In Occupied Palestine
Zionism in practice
Israel’s Daily Toll on Palestinian Life, Limb, Liberty and Land
08:00, 11 October until 08:00, 12 October 2024
[Source of statistics: Palestinian Monitoring Group]
Gaza Strip
Attacks: There are no safe places for the militarily-dominated population in Gaza, who find themselves subjected to airstrikes and other missile attacks on buildings, homes and many essentialfacilities, as well as constant gunfire and invasions by Israeli forces. The Israeli Navy continues to fire missiles, targeting facilities and buildings along the entire Gaza shoreline.
Victims: 49 more people have been killed, bringing the total number killed in Gaza since 7 October to at least 42,175. Another 219 have been wounded, bringing that total to 98,336. The daily average number of men, women and children killed in Gaza is at least 113 and, that of those injured, is now more than 265.
Palestine today
Don’t say you didn’t know
Ali Kazak akazak@bigpond.net.au
Israel’s attack on Gaza in the last 12 months has wiped out 902 entire families, erasing them from the civil registry. Additionally, at least 1,364 Palestinian families were left with only one surviving member, while 3,472 Palestinian families were reduced to just two surviving members.
UN: Gaza home to largest number of amputee children in modern history
Gaza is home to the largest number of amputee children in modern history, a senior UN official told the Security Council on Wednesday. Director of the Financing and Partnerships Division of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Lisa Doughten, said women and children are hard-hit by the trauma of the war and each day ten children are losing one or both of their legs. “Gaza is home to the largest cohort of child amputees in modern history,” she said, also noting that women there are three times more likely to miscarry or die from childbirth. “We cannot claim ignorance to what is happening — nor can we afford to look away,” she emphasised, repeating calls for the Council and Member States to act, adding: “These atrocities must end.”
She warned that the systematic and permanent targeting of the health sector has deprived more than two million people in the Gaza Strip of receiving basic health services, where more than 50,000 pregnant women are deprived of maternity care.
‘Death sentence’: Asbestos released by Israel’s bombs will kill for decades
People in Gaza are exposed to airborne particles released as Israel destroys the enclave. Inhaled, it can cause cancers. Israel’s relentless bombardment of Gaza has unleashed yet another deadly, but silent enemy on the people there – asbestos. A mineral that poses little risk to humans when undisturbed but that is highly carcinogenic when dispersed and released into the atmosphere, asbestos is present throughout much of Gaza’s structures. Over the past year, Israel’s bombs have caused vast amounts of it to be broken into tiny, airborne particles, which can potentially cause cancer in those who breathe it in, leading experts to say cases of cancer will likely be reported “for decades” in Gaza.
According to United Nations estimates, some 800,000 tonnes of the bombed-out debris across Gaza may be contaminated with asbestos. This is a “death sentence” for Palestinians trapped in Gaza, leading asbestos expert Roger Willey told Al Jazeera. The asbestos exposure of people caught in the aftermath of each of Israel’s bombing raids can be compared to that around the World Trade Centre when it collapsed in New York City on September 11, 2001, Willey said. The best thing to do if asbestos is disturbed and becomes airborne is to “get in a car and drive as far away from it as possible”, Willey said.
A solution that is simply not possible for the more than two million Palestinians crammed in the enclave of about 365 square kilometres (141sq miles) of which, the UN has warned, only 11 percent remains considered a safe zone.
The Israeli army has provided no supporting documentation for its assertion that fighters are transporting combat equipment in ambulances in Lebanon — a mere pretext for Israel’s flagrant violations against the Lebanese relief and ambulance sector. Israeli attacks on civilian targets, including the war crime of targeting health facilities protected by international humanitarian law, are also crimes against humanity as part of Israel’s aggression against Lebanon by means of a systematic and widespread attack against Lebanese civilians. According to the toll released by the Lebanese Ministry of Health, since the start of Israeli attacks on 8 October 2023, and up until 3 October 2024, Israel has targeted 45 medical centres, 128 ambulances, and fire engines. This resulted in the deaths of 97 paramedics and the wounding of 188 others.
Israel also targeted 17 centres and 62 vehicles belonging to the Islamic Health Authority in Lebanon, killing 68 paramedics and wounding 98. Furthermore, 18 paramedics were killed and 62 injured when 57 Islamic Message Scout vehicles and 15 medical facilities were targeted. The Lebanese Ambulance Authority also lost seven paramedics when a medical facility and two of its cars were attacked. Three volunteers were injured when the Israeli army attacked three medical facilities run by the International Amel Association and a Lebanese Red Cross vehicle. As for the Lebanese Civil Defence, 9 medical centres and 6 vehicles were targeted. 4 paramedics were killed, and 25 others were injured during the attacks. In related Israeli actions, on Thursday, 3 October 2024, the Lebanese Civil Defence received an Israeli threat ordering its members not to travel to the targeted areas, namely the southern suburb of Beirut, which had been subjected to the most violent raids since the attacks on Lebanon expanded on 23 September 2024. The threat also stated that they would be targeted if they went near the raid sites in the suburb to aid the victims.
Red Crescent ambulances in northern Gaza out of service due to lack of fuel
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society on Friday said that all its ambulances in northern Gaza were forced to stop over the lack of fuel due to the Israeli army’s incursion and siege for the sixth consecutive day. “Six ambulances are completely put out of service due to lack of fuel, as the Israeli occupation prevents the entry of fuel into northern Gaza,” Raed Al-Nems, Red Crescent Society’s spokesman in Gaza, told Anadolu. He added that the halt of the ambulances paralyzed providing the ambulance service to patients and wounded people in northern Gaza.
Al-Nems noted that the Red Crescent is in contact with UN agencies including the World Health Organisation, in an attempt “to bring medical and relief aid into northern Gaza in light of the extremely critical situation due to the shortage of fuel and essential medical supplies.” On Tuesday, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that the Israeli army had warned the three hospitals in northern Gaza to evacuate staff and patients, threatening killing, destruction, and arrest, similar to the situation at Al-Shifa Hospital several months ago.
UK charity launches campaign to prosecute British IDF soldiers
The British government remains persistent in concealing the number of British nationals and dual Israeli nationals who have enlisted in the Israeli military. After a series of back and forth with the Foreign Office, Declassified UK was informed that in September 2023, 80 British nationals were serving as “lone soldiers” in the Israeli Defence Force (IDF), but the number was likely much higher due to dual nationals serving in the occupation army. They added: “We have records of approximately 20-30 British Citizens residing in illegal settlements in the West Bank.” However, Sam Sank, an Israeli reservist from north London told the Times he believes there are hundreds if not thousands of Britons fighting for Israel. Like Israel’s “lone soldier” scheme, Britain also authorises for their Mahal programme to run, which allows foreign nationals to serve in the Israeli army and receive permanent Israeli citizenship.
Many of these individuals would have been among the 360,000 reservists that Israel called from around the world to support it. Instead of cracking down on British citizens travelling to Israel and being radicalised by the violent Zionist ideology, the British government has systematically protected them from being prosecuted despite the Israeli regime being guilty of facilitating an apartheid system, ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, illegal settlements, arbitrary detentions, torture and more heinous crimes against humanity. This same impunity and protection was not awarded to nationals who travelled to Ukraine or Syria. In fact, aid-workers who travelled to Syria to deliver emergency humanitarian aid following the civil war were stripped of their citizenship and denied re-entry into Britain. It is apparent that laws and legislation are compromised when it comes to Israel, and Tel Aviv remains the only place in the world exempt from the consequences of breaching international law. Despite this, the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) found that whilst the Metropolitan Police has actively investigated British citizens who travelled to fight in other armies abroad, they are not aware of any Britons who joined the occupation army being investigated. In June 2022, the ICJP submitted a dossier to the Metropolitan Police’s ‘Counter Terrorism Command’ outlining details of war crimes, crimes against humanity, as well as breaches to the Fourth Geneva Convention allegedly committed at times when Britons were serving in the occupation army.
U.S. spending on Israel’s military operations and related U.S operations in the region total at least $22.76 billion and counting. This estimate is conservative; while it includes approved security assistance funding since October 7, 2023, supplemental funding for regional operations, and an estimated additional cost of operations, it does not include any other economic costs.
This figure includes the $17.9 billion the US Government has approved in security assistance for Israeli military operations in Gaza and elsewhere since October 7 – substantially more than in any other year since the US began granting military aid to Israel in 1959. Yet the report describes how this is only a partial amount of the US financial support provided during this war. Adjusted for inflation, total US military aid to Israel stands at $251.2 billion across 66 years (1959–2024). (Note: As explained below, this is part of a larger total amount of military and non-military aid. There has also been support not included in official aid figures.)
West Bank
[Palestinian Monitoring Group]
Israeli Army attack on olive harvesters: Ramallah – 13:00, Israeli Occupation forces opened fire, from the Annexation Wall, towards olive harvesters at work on Budrus village land.
Israeli settler attack on olive harvesters: Ramallah – 13:20, armed Israeli settlers opened indiscriminate fire towards olive harvesters, onto land to the north of Burqa village.
Israeli Army – abduction: Ramallah – 13:50, Israeli forces, storming and patrolling Burqa village, shot and wounded a 17-year-old youth: Muhammad Youssef Samreen.
Israeli Army attack on olive harvesters – armed robbery: Tulkarem – 11:20, Israeli troops, at the Einav checkpoint watchtower, opened fire towards nearby olive harvesters and, later on, came over and seized a tractor.
Israeli Army attack – population–control: Nablus – 13:40, in the town of Beita, the Israeli Army fired live ammunition towards people protesting against the seizure of land for settlement development.
Israeli Army attack on olive harvesters: Salfit – 19:00, Israeli Occupation forces opened fire on olive harvesters, in the west of al-Zawiya.
Abduction: Ramallah – 03:55, Israeli forces raided Deir Dibwan and abducted a 17-year-old youth: Qusay Zuhdi Khalil Manasra.
Home invasion: Jenin – 19:15–21:15, Israeli Occupation forces raided al-Taybeh and invaded a home.
Home invasion: Jenin – 20:40, Israeli forces raided the village of Jalboun and invaded a house.
Home invasion: Qalqiliya – 21:10–23:15, the Israeli Army raided the village of Kafr Qaddum and invaded a home.
Home invasions: Qalqiliya – 00:45–04:30, Israeli troops raided Kafr Thulth and invaded two houses.
Israeli Army olive harvest suppression: Nablus – 13:15, Israeli Occupation forces prevented the Duma village olive harvest from proceeding and forced the harvesters off the land.
Israeli Army population–control: Bethlehem – 19:35, Israeli forces prevented, for a time, anyone from entering or leaving al-Jab’a village.
Israeli Army mosque violation and population–control: Hebron – for the third day in a row, Israeli Occupation forces have kept the Ibrahimi Mosque closed to worshippers, in favour of settlers celebrating the Jewish holidays.
Occupation settler stoning: Jerusalem – 23:00, Israeli Occupation settlers stoned motor vehicles in Umm Tuba village.
Occupation settler assault on olive harvesters: Nablus – 13:00, Israeli settlers invaded Duma village and beat-up olive harvesters.
Occupation settler terrorism against olive harvesters: Nablus – 13:15, Israeli Occupation settlers threatened olive harvesters on their way to work on Yatma village land.
Occupation settler prevention of olive harvest: Salfit – 15:10, Israeli settlers invaded Deir Istiya land and prevented a farmer, Abdul Karim Omar Al-Qadi, from harvesting his olive crop.
Occupation settler prevention of olive harvest: Salfit – 17:30, Israeli Occupation settlers invaded Qarawat Bani Hassan agricultural land and forced a halt to the olive harvest.
Occupation settler terrorism – with petrol bombs: Salfit – 20:55, Occupation settlers launched petrol bombs onto Yasuf village farmland.
Occupation settler olive tree sabotage: Bethlehem – 12:25-14:30, Israeli settlers invaded the outskirts of Khalayel al-Loz village, cut off branches from olive trees and raised Israeli flags over the area. They also threatened to occupy a villager’s home.
Occupation settler land-grab: Bethlehem – 13:00, Israelis, from the settlement outpost in Battir village, bulldozed land close by, installing mobile homes, in order to enlarge their outpost.
Occupation settler assault on olive harvesters: Bethlehem – 16:00–17:15, Israeli Occupation settlers invaded an area, near the village of Wadi Rahhal, and assaulted olive harvesters.
Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Jerusalem – 12:00-18:00, Israeli Occupation forces raided Hizma, taking prisoner one person.
Raid: Jerusalem – 02:00, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the town of Anata.
Raid – 2 taken prisoner: Ramallah – dawn, the Israeli Army raided the village of al-Mughayir, taking prisoner two people.
Raid: Ramallah – 22:40–01:15, Israeli troops raided the village of Kharbatha Bani Harith.
Raid: Ramallah – 23:30–01:55, the Israeli military raided and patrolled Sinjil.
Raids: Ramallah – 23:35–01:25, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled Beit Rima and al-Mazra’a al-Gharbiya, as well as the villages of Nabi Saleh and Aboud.
Raid: Ramallah – 02:05–03:00, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the village of Shuqba.
Raid: Jenin – 13:40, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the village of Faqua.
Raids: Jenin – 16:30, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the villages of Jalamah, Arranah, Deir Ghazaleh, Jalboun, Beit Qad and Arbouna.
Raid: Jenin – 18:40-21:15, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the Sabah al-Khair suburb.
Raid: Jenin – 19:05-21:15, the Israeli military raided the town of Ya’bad.
Raid: Tubas – 20:20, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the village of Atouf.
Raid: Tulkarem – 15:30, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the village of Nazlat Issa.
Raid: Tulkarem – 16:45, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the village of Khirbet Jbara.
Raids: Tulkarem – 17:40, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the towns of Zeita and Attil.
Raid – rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades fired: Qalqiliya – 11:00, Israeli troops, firing rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades, raided the village of Kafr Qaddum.
Raid: Qalqiliya – 15:45-17:00, the Israeli military raided and patrolled the city.
Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Qalqiliya – 01:15, Israeli soldiers raided Azzun, taking prisoner one person.
Raid: Qalqiliya – 01:20–04:30, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the town of Hablat.
Raid: Nablus – 13:05-14:05, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the village of Rujeib.
Raids: Nablus – 13:40–19:10, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled Jama’in as well as the village of Zeita Jama’in.
Raid: Nablus – 15:10-17:55, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the village of Einabus.
Raids: Nablus – 18:40–21:40, the Israeli military raided the villages of Madama and Asira al-Qibliya.
Raid: Nablus – 19:10–21:40, Israeli soldiers raided Tal, assaulted a man, Muhammad Ahmad Suleiman Hamad, and smashed his mobile phone.
Raid – suppression of resistance to olive harvest violations: Nablus – 20:30–21:40, Israeli Occupation forces raided the town of Qusra, damaging the doors and surrounding a building housing 16 international solidarity activists, who were there to support the residents with the olive harvest and document events.
Raid – stun grenades fired: Nablus – 21:05–01:30, Israeli forces, firing stun grenades, raided the village of Odala.
Raids: Salfit – 15:50-19:30, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the towns of Deir Istiya and al-Zawiya.
Raid: Salfit – 17:30-19:30, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the town of Kafr al-Dik.
Raids: Salfit – 19:40–21:20, the Israeli military raided and patrolled the town of Kifl Haris as well as Haris village.
Raid: Salfit – 00:45–04:20, Israeli soldiers raided the town of Bidya.
Raid: Bethlehem – 11:30, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the town of al-Khadr.
Raid – rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades fired: Bethlehem – 22:15–00:20, Israeli forces, firing rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades, raided the village of Husan.
Raid – stun grenades fired in refugee camp: Hebron – 21:50, the Israeli Army, firing stun grenades raided the al-Fawar refugee camp.