October 21
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers injured 5 Palestinians in Yasuf, including 3 with live ammunition and 2 with stones. Israeli settlers also assaulted Palestinians harvesting olives in Deir Istiya and al-Khader. A Palestinian family of 16 fled their home in Khirbet ar-Ratheem, south of al-Khalil (Hebron), after Israeli settlers raided the area, causing destruction of their property and threatening them with guns. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian minor during a raid in Jericho. Israeli forces also shot and injured 10 Palestinians using live ammunition during raids in Askar refugee camp, Beita, and Deir as-Sudan. Elsewhere, Israeli forces punitively demolished the home of a Palestinian man in Aqabat Jaber refugee camp using explosives. Israeli forces also seized deputy leader of the Hamas political bureau, Salah al-Arouri’s home in Bani Zeid al-Sharqiya turning it in to a Shin Bet facility. Meanwhile, Israeli forces prevented Palestinians from harvesting olives in Duma, Burin, Zabbuba, and Sebastia. More than 120 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Aroura, Rantis, Bethlehem, Hebron, Deir Samet, and Nablus. The Palestinian Prisoners Club said at least 1,070 Palestinians have been arrested in the West Bank since 10/7. In Gaza, around 250 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes. Rockets were fired at Israel, no new fatalities were reported. In Lebanon, anti-tank missiles fired from Lebanon wounded 1 Israeli soldier and Israel attacked Hezbollah-linked sites. Hezbollah said 19 of its members had been killed by Israel since 10/7, including 6 on 10/21. In Cyprus, a small homemade bomb exploded near the Israeli embassy in Nicosia, no damage or injuries were reported; 4 Syrians were arrested. (AJ, HA 10/20; AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, HA, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/21; UNOCHA 10/22)
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The Ministry of Health in Gaza said at least 4,385 Palestinians had been killed, including at least 1,524 children, and 13,561 had been injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since 10/7 as of 5pm, including 47 entire families consisting of 500 people. The UN said that about 70% of Palestinians killed in Gaza are children and women. It is estimated that hundreds are still trapped under the rubble. In addition, it has been reported by Israeli media that 1,500 Palestinian militants have been killed near Gaza. 84 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 26 children. More than 1,653 have been injured, including at least 360 with live ammunition. Israeli officials recorded no new fatalities leaving the Israeli death toll at around 1,400 Israelis, including foreign nationals, 4,629 have been injured since 10/7. The UN reported that over 1.4 million Palestinians, more than half the population in Gaza, had been displaced since 10/7 and that since 11pm on 10/12 there had been a complete blackout of electricity due to the Israel blockade. At least 26,756 housing units have been destroyed and 139,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7. At least 42% of all housing units have been either destroyed or damaged in Israeli airstrikes. 43 unidentified Palestinians were buried in a mass grave in Gaza City. It was the second time Palestinians in Gaza were buried in mass graves this week. The Palestinian Health Ministry said 37 medical personnel had been killed since 10/7 and that 7 hospitals no longer are operational. The first trucks carrying aid to Gaza arrived through the Rafah crossing. About 20 trucks carrying aid entered Gaza on 10/21. Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said fuel will not enter Gaza via the Rafah crossing. UNRWA said 17 of its members have been killed and 35 of its buildings damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7. (AJ, HA 10/20; AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, HA, NYT, REU, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/21; HA 10/22; HA 10/23)
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Israel said it attacked several high-rise buildings in northern Gaza in recent days in preparation for a ground invasion. Israel also dropped leaflets over Gaza City warning that Israel considers people remaining there collaborators with terrorists. (AJ 10/21; HA, HA 10/21; REU 10/22)
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Hamas said it sought to release 2 additional captives for “humanitarian reasons” but that Israel declined to receive them. Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh spoke with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. (AJ 10/20; AJ, AJ, HA 10/21)
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A PA official told Haaretz that Israel only allowed the aid the arrived in Gaza today because of the release of 2 captives on 10/20 and that future aid will depend on releasing more captives. The official said that the U.S. and European countries have been trying to link aid to release of civilian captives. (HA 10/21)
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5 UN agencies released a joint statement calling the situation in Gaza “catastrophic.” (HA 10/21; WAFA 10/22)
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Leaders from the PA, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, Italy, Spain, Greece, Cyprus, South Africa, the UAE, UN, and EU, and senior government officials from Kuwait, Germany, France, Japan, Norway, Russia, and China met at the Cairo Peace Summit on Israel’s attack on Gaza. Jordanian king Abdullah II said “[t]oday Israel is literally starving civilians in Gaza but for decades Palestinians have been starved of hope, of freedom and of future,” complaining that Israel is never held accountable and calling its actions in Gaza a war crime. UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said Hamas’ attack does not justify “collective punishment of the Palestinian people.” PA president Mahmoud Abbas called on Hamas and Israel to release all captives and prisoners. The summit ended without agreement on a joint statement. Abbas met with Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez, EU high representative for foreign affairs and council president Josep Borell and Charles Michel, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, Japanese foreign minister Yoko Kamikawa, and South African president Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the summit. (AJ 10/20; AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, NYT, REU, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/21)
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Prime Minister Meloni arrived in Israel for meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog. HA 10/21)
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U.S. forces shot down 2 drones flying near Ain al-Asad air base in Iraq. The U.S. deployed a THAAD missile defense system battery and multiple Patriot missile batteries in the Middle East to “increase force protection for U.S. forces in the region, and assist in the defense of Israel,” according to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III. (AJ 10/21; HA, NYT 10/22)
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The U.S. introduced a draft resolution at the UN Security Council, saying Israel has a right to defend itself, Iran needs to stop exporting arms to “militias and terrorist groups,” calling for unhindered aid and protection of civilians. (HA 10/21)
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AP said, based on videos, its experts had determined that it was likely an errant rocket that caused the explosion at al-Ahli Arab Hospital on 10/17. French and Canadian intelligence also suggested that an errant rocket fired by Palestinian militant caused the explosion. UK Channel 4, Al Jazeera and Forensic Architecture investigations have concluded that it was likely an Israeli airstrike or artillery fire that caused the explosion. (AJ 10/20; AJ, AP 10/21; AJ, HA, HA 10/22)
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Thousands of demonstrators attended pro-Palestinian rallies in many major cities throughout the world, including more than 100,000 in London. (AJ 10/20; AJ, AJ, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/21)
October 22
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set fire to 2 cars in Huwwara. Israeli settlers also vandalized 70 olive trees in Yasuf. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers uprooted 30 olive and grape trees, damaged water tanks and solar panels in Shaab al-Batn in the Masafer Yatta area. Israeli settlers also assaulted Palestinians in Kisan. Israeli forces carried out an airstrike from a fighter jet at the al-Anasari Mosque in Jenin, killing 2 Palestinians. It was the first time since the Second Intifada that Israel have used fighter jets in the West Bank. Israeli forces shot and killed 5 others, including 1 minor, during raids in Qabatiya, Tammun, Zawata, and Askar refugee camp. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian they claimed had tried to ram Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint near al-Arroub refugee camp. Israeli forces also seized 1 bulldozer and arrested the driver in Qablan. 52 Palestinians were arrested during raids in and around Ramallah, al-Bireh, Hebron, Nablus, Qabatiya, Kafr Ra’i, Tubas, and Salfit, including the mayor of al-Bireh Islam al-Tawil. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently dispersed a protest in support of Gaza, arresting 6. In Gaza, Israeli forces killed nearly 400 Palestinians in airstrikes. Israeli forces also targeted the vicinity of al-Shifa and al-Quds Hospitals. 1 Israeli soldier was killed and 3 wounded in anti-tank fire during a raid in near Khan Yunis. Rockets were fired at Israel causing no new fatalities. In Lebanon, Israeli forces attacked and killed militants that allegedly were firing anti-tank missiles at Israel, using a missile strike. In Syria, Israeli forces fired missiles at Damascus and Aleppo international airports, killing 2 airport workers in Damascus and causing enough damage to close both airports. In Egypt, Israeli tank fire hit an Egyptian military post injuring 7; Israeli called the incident an accident. (AP 10/20; AJ, HA 10/21; AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, REU, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/22; HA, REU 10/23)
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The Ministry of Health in Gaza said at least 4,651 Palestinians had been killed, including at least 1,524 children, and 14,245 had been injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since 10/7 as of 5pm, including 47 entire families consisting of 500 people. The UN said that about 70% of Palestinians killed in Gaza are children and women. It is estimated that hundreds are still trapped in rubble. In addition, it has been reported by Israeli media that 1,500 Palestinian militants have been killed near Gaza. 92 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 27 children. More than 1,734 have been injured, including at least 360 with live ammunition. Israeli officials recorded no new fatalities leaving the Israeli death toll at around 1,400 Israelis, including foreign nationals, 4,932 have been injured since 10/7. The UN reported that over 1.4 million Palestinians, more than half the population in Gaza, had been displaced since 10/7 and that since 11pm on 10/12 there had been a complete blackout of electricity due to the Israel blockade. At least 26,756 housing units have been destroyed and 139,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7. At least 42% of all housing units have been either destroyed or damaged in Israeli airstrikes. UNRWA said 29 of its employees had been killed in Gaza since 10/7. AP reported that 17 aid trucks entered Gaza today, including 7 carrying fuel. The WHO said 4 trucks of medical supplies had entered Gaza to help more than 300,000 patients. The Gaza Ministry of Endowments said 31 mosques had been destroyed in Israeli airstrikes. (AJ 10/21; HA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/22; HA 10/23)
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The Palestinian Prisoners Society said 300 Palestinians had been placed in administrative detention and that 1,130 have been arrested since 10/7. (AJ 10/21)
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Israel evacuated 14 towns near the northern border with Lebanon (Blue Line). (HA 10/22)
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Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian spoke with Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh and Islamic Jihad secretary-general Ziyad al-Nakhalah. (AJ 10/21; HA 10/22; HA 10/23)
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PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh met with 25 ambassadors and representatives in Ramallah, urging a united front in ending the Israeli attacks on Gaza. (WAFA 10/22)
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Katyusha rockets were fired at the U.S. air base Ain al-Asad in Iraq. (HA 10/22)
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Israeli president Isaac Herzog claimed that Hamas militants planned to use cyanide on Israelis, showing documents he said were found on a USB drive in the possession of militants killed by Israel. The documents Herzog presented did not seem real as the word Al Qaeda was written with large font in English. (HA 10/22)
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Israel closed its Public Diplomacy Ministry, allocating the budget of the ministry to rehabilitation of Israeli towns near the Gaza fence. (HA 10/22)
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The New York Times reported that the U.S. have asked Israel to suspend its ground invasion of Gaza to allow negotiations over releasing more captives held by Hamas. President Joe Biden reiterated his believe that Israel has a “right to defend itself” but said it must operate within the laws of war. Biden also discussed the situation in Gaza with Pope Francis. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. “expects a likelihood” of regional escalation and claimed that Hamas is preventing U.S. citizens from leaving Gaza. (AJ 10/21; AJ, HA, NYT, REU 10/22; HA 10/23)
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President Biden, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, French president Emmanuel Macron, UK prime minister Rishi Sunak, German chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni issued a joint statement reaffirming their support for Israel’s war against Hamas, called for the release of all captives, and for Israel to adhere to international law and protect Palestinian civilians. (AP 10/20; AJ, HA 10/22)
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The Israeli Education Ministry removed Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg from the Israeli curriculum because of her support of Palestinians in Gaza and calls to end Israeli attacks. (HA 10/22)
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Thousands marched in solidarity with Palestine in Copenhagen, Paris, Sydney, Brussels, Sarajevo, São Paulo, Santiago, and elsewhere. (WAFA 10/22)
