
Occupation settler vandalism: Nablus – dawn, Israeli settlers invaded a vehicle repair shop in Huwara, smashing its windows and slashing the tyres of ten vehicles.
Occupation settler population–control: Nablus – 21:35–04:00, Israeli settlers closed the Nablus to Tulkarem road to Palestinian vehicles.
Occupation settler stoning and terror: Hebron – 18:35, Israeli Occupation settlers invaded the Farsh al-Hawa area, north of Hebron, and stoned a house.
Raid: Jerusalem – 02:00, Israeli Occupation forces raided Biddu, taking prisoner two people.
Raid: Jerusalem – 02:30, Israeli forces raided Beit Surik, taking prisoner one person.
Raid – 2 taken prisoner: Ramallah – 09:05, the Israeli Army raided the village of Ras Karkar, taking prisoner two people.
Raid – 8 taken prisoner (4 abducted): Ramallah – 13:30, Israeli troops raided Silwad, taking prisoner eight people, including four abducted 17-year-olds: Nasr Fadi Al-Zein, Naji Ayman Nayef, Usaid Majed Saad and Muhammad Yasser Saad.
Raid: Ramallah – 01:20, the Israeli military raided and patrolled the city.
Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Ramallah – 00:10, Israeli soldiers raided the village of Kafr Ni’ma, taking prisoner one person.
Raid – 2 taken prisoner: Ramallah – 07:50, Israeli Occupation forces raided Rantis village, taking prisoner one person.
Raid: Jenin – 15:05, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the village of Anin.
Raid: Jenin – 20:40, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled Ya’bad.
Raid: Tubas – 12:05, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the village of Ein Al-Bayda.
Raid – 1 injured: Tulkarem – 15:50, the Israeli military raided and patrolled Zeita, injuring one woman.
Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Tulkarem – 02:50–04:30, Israeli soldiers raided Allar, taking prisoner one person.
Raid: Nablus – 11:30-13:50, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the village of Bizzaria.
Raid: Nablus – 13:40, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the village of Duma.
Raid: Nablus – 20:25–04:25, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the village of Salem.
Raid: Nablus – 23:15–00:50, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the village of Burin.
Raid: Nablus – 00:50–04:25, the Israeli military raided and patrolled the village of Rujeib.
Raid: Salfit – 17:30, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the village of Haris.
Raid: Salfit – 00:40–04:25, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the village of Yasuf.
Raid – refugee camp: Jericho – 00:35–01:40, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the city as well as the Ein Sultan refugee camp.
Raid: Bethlehem – 17:00-18:05, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled Beit Fajjar.
Raid – 2 taken prisoner – rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades fired: Hebron – 10:30-14:10, Israeli troops, firing rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades, raided Dura, taking prisoner one person.
Raid: Hebron – 19:00-21:20, the Israeli military raided and patrolled Beit Awa.
Raid – armed robbery – 2 taken prisoner: Hebron – 06:45, Israeli soldiers raided Beit Ummar, seizing a motor vehicle and taking prisoner two people.
YAWN!