In Occupied Palestine – 11 December 2023

In Occupied Palestine

Zionism in practice

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

08:00 on 11 December until 08:00 on 12 December 2023

[Source of statistics: Palestinian Monitoring Group]

Restrictions of movement: Palestinians in the Occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza are under relentless and extreme control over all travel and movement.

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.

Victims: Another 207 people in Gaza have been killed by Israeli forces, now raising the total to more than 18,412. Another 455 people have been wounded, bringing that number up to more than 50,100. Precise statistics are not available, due to the violence surrounding hospitals in the Gaza Strip.

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.

OCHA Flash Update #67

Gaza Strip hostilities and casualties

The following are among the deadliest incidents reported between 14:00 on 11 and 14:00 on 12 December, involving the striking of residential buildings:

A residential building was hit in Musabbah area, Northern Rafah, reportedly killing at least 12 Palestinians including at least 6 children and injuring 10 others.

A residential building was hit in Al-Nuseirat, Middle Gaza, reportedly killing 17 Palestinians.

A residential house was hit in Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood, Gaza City, reportedly killing tens of Palestinians.

UNRWA is verifying reports that IDPs sheltering in its primary health clinic in Jabaliya and in one of its schools in Gaza City were forced to evacuate, with some subsequently shot or arrested while fleeing. Following the forced evacuations, the two facilities were reportedly struck with munitions, resulting in damages. Since 7 October, 41 UNRWA installations have been directly hit and 60 installations have sustained collateral damage, according to UNRWA. Some 284 IDPs sheltering in UNRWA facilities have been killed and another 976 injured.

According to the Palestinian Journalist Syndicate in Gaza, 81 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed since 7 October. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, 296 Palestinian medics have been killed. According to the Palestinian Civil Defense, at least 32 Civil Defense members have been killed. According to UNRWA and WHO, 134 UNRWA staff and 1 WHO staff have been killed since 7 October.

Displacement

On 11 December, the Israeli military was again calling and exerting pressure on Palestinian residents remaining north of Wadi Gaza to leave southwards through a “corridor” along the main traffic artery, Salah Ad Deen Road, between 9:00 and 16:00. However, people moving through that road north and east of Khan Younis city reportedly experienced intense battles.

So far, areas encompassing nearly 30 per cent of the Gaza Strip (excluding the orders to evacuate the areas north of Wadi Gaza) have been marked for evacuation on the Israeli military’s online map launched on 1 December. Residents’ access to this information is impaired by recurrent interruptions in telecommunications and the lack of electricity.

Following multiple orders by Israeli forces for Palestinians to evacuate, many IDPs are now in southern Gaza. The two largest sites in the Rafah where thousands have relocated and erected makeshift structures and tents, are in an under-construction hospital (‘the Qatari field hospital’) and the campus of the Al Quds Open University. Tens of thousands of IDPs, who have arrived in Rafah since 3 December, continue to face extremely overcrowded conditions both inside and outside shelters. Large crowds wait for hours around aid distribution centres, in desperate need of food, water, shelter, health, and protection. Without enough latrines, open-air defecation is prevalent, increasing concerns of further spread of disease, particularly during rains and related flooding.

As of 11 December, according to UNRWA, almost 1.9 million people in Gaza, or nearly 85 per cent of the population, are estimated to be internally displaced, including people who have been displaced multiple times.

As of 9 December, nearly 1.3 million of these IDPs were registered in 154 UNRWA facilities across Gaza, including more than 1.1 million in 97 UNRWA shelters in the Middle area, Khan Younis and Rafah governorates. Obtaining an accurate total is challenging, given the difficulties involved in tracking IDPs staying with host families, the renewed movement of IDPs following evacuation orders since 1 December, and the evacuation of five UNRWA shelters on the orders of the Israeli military in eastern Khan Younis on 6 December.

Due to the overcrowding and poor sanitary conditions at UNRWA shelters in the south, there have been significant increases in some communicable diseases and conditions such as diarrhoea, influenza, smallpox, meningitis, jaundice, impetigo acute respiratory infections, skin infections and hygiene-related conditions like lice.

On average, UNRWA shelters in the middle area and south are sheltering nine times their intended IDP capacity.

Health care, including attacks

On 12 December, WHO reiterated its call for the protection of health care and humanitarian assistance in Gaza, following military checkpoint delays and detention of health partners during a mission to transfer critically ill patients and deliver supplies to a hospital in northern Gaza (see Flash Update 65). During that mission, a patient reportedly died, and staff were obstructed and subject to ill-treatment. Since 7 October, WHO has recorded 231 attacks in the Gaza Strip, affecting 60 health facilities and 76 ambulances in the Gaza Strip.

For the seventh consecutive day, Al Awda Hospital, Jabaliya (northern Gaza), remains surrounded by Israeli troops and tanks, and fighting with armed Palestinian groups has been reported in its vicinity. Reportedly, 250 doctors, patients, and their family members are trapped inside the hospital. On 9 December, two medical staff were reportedly killed while on duty inside the hospital, during clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups.

Currently, only 11 out of 36 hospitals in the Gaza Strip are partially functional and able to admit new patients, although services are limited. Only one of these hospitals is in the north, according to WHO. The two major hospitals in southern Gaza are operating at three times their bed capacity, while facing critical shortages of basic supplies and fuel. According to the MoH in Gaza, occupancy rates are now reaching 206 per cent in inpatient departments and 250 per cent in intensive care units. Additionally, these hospitals are providing shelter to thousands of IDPs.

On 11 and 12 December, the vicinities of Nasser and Al Amal hospitals in Khan Younis were repeatedly bombarded, impeding the access of dozens of casualties. These two hospitals are among the 12 hospitals in the south which are still partially operational and are sheltering thousands of IDPs.

West Bank

Israeli Army attack – 1 wounded – 1 taken prisoner: Ramallah – 13:15-15:50, Israeli Occupation forces stormed the village of Deir Ibzi, wounding a man, Muhammad Moaz Ibrahim, and taking prisoner one other person.

Israeli Army attack – damage: Ramallah – 15:50, Israeli forces, near Kobar, opened fire on and damaged a vehicle being driven by a man, accompanied by his mother and brother.

Israeli Army attack – 1 wounded – homes invaded – 1 taken prisoner: Ramallah – 03:35, the Israeli Army stormed into Silwad and invaded homes, wounding one person, Waseem Snibar, taking prisoner the wounded man and 21 more residents.

Israeli Army attack – 4 killed – 2 wounded – homes invaded – 7 taken prisoner: Jenin – 03:40, Israeli Occupation forces wounded two people while invading homes in the Jenin refugee camp,and also carried out an aerial bombardment of Jenin, killing an 18-year-old youth, Thaer Abu Al-Tin, as well as three other residents: Rafiq Al-Dabbous, Mahmoud Abu Srour and Bakr Siddiq Zakarneh. Seven other people, Jalal Al-Sous, Bahaa Abu Zeid, Diya Abu Zeid, Majd Arabawi, Yassin Sahi Hanoun, Alaa Musabah Abu Al-Haija and Muhannad Abu Al-Haija, were taken prisoner at the entrance to the Government Hospital. Israeli troops also detained, for nearly an hour, an ambulance transporting a woman in labour. More aerial bombings were carried out by drones on a shop in the refugee camp, as well as on electricity generators in both Jenin and its refugee camp. In addition, Israeli bulldozers destroyed several memorials to slain Palestinians.

Israeli Army attack – agricultural sabotage: Tulkarem – 16:20, Israeli troops opened fire, from Israel’s annexation Wall, towards nearby Palestinian farmers, close to Deir al-Ghusun.

Israeli Army attack – agricultural sabotage: Nablus – 14:25, the Israeli military opened random fire towards olive harvesters, in the village of Asira al-Qibliya.

Israeli Army attack: Nablus – 21:20, a gang of armed settlers invaded Qaryut village, opening fire towards people’s homes.

Israeli Army attack – 15-year-old boy shot and wounded: Jericho – 18:00, Israeli soldiers, in Husan village, shot and wounded a 15-year-old boy: Muhammad Thaer Zaoul.

Israeli Army attack – 1 person shot and wounded: Jericho – 19:35, Israeli Occupation forces shot and wounded a resident in al-Khadr.

Israeli Army attack – agricultural sabotage: Hebron – 11:40, armed Israeli settlers opened indiscriminate fire, towards a farming family at work on their land in the al-Buwaib area, east of Yatta.

Home invasion and demolition: Hebron – 09:00, Israeli Occupation forces demolished a home in the Yakin area, south of Bani Naim.

Home invasion: Hebron – 09:30, Israeli forces raided Dura and searched a house.

Home invasions: Hebron – 03:15, the Israeli Army raided Yatta and searched three homes.

Home invasion: Hebron – 04:00, Israeli troops, raiding and patrolling Idhna, invaded a house.

Israeli Army assaults – agricultural sabotage: Ramallah – 11:05, Israeli Occupation forces, in Turmusaya, assaulted and beat up a 60-year-old man and his family while they were harvesting olives near their home, and also robbed them of their harvesting equipment.

Israeli Army assaults – agricultural sabotage: Ramallah – 11:20, Israeli forces assaulted two people harvesting olives, near the village of al-Mughayir, and stole an agricultural tractor.

Israeli Army armed robbery: Nablus – 22:30, the Israeli Army seized a villager’s vehicle, near the entrance to Qabalan.

Israeli Army – agricultural sabotage: Nablus – 23:15, Israeli troops bulldozed crops on farmland, near the Magdolim Occupation settlement.

Israeli Army – land-grab: Salfit – the Israeli military issued an order, to seize land in Deir Qala‘a, east of Deir Ballut.

Israeli Army assaults – agricultural sabotage: Jericho – 13:40, Israeli soldiers, in the Jabal Abu Zeid area, south of the village of Artas, bulldozed an agricultural road and a cave, as well asblocking a well and rendering it useless.

Israeli Army assault with rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades: Jericho – 16:30, Israeli Occupation forces fired rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades towards people, near the entrance to the village of Husan.

Israeli Army armed robbery – agricultural sabotage: Hebron – 17:05, Israeli forces seized a tractor from a working farmer, on land east of Yatta.

Occupation settler land-grab: Ramallah – 01:15, Israeli settlers built a settlement road, north–east of al-Mughayir village.

Occupation settler population–control: Tubas – 17:05, an official, from the Miskiot Occupation settlement, with Israeli soldiers close by, ordered three Palestinians, Muhammad Sayel Fuqaha, Hani Nimr Fuqaha and Nidal Ghaleb Fuqaha, to abandon their land in the al-Hamah area of the North Jordan Valley.

Occupation settler violence and population–control: Nablus – 10:45, Israelis, from the Itamar Occupation settlement, assaulted a number of people from the farming community and prevented them from reaching their land.

Occupation settler land-grab: Nablus – 11:00, Israelis, from the Shilo settlement, carried out bulldozing work in order to build a road towards the Jordan Valley.

Occupation settler agricultural sabotage: Nablus – 13:00-15:45, Occupation settlers invaded Aqraba farmland and interrupted the olive harvest.

Occupation settler agricultural sabotage and population–control: Nablus – 13:05-15:55, Israeli settlers raided Burin village farmland, prevented the olive harvest from proceeding and forced farmers and harvesters off the land.

Occupation settler stoning: Nablus – 15:40, stone-throwing Israeli settlers attacked passing vehicles, on the main Nablus to Ramallah road, causing damage.

Occupation settler stoning: Nablus – 21:20, Israeli settlers stoned vehicles passing through the Beit Furik checkpoint.

Occupation settler violence and agricultural sabotage: Hebron – 08:40, armed Occupation settlers assaulted two farmworkers, Abu Awad and Issa Mahmoud Abu Awad, on al-Samouagricultural land and seized the keys to a tractor.

See also Settler Violence (OCHA)

Raid – mosque violation – population–control: Jerusalem – 08:00, settler militants, escorted by Israeli troops and police, invaded the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and molested worshippers.

Raid – rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades: Jerusalem – 18:15-20:30, Israeli Occupation forces, firing rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades, raided and patrolled Abu Dis.

Raid – 4 taken prisoner: Ramallah – 16:25, Israeli forces raided Kobar, taking prisoner four people.

Raid – 1 wounded: Ramallah – 17:20, the Israeli Army, firing rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades, near the entrance to al-Bireh, wounded a resident: Abd al-Rahim Ezz al-Din Abd al-Rahim.

Raid: Ramallah – 18:50-20:30, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the village of Beit Sira.

Raid: Ramallah – 22:05, the Israeli military raided and patrolled al-Bireh.

Raid: Jenin – 09:25, Israeli soldiers raided Silat al-Dahr.

Raid: Jenin – 13:35, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the village of Tura.

Raid: Jenin – 16:05, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the village of al-Taybeh.

Raid: Jenin – 18:10, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the village of al-Fandaqumiya.

Raid: Jenin – 19:30, Israeli troops raided and patrolled Silat al-Dahr.

Raid: Jenin – 01:15, the Israeli military raided and patrolled the village of al-Jalameh.

Raid – 2 taken prisoner: Tubas – 04:05, Israeli soldiers raided Aqaba, taking prisoner two people.

Raid: Tulkarem – 22:00, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the city.

Raid – rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades: Qalqiliya – 08:15-13:10, Israeli forces, firing rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades, raided the village of Hajjah.

Raid – rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades: Qalqiliya – 15:30, the Israeli Army, at the annexation Wall, fired rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades towards people in Qalqiliya.

Raid: Nablus – 07:30, Israeli troops raided and patrolled Jama’in.

Raid: Nablus – 09:20-13:15, the Israeli military raided and patrolled the popular housing area.

Raid: Nablus – 16:45, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the village of Orif.

Raid: Nablus – 22:30, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the village of Deir al-Hatab.

Raid: Nablus – 00:25, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the village of Eula.

Raid: Nablus – 05:55–07:15, the Israeli Army raided the city.

Raid – refugee camp – 2 taken prisoner: Nablus – 05:55–07:15, Israeli troops raided the Askar refugee camp as well as the village of Kafr Qallil, taking prisoner two people.

Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Salfit – 15:15, the Israeli military raided Bidya and the village of Sarta, taking prisoner one person.

Raid – refugee camp: Jericho – 16:25, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the Aqbat Jabir refugee camp.

Raid – 2 taken prisoner: Jericho – midnight-02:05, Israeli Occupation forces raided al-Auja, taking prisoner two people.

Raid: Bethlehem – 12:35-15:55, Israeli forces raided and patrolled Nahalin.

Raid: Bethlehem – 12:50, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the village of Wadi Rahal.

Raid – 3 taken prisoner: Bethlehem – evening, Israeli troops raided the village of Harmala, taking prisoner three people.

Raids – 12 taken prisoner in refugee camp: Bethlehem – 03:05, the Israeli military raided Bethlehem, the Dheisheh refugee camp and Doha, taking prisoner 12 people.

Raid – 5 taken prisoner: Hebron – 09:00, Israeli soldiers raided Yatta, taking prisoner five people.

Raid: Hebron – 11:45, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled Idhna.

Raid: Hebron – 20:10, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the village of Khallet al-Mayya.

Raid – 2 taken prisoner: Hebron – 22:20, the Israeli Army raided Tafuh, taking prisoner two people.

Raid – 4 taken prisoner: Hebron – 00:40, Israeli troops raided Bani Naim, taking prisoner four people.

Raid – 12 taken prisoner: Hebron – 04:45, the Israeli military raided Halhul, taking prisoner twelve people.