LUISTER NAAR DE JOODSE STEMMEN OVER

DE ISRAELISCHE MEGA-MISDRIJVEN TEGEN

HET INTERNATIONAAL HUMANITAIR RECHT

JEGENS DE PALESTIJNEN !

THE JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE - JVP

  LEES "THE WIRE" !

BERICHTEN NA 30-09-2024 STAAN HIER

31 oktober 2024

An ambulance lies destroyed in the rubble of an Israeli airstrike in Kafra, Lebanon on October 9, 2024. © 2024 Carl Court/Getty Images

Quick Takes: Israel/Lebanon

Videos: Israel/Lebanon; Gaza

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Humanitarian Situation Update #234
West Bank

Palestinian farmers in Jerusalem governorate waiting at Beit Izja agricultural gate to access their agricultural lands and harvest their olive trees that have been isolated by the West Bank Separation Barrier.  Photo by OCHA

Key Highlights

• Four Palestinians were killed in the West Bank during the reporting period, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed since the beginning of 2024 to 430.
• Since the beginning of October 2024, about 60 Palestinians were injured by Israeli settlers across the West Bank and more than 1,000, mostly olive, trees were burnt, sawed-off or otherwise vandalized.
• Nearly 60 per cent of olive harvest-related settler incidents so far in October took place in the northern West Bank, with Nablus governorate alone accounting for a third of incidents.
• Protection Cluster partners are currently delivering protective presence interventions and emergency response training in 70 West Bank communities highly affected by settler attacks and access restrictions during the current olive harvest season.

Latest Developments (after 28 October)

• Three Palestinians were killed during Israeli raids in Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps on 30 and 31 October. One of the raids involved an airstrike, armed clashes, and extensive infrastructural damage, with prolonged access delays facing medical teams and service disruptions affecting water, electricity and internet networks.

Humanitarian Developments(22-28 October)

• During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed four Palestinians, including one child, and injured 35 others, including ten children, across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. The incidents resulting in fatalities are as follows:
  • Two Palestinians were killed during raids by Israeli forces in Nablus and Tulkarm cities. On 22 October, undercover Israeli forces shot and killed an 11-year-old Palestinian boy who threw stones at military jeeps as they were withdrawing from Nablus city. On 26 October, at about 05:00, Israeli forces raided with bulldozers Tulkarm city and surrounded a multi-storey residential building in As Salam neighbourhood, exchanged fire with armed Palestinians inside the building, and fired Energa anti-tank grenades. During the eight-hour operation, a 29-year-old Palestinian man was killed in the exchange of fire. According to Israeli authorities cited in the media, the man was a commander of an armed group and had recently begun planning further attacks against Israeli civilians.
  • On 26 October, Israeli forces killed a 23-year-old Palestinian man trying to reach his workplace in Israel, via informal openings in the Barrier near ‘Azzun ‘Atma village, in Qalqiliya. Since the beginning of the year, two Palestinians have been killed and 24 injured by Israeli forces while trying to cross through informal openings in the Barrier, all by live ammunition.  
  • On 27 October, Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian man from Shu'fat refugee camp near Hizma village, in Jerusalem governorate. According to Israeli media sources citing Israeli forces, the forces shot at the man claiming that he attempted to run over Israeli forces stationed at a military post on Road 437 near Hizma village entrance and was said to have tried to stab them. No injuries among Israeli forces were reported. Following the incident, Israeli forces closed Hizma and Shu’fat camp checkpoints, raided the refugee camp where the family of the killed man reside, searched and caused damage to the family home, and summoned his family members for interrogation.
• On 23 October, a Palestinian man succumbed to wounds sustained while he was reportedly planting an explosive device in Jenin city on 13 October (not counted in the overall number of Palestinians killed by forces since October 2023, see below). Since the beginning of 2024, two Palestinians have been killed and three injured by improvised explosive devices, all in the northern West Bank.
• During the reporting period, Israeli settlers perpetrated about 70 attacks against Palestinians, more than half of which resulted in casualties, property damage or both. In total, 12 Palestinians were injured, 11 by Israeli settlers and one by Israeli forces, 120 grapevines, 65 guava saplings, and at least 40, mainly olive, trees were vandalized, water tanks, one electricity pole and other property were damaged, and agricultural tools were stolen. In addition, a 70-year-old Palestinian woman was injured while fleeing from armed Israeli settlers, believed to be from a pastoral settlement outpost near Eli settlement, who attacked four Palestinian families harvesting olives in Qaryut village, south of Nablus governorate. The families were forced to leave their land and were unable to continue the harvest.
• The following are some of the key settler attacks that took place during the reporting period, which entailed intimidation, harassment, physical injury, property damage or a combination thereof, and include cases where Israeli forces were present:
  • On 22 October, Israeli settlers believed to be from an outpost near Enav settlement attacked Palestinian farmers in Ramin village, east of Tulkarm city. According to community sources, about 10 Palestinian farmers were harvesting olives on their lands in Area B, when Israeli settlers arrived in the area and ordered them to leave. When the Palestinians refused, the settlers harassed and physically assaulted the farmers and vandalized their tractor.
  • On 22 October, Israeli settlers believed to be from Kfar Tapuah settlement vandalized the main electricity pole that connects the Palestinian village of Yasuf in Salfit governorate with the power grid and burned five olive trees belonging to a Palestinian family near the settlement. According to community sources, this resulted in a 17-hour-long power outage. On the same day, Israeli settlers believed to be from the same settlement vandalized about 30 olive trees, aged between 20 and 30 years, in the same village.
  • On 27 October, according to community sources, Israeli settlers, under the protection of Israeli forces, attacked at least four Palestinian families harvesting olives in Area C of Beitillu village, in Ramallah governorate. Some of the settlers were armed and believed to be from Nahliel settlement. Settlers injured two Palestinian men with stones, damaged three vehicles, stole harvested olives, and ordered the families to leave the land. When the families refused to leave, the settlers fired live bullets in the air, forcing all the families to leave the area.
  • On 27 October, a group of armed Israeli settlers believed to be from Asfar settlement attacked four Palestinian farmers while they were working on their land near Ash Shuykh village northeast of Hebron governorate. The settlers were accompanied by Israeli forces, who detained the farmers and transported them to a nearby military post in Wadi Sair. After a few hours, the Israeli forces released the farmers, who returned to their land and discovered extensive damage, believed to have been carried out by Israeli settlers. About 6,000 seedlings of seasonal vegetables in two greenhouses and five surveillance cameras were stolen, and a metal gate, an electric generator and a water irrigation network were damaged.
  • On 28 October, Israeli settlers believed to be from Shavei Shomron settlement pepper-sprayed a 73-year-old Palestinian man and stole four sacks of olives his family had harvested in Sabastiya village, in Nablus governorate. The family was forced to leave before completing the harvest.

• Between 1 and 28 October, OCHA documented nearly 270 settler-related incidents affecting Palestinians and their property in about 110 communities across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Of these, more than half were directly related to the olive harvest, resulting in 59 Palestinians injured by settlers, 12 injured by Israeli forces, more than 1,000 mostly olive trees burnt, sawed-off or otherwise vandalized, and many crops and harvesting tools stolen. Nearly 60 per cent of olive harvest-related settler incidents so far this month took place in the northern West Bank, with Nablus governorate alone accounting for a third of incidents. A quarter of the incidents took place in the central West Bank, mainly in Ramallah governorate, and roughly 15 per cent in Bethlehem and Hebron governorates in the southern West Bank. While the geographic breakdown of incidents is generally consistent with trends observed in the olive harvest season in previous years, the volume of incidents has significantly increased and is at least double the number of harvest-related settler incidents documented in October of 2023 (60 incidents), 2022 (59 incidents), and 2021 (36 incidents). This sharp rise highlights the growing threat to Palestinian farmers and their olive-based livelihoods, with most incidents taking place in areas that Palestinians were unable to access during the 2023 olive harvest season, when more than 96,000 dunums of olive-cultivated land remain unharvested due to restricted access and fear of settler attacks. Furthermore, according to community sources, many settler incidents during this season have entailed prevention of access to lands where people had previously not faced similar access restrictions. According to the Protection Cluster, the escalating violence marks a deterioration in the protection environment, heightens vulnerabilities, and underscores the pressing need for improved protection of civilians and continued advocacy for the rights and safety of affected people during this critical agricultural production period and beyond.
• Some restrictions on access to agricultural lands were partially lifted this year, with farmers generally permitted to access olive groves located within 200 meters of Israeli settlement boundaries and access to lands behind the Separation Barrier anticipated to be facilitated by Israeli forces by early November. Nevertheless, Palestinian farmers continue to face significant barriers in accessing lands in or near settlements and those isolated by the Barrier, which jeopardizes their ability to sustain their olive-based livelihoods. As was the case in 2023, private Palestinian land located within the boundaries of Israeli settlements and along main roads used by settlers remains completely off-limits to Palestinian farmers this season. However, unlike 2023, access to groves located within 200 meters of settlement boundaries was facilitated, subject to a “prior coordination” process with the Israeli authorities. Yet, their access has been frequently disrupted by settler attacks and access impediments imposed by Israeli forces or settlers. Impediments include physical barriers, limited time windows for land access, as well as placing limitations on the age and number of farmers permitted to reach their lands. For example, initial information indicates that Israeli authorities are limiting access to Palestinian agricultural lands near Mevo Dotan settlement to about 50 farmers aged 40 years or older, which will seriously hamper the ability of families from Kufr Ra'i, Arraba, and Ya’bad towns in Jenin governorate to gain access to about 18,000 dunums (1,800 hectares), including at least 2,000 dunums (200 hectares) of olive groves, near this settlement. Across the West Bank, Palestinians in at least 110 communities own land within or near 56 Israeli settlements.
• The Protection Cluster, led by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), in coordination with OCHA, other humanitarian and human rights partners, and international volunteers, are currently delivering protective presence interventions and emergency response training in 70 West Bank communities highly affected by settler attacks and access restrictions during the current olive harvest season. Activities have also included legal support, distribution of agricultural tool kits, and carrying out emergency preparedness training sessions on response actions. In the H2 area of Hebron, partners reported facing access restrictions that limited their ability to support families in the area. To enhance coordination, the West Bank Protection Cluster issued a Do No Harm guidance and checklists, launched a WhatsApp group for real-time updates, and rolled out an Incident Reporting Form for tracking protection-related incidents involving Israeli settlers or forces.
• During the reporting period, there were no structures demolished by Israeli authorities in the West Bank on punitive grounds or due to lacking Israeli-issued building permits. One demolition incident took place on 26 October in an eight-hour operation by Israeli forces in Tulkarm city (see above), during which a multi-storey residential building was severely damaged, resulting in the displacement of four households comprising 23 people, including 11 children, and five nearby houses sustained damage.

Key Figures

• Since 7 October 2023, 736 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in addition to two who died of wounds sustained prior to 7 October. These include 719 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces, 12 by Israeli settlers, and seven where it remains unknown whether the perpetrators were Israeli forces or settlers. During the same period, 23 Israelis, including 16 members of Israeli forces and six settlers, were killed by Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. In Israel, attacks by Palestinians from the West Bank resulted in the killing of 16 Israelis and eight Palestinian perpetrators.
• Since 7 October 2023, OCHA documented nearly 1,600 attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians that resulted in casualties, property damage or both. Moreover, 287 Palestinians households comprising 1,682 people, including 816 children, have been displaced in Bedouin and herding communities across the West Bank, primarily citing attacks by Israeli settlers and access restrictions.
• Since 7 October 2023, Israeli authorities destroyed, confiscated, sealed or forced the demolition of about 1,800 Palestinian structures across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, displacing more than 4,630 Palestinians, including about 1,950 children. These include about 2,900 Palestinians, including over 1,160 children, who were displaced due to the destruction of homes during operations by Israeli forces.
• For additional breakdowns of casualties, displacement and settler violence between January 2023 and September 2024, please refer to the OCHA West Bank snapshot.

Funding

• As of 30 October, Member States have disbursed about US$2 billion out of the $3.42 billion (60 per cent) requested to meet the most critical needs of 2.3 million* people in Gaza and 800,000 people in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, between January and December 2024. For funding analysis, please see the Flash Appeal Financial Tracking dashboard. (*2.3 million reflects the projected population of the Gaza Strip upon issuance of the Flash Appeal in April 2024. As of July 2024, the UN estimates that about 2.1 million people remain in the Gaza Strip, and this updated number is now used for programmatic purposes.) 
• As of October 2024, the occupied Palestinian territory Humanitarian Fund (oPt HF) has prioritized support for the olive harvest season through a series of resilience-building projects. Approximately 17 per cent of the Fund’s overall US$60 million allocation has been directed toward critical interventions in the West Bank, aligned with the 2024 Flash Appeal. Through the Emergency Reserve Allocation (48-Hour), $5 million was mobilized, including $750,000 allocated to two local partners specifically for the olive harvest. These projects focus on expediting the harvest by providing essential tools, clearing groves to reduce fire risks, and upgrading storage facilities to enhance food quality. An additional $5 million was allocated through the Standard Allocation mechanism, with the aim of rapidly scaling up relief efforts to address immediate needs of affected populations. Of this amount, $1.5 million was specifically earmarked for food security projects to improve household income and promote sustainable agricultural practices, including olive harvest support, to strengthen long-term food security and resilience for vulnerable populations. 

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31 oktober 2024

Plant one olive tree for $25! Plant five olive trees for $100!

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31 oktober 2024

Today's headlines

New UN Special Rapporteur report warns Israel’s genocide in Gaza could be expanding to the West Bank

A new report by Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, warns that Israel's genocide in Gaza is spreading to the West Bank.

Thousands of authors and publishers are calling for a boycott of complicit Israeli publishing institutions

Publishers for Palestine

More than 5,000 authors and publishers—including many of the most prominent names in the publishing world— are boycotting Israeli publishing institutions complicit in the unfolding genocide of Palestinians.

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30 oktober 2024

Almost a year ago, Palestinian kids of all ages gathered around a microphone outside of Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza. They held their own press conference, where they called upon the world to stop the unfolding genocide and hold Israeli military personnel accountable for mass murdering families.

"Since the 7th of October, we've faced extermination, killing, bombing over our heads—all of this in front of the world," one child said at that press conference. He continued: “We come now to shout and invite you to protect us. We want to live, we want peace, we want to judge the killers of children. We want medicine, food, and education, and we want to live as the other children live."

That press conference was held on Nov. 7, 2023. Since then, the Israeli military has killed tens of thousands of Palestinian kids.

Israeli soldiers brutally besieged that very hospital for two weeks in late March and early April. They left behind mass graves, including the bodies of murdered children whose hands they had zip-tied.

Dear reader, we have no way of knowing how many of our precious Palestinian children who participated in that press conference are still alive today.

But the horrors that every Palestinian child and adult in Gaza have been forced to endure are an absolute travesty of justice. No child should have to plead with the world to defend their life.

In memory of our martyrs, and in solidarity with Palestinian kids who’ve marched and held press conferences to resist genocide, we ask you to take action. Mobilize your community for the Palestinian Children’s Days of Action on Nov. 7-10, 2024.

JOIN THE CHILDREN'S DAYS OF ACTION

JOIN THE CHILDREN'S DAYS OF ACTION USE THE TOOLKIT

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30 oktober 2024

How we’ll keep fighting genocide after Election Day.

We're finding the cracks.

 Join us as we strategize.

How we're mobilizing.

The movement keeps growing.

On Monday, over 1,000 writers and publishing professionals released a letter pledging to boycott Israeli cultural institutions complicit in the oppression of Palestinians.

The number of signatories has since risen to more than 4,500, including such writers as Arundhati Roy, Sally Rooney, Rachel Kushner, Susan Abulhawa, and thousands of others.

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30 oktober 2024

Today's headlines

How Israel is trying to beat the ‘Axis of Resistance’ by dominating the regional supply chain

Ahmed Alqarout

Israel has been able to insulate itself from the effects of the economic blockade imposed by the "Axis of Resistance" through supply chain warfare in the Middle East and the broader region.

Why Israel outlawed UNRWA, and what it could mean for Palestinian refugees

Israel has banned the work of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, in Israel and East Jerusalem. The move could have a major impact on the agency's life-saving work and is part of an ongoing campaign to erase Palestinian refugee rights.

‘Thousands of people will die’: Gaza doctors describe impact of Israel barring medical NGOs

Israel has barred at least six international medical NGOs that had been providing crucial support to Gaza's decimated healthcare sector. Doctors in the banned groups say the move could result in thousands of additional deaths.

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Gaza Humanitarian Response Update

Medical evacuation of patients from Kamal Adwan hospital in Jabalya, North Gaza, 28 October 2024. Photo by OCHA

Health

Response

• The second round of the emergency polio vaccination campaign was concluded in central and southern Gaza, reaching 96 per cent of children under the age of 10. Vaccination coverage was 98 per cent in Deir al Balah, 94 per cent in Khan Younis, and 86 per cent in Rafah.
• In North Gaza governorate, due to the intensification of hostilities and access impediments, only two (10 per cent) out of 20 health service points and two hospitals (Kamal Adwan and Al Awda) remain partially functional, hampering the delivery of life-saving health services.
• As of 26 October, Kamal Adwan Hospital continued to host 600 people, including 195 trauma and non-trauma patients. On 25 October, three nurses and one healthcare worker were injured in an Israeli attack on the facility. On 25 and 26 October, 44 healthcare workers were detained by the Israeli army, of whom 30 remain in detention, four ambulances were damaged, and the hospital’s director was detained for three hours before being released. On 20 and 24 October, WHO, with support from OCHA, the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS), the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and CADUS, evacuated 38 critical patients to Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza governorate, and delivered 10,000 liters of fuel, 200 blood units, medicines and medical supplies to Kamal Adwan Hospital.
• Al Awda Hospital is inaccessible due to damaged roads, lacks potable water and mainly relies on untreated well water. Central water pipes have been damaged, limiting water availability to two hours per day. The facility currently hosts 151 people, including 65 employees, 43 patients, 36 companions, and seven children.
• The Indonesian Hospital was rendered out of service during the reporting period. Israeli forces were stationed at all entry points leading to the hospital, with no food or water made available for patients, medical staff, and internally displaced persons (IDPs). Between 20 and 26 October, four patients died, and on 26 October, a WHO-led mission to deliver food, water and medical supplies was denied by the Israeli authorities.

Challenges

• The Polio Technical Committee for Gaza, which comprises the Palestinian Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF, and UNRWA, has been compelled to postpone the third phase of the polio vaccination campaign, which aimed to vaccinate 119,279 children starting on 23 October, due to escalating violence, intense bombardments, mass displacement, and the lack of agreed humanitarian pauses in the two northern governorates.
• Continuous attacks on health care in North Gaza and access constraints for humanitarian partners are severely hindering the delivery of lifesaving health services and critical supplies, such as fuel, medicine and medical supplies.
• Escalating hostilities and deteriorating conditions across the Gaza Strip have led to an increase in bed occupancy rates, placing additional strain on the already overstretched medical facilities.
• Insecurity continues to severely restrict the transport of humanitarian aid and medical supplies from the crossing points.
• A significant backlog of over 14,000 patients is in urgent need of medical evacuation outside the Gaza Strip.

Nutrition

Response

• UNRWA health teams have relocated to Gaza city, where only one UNRWA medical point at a small school remains functional, after the agency’s medical points in North Gaza were destroyed.
• Since 7 October 2024, there have been 50 active Blanket Supplementary Feeding Programme (BSFP) sites in Gaza governorate, targeting pregnant and breastfeeding women (PBW) as well as children under the age of five (U-5). Between 8 and 27 October, one WFP partner has remained active in Gaza city and distributed 30-day rations of medium-quantity Lipid-based Nutrient Supplements (LNS-MQ) at the 50 nutrition sites, serving 11,583 PBW and children U-5. Moreover, since 7 October 2024, WFP, like other partners, has lost access to the seven nutrition sites that had been active in North Gaza governorate between 1 and 7 October, with no emergency rations of LNS-MQ distributed. BSFP is the distribution of special supplementary food with high energy and micronutrients to cover the specific needs of children U-5 and PBW.
• With the Kamal Adwan Hospital operating at minimum capacity, both operations at the Stabilization Center (SC) for the treatment of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) within the facility and Outpatient Therapeutic Programme (OTP) services for acutely malnourished children have been disrupted. Prior to the recent intensification of hostilities, two children suffering from SAM with complications were receiving in-patient care at the SC, while around 100 received OTP services at Kamal Adwan. These children have now been displaced along with their families and efforts are ongoing to locate and refer them to available SCs in areas to which they have been displaced, primarily within Gaza city. Meanwhile, the Benevolent Society Stabilization Center in Gaza city remains active and continues to admit children.
• Juzoor for Health and Development, a local NGO, has lost staff members but continued to operate in northern Gaza to support the delivery of emergency health care services. Moreover, UNICEF and Juzoor have started the distribution of ready-to-use complementary food in northern Gaza, aiming to expand this activity to three additional partners in the area. 
• In central and southern Gaza, the Nutrition Cluster, with support from UNICEF, integrated vitamin A supplementation in the second round of the emergency polio campaign.
• As part of winterization preparedness efforts, UNRWA has commenced the distribution of warm clothing for newborns and infants, compliant with WHO guidelines, to prevent hypothermia, prioritizing severely malnourished babies and those experiencing breastfeeding difficulties. Since the beginning of October, WFP’s nutrition activities have reached around 100,000 people in central and southern Gaza. WFP has actively resumed its blanket supplementary feeding programme in An Nuseirat and Al Maghazi refugee camps in Deir al Balah, after regaining access to these localities following months of restricted access.
• So far in October, partners reported 1,400 children have been receiving outpatient treatment of malnutrition across the Gaza Strip. Efforts are also underway to scale up the capacity of SCs, particularly in the middle area, as the number of cases increased. In September, 82 children suffering from SAM with complications were admitted to SCs, more than half of whom were treated at An Nuseirat Medical Complex in Deir al Balah.  
• In terms of prevention, Action Against Hunger has already carried out assessments to support the establishment of 11 new mother and baby-friendly spaces in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis governorates.

Challenges

• The escalation of hostilities and evacuation orders have severely affected the implementation of activities by Nutrition Cluster partners, especially in North Gaza, due to reduced access to health services. This has caused delays in detecting malnutrition cases and initiating treatments for children in need as well as compromised follow-ups on cases of children already under treatment.
• Since January, and despite several attempts to scale up the nutrition programme, recurrent displacement, including of nutrition partners themselves, shrinking humanitarian space, and continued supply chain complications, have not allowed for full coverage of the needs, despite the prepositioning of adequate quantities of supplies outside the Gaza Strip.
• A sharp reduction in the number of commercial trucks entering the Strip could further jeopardize the nutrition status of already vulnerable children who have suffered for months from very poor access to adequate diet, water and hygiene products. This is also raising commodity prices beyond the sharp increases already registered since the escalation of the hostilities in October 2023 and threatening the market's stability, which could have severe consequences for malnutrition.

Food Security

Response

• As of 28 October, 12 out of 19 bakeries supported by WFP remained functional in the Strip – four in Gaza city, seven in Deir al Balah and one in Khan Younis. Two bakeries in North Gaza governorate and five in Rafah remain closed due to escalating hostilities. In Gaza governorate, all four bakeries continue to operate, and bread is delivered daily to some shelters and community kitchens for onward distribution along with cooked meals. The eight bakeries in central Gaza are operating only at half capacity due to severe supply shortages.
• As of the third week of October, approximately 450,000 cooked meals prepared in about 140 kitchens were distributed daily to families across the Strip. This is 150,000 meals less than late September due to dwindling supplies. Some kitchens were forced to close due to escalating hostilities, and for those that remain operational, partners had to adjust the meal content to cope with supply shortages. In North Gaza governorate, all eight kitchens that were operational as of the end of September have been suspended or became inaccessible due to ongoing hostilities.
• The Food Security Sector is strengthening its presence in Gaza governorate, including through multi-day missions, to support partners in emergency food assistance coordination. FSS partners who have food commodities entering through the Erez West Crossing are working jointly to maximize coverage in Gaza city with the limited resources available and prioritizing the needs of newly displaced people. Between 1 and 26 October, about 120,000 people in Gaza city had received at least one food parcel, with some others receiving one 25-kilogramme bag of wheat flour.
• FSS, jointly with other clusters, is expanding operational coordination efforts to better understand partners’ current capacities in North Gaza governorate, which has been largely cut off for more than three weeks, in preparation for any potential window for multi-sectoral aid delivery.
• Following the release of the IPC Acute Food Security and Acute Malnutrition Snapshot on 17 October, FSS, jointly with the Nutrition Cluster, led the in-country dissemination efforts to advocate for sustained access to adequate food, medical supplies, water, and basic services across the Gaza Strip and contain the risk of a rapid descent into famine.
• The FSS continues to advocate for: the entry of agriculture and livestock inputs, which are critical to support the restoration of local food production; the entry of commercial goods at scale to complement humanitarian efforts, increase dietary diversity, stimulate the local economy by enhancing the affordability and availability of goods, and improve cash liquidity; and all aid corridors to serve all land entry points into Gaza and be used for all types of cargo.

Challenges

• Humanitarian aid entering Gaza is at its lowest level in months. This dramatic drop in humanitarian supplies is coupled with a critical shortage of commercial goods, with no more than 100 trucks of commercial supplies having reportedly entered the Strip since 1 October. As the winter months and rainy season approach, people generally find themselves without adequate shelter, fuel or aid. If physical road access,    healthcare provision, as well as energy, water, sanitation, hygiene, and shelter conditions deteriorate further, the already alarming rates of food insecurity and malnutrition are likely to worsen.
• In central and southern Gaza, the month of October has seen very limited food parcel distribution due to severe supply shortages. As of the last week of October, more than 1.7 million people, or 80 per cent of the population, have not received their monthly food rations in the Strip, compared with 1.4 million people in September and one million in August. People have run out of ways to cope, food systems have collapsed, and the risk of famine persists, necessitating an immediate, at scale resumption of humanitarian supply flow into the Strip.
• Insecurity and looting, fueled by the breakdown in public order and safety, in the area around Kerem Shalom crossing has disrupted commodity resupply and bakery operations, leading to fluctuating bread production in central and southern Gaza since early October. As of 28 October, due to the continuous unavailability of flour, all seven bakeries in Deir al Balah and the only one in Khan Younis were operating at reduced capacity to avoid shutting down, with partners seeking to assess possible mitigating measures.
• As of late October 2024, about 100,000 metric tonnes of food commodities, equivalent to over two months of food rations for the whole population, continue to await entry outside of the Strip and must be urgently brought in to avert a further decrease in food distribution. The risk of spoilage and infestation of stranded food supplies have also significantly increased.
• The significant increase in firewood prices continues to push an increasing number of people into energy poverty, exacerbated by the limited availability of gas and the ongoing electricity cuts. It is anticipated that the energy crisis will worsen as the rainy winter season approaches. No cooking gas has entered the north for more than 12 consecutive months. Protracted shortages of energy sources for cooking continue to force displaced families to cook by burning wood from waste, which hinders proper food preparation and nutrition intake, exacerbates health and protection risks, and causes environmental hazards.

Logistics

Response

• Following its reopening on 14 October, the Logistics Cluster continued cargo operations to collect aid supplies from Erez West crossing point, albeit intermittently owing to access restrictions and reduced operating hours due to holidays in Israel.
• The requirement for the new Declaration Form was lifted on convoys traveling directly from Amman via the Jordan Corridor to northern Gaza. Between 13 and 26 October, three direct convoys comprising a total of 80 trucks were dispatched from Amman to Gaza via Erez West entry point. These include 40 inter-agency trucks carrying 405 metric tonnes of food, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), shelter and mixed cargo items, the transport of which was facilitated by the Logistics Cluster on behalf of six partners. All convoy information is available on the interactive dashboard.
• Since October 2023 and as of 26 October, 18,310 cubic metres of humanitarian cargo were consolidated at the common warehouse in Amman, where a new racking system is being installed to increase storage capacity. In addition, the Logistics Cluster continued to support the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO) in augmenting its storage capacity by installing three Mobile Storage Units (MSUs) - in addition to the two MSUs that had been installed in June – bringing the total increase of space to 1,600 square metres.
• As of 23 October, 944 UN and International NGO trucks were in Al Arish, ready for dispatch into Gaza. The trucks are mainly carrying food items, in addition to health, shelter, non-food items, water, sanitation and hygiene and other aid supplies.

Challenges

• Significant access and security constraints continue to hamper the Logistics Cluster ability to facilitate common logistics services at entry points and throughout the Gaza Strip. During the reporting period, the Cluster could not complete any aid cargo transport from the Kerem Shalom entry point. Disruptions to entry points’ operating hours due to the holidays observed in Israel until 27 October have further limited the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)

Response

• Between 19 and 25 October, the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) and Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU) reported that the average water supply for safe drinking and domestic purposes was about 102,000 cubic metres per day across the Gaza Strip, less than a quarter of water supply prior to October 2023. This includes 61,000 cubic metres of water produced by municipal water wells, excluding those that are currently inaccessible in Jabalya and Beit Lahya.
• Between 13 and 25 October, WASH Cluster partners received a total of 290,026 litres of fuel south of Wadi Gaza, or an average of 22,309 litres per day, which represents only 32 per cent of the minimum daily requirement of 70,000 litres to meet critical WASH and public health needs. This delivery marks a seven per cent increase compared to the quantity received during the previous reporting period. On 25 October, 20,000 litres of fuel were delivered to Gaza city to support the operation of 16 wells and one pumping station. No fuel quantities have been delivered to WASH facilities in North Gaza governorate since 1 October, with fuel missions being consistently denied access by the Israeli authorities.
• Winterization preparedness activities are advancing, including drainage and stormwater clearance taking place around designated emergency shelters and in accessible urban areas.
• The WASH Cluster continues to advocate for the imperative to ensure the safety and security of water operators and protect critical WASH infrastructure, after four water engineers and two water well operators were killed during the reporting period (please see more details below).

Challenges

• Since October 2023, the entry of critical de-sludging and dewatering pumps, essential for mitigating stormwater and sewage flooding, has been severely restricted by the Israeli authorities. This is impeding efforts to stabilize and manage flooded stormwater basins and sewage ponds, particularly in vulnerable areas such as Beit Lahiya, Jabalya, and Gaza city. Four stormwater basins (2 in North Gaza, 1 in Gaza, and 1 in Khan Younis), which are mixed with sewage, are at high risk of overflow, posing serious health and environmental threats. In total, ten stormwater basins across the Gaza Strip require immediate repairs and regular operation during the winter. Proactive solutions, the entry of dewatering pumps, desludging pumps, jetting and vacuum trucks are critical for effective flood management. 
• Due to the lack of fuel in Gaza city, the eight private water providers have ceased operation, and municipal wells have had limited production levels. In Jabalya, no fuel has been delivered since the start of October, forcing CMWU teams to either significantly ration or halt water production altogether.
• CMWU has suspended all operations requiring coordination with the Israeli authorities outside the Israeli-designated zone in Al Mawasi, and in other locations where heavy equipment is needed, which is likely to negatively affect winterization preparedness efforts. This suspension followed the killing of four CMWU engineers on 19 October while travelling in a clearly marked vehicle during a mission approved by the Israeli authorities the same morning.
• The strike on Safa well field in Gaza city on 24 October killed two municipal well operators and damaged this critical source of water that has four wells each with a production capacity of 500 cubic metres per hour. While a site assessment is yet to be conducted, the damage is likely to negatively affect water supply in Gaza city, where ground water resources are limited and IDPs from Jabalya continue to move.
• Evacuation orders, intense military operations and loss of access to numerous WASH facilities in the North Gaza and Khan Younis governorates have rendered many water producing and wastewater collection facilities inoperable. Moreover, the military operation in Khan Younis on 24 October has displaced many families, who are now in urgent need of water.
• None of the ten critical solid waste sites in flood prone areas have yet been relocated due to the denial of access by the Israeli authorities to Sofa landfill and Al Khasera dump site and the lack of alternative disposal locations. This is hampering winterization preparedness measures since the removal of solid waste from flood prone areas aims at reducing the run-off of solid waste by stormwater flooding, thereby mitigating public health risks.

Shelter and Non-Food Items (NFI)

Response

• Between 13 and 26 October, Cluster partners distributed at least 121 family tents, 1,300 sealing off kits (SOKs), as well as other critical NFIs to households in need across northern Gaza, particularly following the new waves of displacement from North Gaza to Gaza governorate.
• In southern Gaza, about 100 families were provided with tents. These families were families affected by the targeting of schools or other sites being used as shelters for displaced people.
• As part of winterization preparedness, the Cluster distributed SOKs and tarpaulin to 5,800 people living in substandard shelters during the reporting period.

Challenges

• In northern Gaza, Shelter Cluster partners are facing critical shortages due to access impediments and escalating hostilities. Partners have either already distributed or earmarked items, or supplies stored at warehouses have become inaccessible. While shelter items are being prioritized on the Fence Road, the number of trucks carrying shelter items through this channel is insufficient to cover the needs.
• Due to consistent challenges in bringing shelter materials into Gaza, the Cluster has been forced to prioritise the bare minimum of shelter items, such as SOKs, tarpaulins, plastic sheets, ropes and duct tapes, which can only enhance existing, makeshift shelters, instead of providing full, dignified shelter solutions to people in need.
• Extreme weather will exacerbate the risk of collapse of damaged buildings in which many families are sheltering. Without access to undertake assessments, capacity to conduct repairs, or the ability to provide alternatives, the Cluster is limited to providing awareness raising services related to the risks of sheltering in damaged buildings.

Site Management Working Group (SMWG)

Response

• During the reporting period, SWMG partners conducted 20 site assessments in Khan Younis and Deir al Balah governorates, with findings highlighting a shift in priority needs from water and WASH items to food and shelter/NFI. These included five displacement sites that host 4,950 people displaced to Gaza city by the escalation of hostilities in North Gaza; these were assessed during an inter-agency multi-sectoral mission that identified the following priority needs: increased site-level coordination and support to vulnerable people; WASH interventions with a focus on hygiene kits and latrines; and Shelter/NFI support including clothing, mattresses, tarps and tents, especially for IDPs living in makeshift shelters and other extremely vulnerable conditions.
• Over the past three weeks, SMWG partners supported at least 109 households (307 people) traveling to southern Gaza across checkpoints on Al Rashid and Salah ad Din roads with water and referrals for specialized services. Among those assisted was a pregnant woman in active labour, who was provided with ambulance support after she had walked seven kilometres across the checkpoint with her two small children.
• In preparation for a baseline site assessment initiative, the SMWG trained over 60 enumerators on the use of a new site management and assessment platform devised by the working group.
• SMWG partners have begun carrying out winterization activities in at least 32 sites, supporting site-level committees with financial, technical, and in-kind support for site improvement works including cleaning, maintenance of common facilities, and drainage.

Challenges

• Partners are unable to procure tools and equipment on the local market for winterization activities in makeshift sites.
• Many of the over 100,000 newly displaced people in Gaza city are living in abandoned or destroyed government buildings, office buildings and homes. This presents a challenge to site identification and service delivery.
• IDP sites continue to be destroyed by the Israeli military, resulting in death, injury, and further displacement.

Protection

Response

• After months of critical shortages, during the reporting period, over 9,000 dignity kits entered Gaza and are currently being distributed to women in need through GBV partners; priority is being given to women and girls with disabilities and their caregivers, elderly women without care, as well as women with chronic illnesses or injuries. The Cluster also delivered hygiene kits to 1,782 families with vulnerable people and, through a partnership with Humanity & Inclusion, hearing aids and batteries were provided to four persons with hearing impairments.
• During the reporting period, UNRWA’s protection teams visited 28 shelters and IDP sites in Khan Younis and Deir al Balah, including Al Mawasi, conducted 18 focus group discussions, 23 key informant interviews and continued to monitor aid distribution, and to identify and follow up on vulnerable cases. Awareness raising sessions on Explosive Ordnance, gender-based violence (GBV) and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) were also conducted in UNRWA shelters and IDP sites, reaching 380, 158 and 371 people, respectively. The teams also monitored learning activities in UNRWA shelters and delivered BBC Lifeline podcast activities to 478 children.
• Jointly with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and other partners, the UNRWA Protection team provided immediate support for two released Gaza detainees, including transportation to a medical facility and cash assistance for onward transportation, facilitation of telephone contact with relatives, provision of food parcels, hygiene kits and other non-food items, and referrals to the UNRWA Relief and Social Services programme.
• The Protection Cluster participated in an inter-agency mission to Gaza city between 17 and 22 October, visiting shelters hosting IDPs and engaging with Protection partners to ensure effective information sharing on needs and response coordination.
• Child Protection partners are endeavoring to scale-up the response to displacement in northern Gaza, focusing on the provision of community-based mental health and psychosocial support services (MHPSS) and on identifying vulnerable children for case management, family tracing and cash assistance. Between 1 January and 14 October, a total of 471,759 people were reached with MHPSS, including 173,346 girls, 149,995 boys, 90,513 women, and 57,905 men. Recent activities, including the launch of a mobile cinema initiative, provide children with a sense of normalcy, even if only for a few hours.
• With winter fast approaching, Child Protection partners are endeavoring to bring in the necessary supplies to address the lack of warm clothing and footwear for children.
• GBV partners have established a task force aimed at training women-led civil society groups and committees in shelters and IDP sites on Psychological First Aid (PFA), GBV core concepts, guiding principles, and safe identification and referrals using the GBV service map. The aim is to equip women with skills to protect each other and encourage help-seeking attitudes even when service providers are absent due to the insecurity.
• With support from UN Women, GBV partners are organizing a campaign with the theme “16 Days of Activism against GBV in Gaza,” focused on protecting the security, privacy and safety of women and girls in overcrowded sites and shelters.

Challenges

• Only half of the targets set by the Cluster for the period between April and September 2024 have been accomplished due to increasing restrictions on the movement of staff and goods, and disruptions caused by repeated forced displacement of the population and service providers.
• The acute lack of NFIs, especially tents, tarpaulin, mattresses, medicines and cleaning materials, continues to severely affect living conditions at UNRWA shelters and other IDP sites. Many IDPs in UNRWA shelters in Khan Younis and Deir al Balah have reported experiencing food shortages, with the very limited assistance available contributing to increased tensions within displaced communities.
• The protection environment in northern Gaza remains dire, with vulnerable people facing heightened protection risks and often being unable to evacuate due to health conditions and disabilities.
• The safety and security of service providers, and of service delivery points, remains a key concern for Protection partners, compounded by challenges in scaling up services beyond MHPSS, particularly the provision of cash and voucher assistance and dignity kits.
• Data collected through the GBV Case Management monitoring tool during the reporting period highlight that denial of services is one of the most reported instances of GBV. Denial of access to resources and services is a form of deliberate deprivation. According to the data, women and girls in Gaza are being denied access to basic resources inside households, such as food and water, or access to services (e.g. health) by a family member or even a community member. This type of GBV is directed against women and girls usually, as they will not, for example, queue in the violent gatherings at the distribution points or, are plainly denied food by a household member (partner, or a host family). Most of the reported cases indicate that the perpetrators are partners (44 per cent) and family members (37 per cent). 
• The absence of a functioning legal system and lack of law enforcement heavily hampers efforts to protect GBV survivors and persons at risk of GBV. While legal aid is offered among the specialized GBV services, ensuring the physical safety of survivors is particularly challenging. Available legal aid includes counselling and legal advice in securing the documentation of the violence as well as preparing cases for the expected resumption of the legal system in the future. Survivors have their questions and concerns related to marriage, family law and inheritance answered by an expert, helping them make informed decisions about separation and divorce.
• The intensification of military operations in northern Gaza has placed children and their families at heightened risk of being killed, injured or reportedly detained. Protection field data also indicates instances of Israeli forces using children as shields or to search buildings for booby-traps or fighters during ground operations. Family separation is a critical concern, placing children in highly vulnerable situations as they are exposed to grave violations without any parental care or support.

Education

Response

• During the reporting period, the Education Cluster established two new Temporary Learning Spaces (TLSs), benefiting approximately 360 students. Beyond receiving informal learning focused on essential literacy and numeracy skills, school-age children in these spaces receive MHPSS and participate in activities aimed at addressing trauma.  
• Communities also continue to endeavor to create learning opportunities for children, with over 15 new initiatives reported to the Cluster during the past two weeks, serving more than 1,500 children. Despite resource constraints, Education Cluster partners continue to assess needs and extend support to these initiatives to ensure that activities implemented meet Cluster standards. This includes distribution of supplies and the conduct of orientation sessions for teachers.
• In an effort to accredit some of the TLSs, the Ministry of Education (MoE) has designated a team tasked to inspect informal learning spaces and verify which initiatives meet the MoE standards for accreditation, so that children in these spaces will soon have the opportunity to transition to other classes. While a few TLSs are likely to meet the standards, this is an important initiative to encourage partners to improve service provision and parents and children to enroll in the spaces to continue learning.

Challenges

• The continued targeting of schools is severely hampering the emergency education response throughout Gaza. Between 13 and 26 October, 31 incidents were reported, affecting 22 schools run by the UN and eight managed by the Palestinian Authority, with some schools impacted multiple times. Of these incidents, 20 occurred in the North Gaza governorate. In total, 57 incidents affecting schools were recorded between 1 and 26 October, including airstrikes, forced evacuations, shelling, and arson. These attacks continue to further destroy educational infrastructure, resulting in loss of life and instilling fear among parents and children. There is an urgent need for enhanced advocacy to uphold International Humanitarian Law.
• Ongoing restrictions on the entry of tents and other educational supplies continue to hamper the establishment of additional TLSs, which is critical in light of the widespread destruction of educational infrastructure and the approaching winter season.
• Funding for Education Cluster partners remains critically low, with less than half of the necessary funds requested by the Cluster under the updated OPT Flash Appeal secured. With only two months left in 2024, partners are unlikely to meet targets outlined in the Appeal. The start of the new academic year in September also highlights the urgent need for support to help children engage in learning and prevent their complete dropout from schools.

Emergency Telecommunications (ETC)

Response

• The security communications trainer identified by the ETC arrived in Deir al Balah on 20 October. The trainer will collaborate with the United Nations Department of Safety and Security [UNDSS] to conduct sessions on Security Communications Systems [SCS] and orientation on using satellite phones and satellite-based tracking devices [Garmin and Track24] for United Nations Security Management System [UNSMS] personnel to enhance staff safety and security.
• In addition to other orientation sessions for UN personnel to enhance staff safety and security, a training to further develop the Gaza Security Operations Centre’s (SOC) capacity and improve staff proficiency in using Very High Frequency (VHF) radios is scheduled to start on 27 October.
• A total of 78 additional “Track24” satellite-based devices are currently being dispatched from the United Kingdom, with delivery expected in Jerusalem during the week of 27 October. The ETC Cluster has secured a pre-clearance from the Israeli authorities to expedite customs procedures upon arrival at the Tel Aviv airport. To date, the Israeli authorities have approved 83 devices, including 25 delivered to Gaza to support WFP operations.
• The ETC Cluster continues to advocate for the need to import more telecommunications equipment into Gaza to set up common communications services. More information on ETC activities can be accessedhere.

Challenges

• Due to increased restrictions on the movement of commodities, damaged infrastructure and lack of fuel and availability of spare parts, local Mobile Network Operators and Internet Service Providers in the Gaza Strip continue to experience network outages and are unable to conduct the necessary repairs. Severely limited availability of telecommunications equipment is hampering the delivery of ETC services. A significant amount of equipment has been damaged or destroyed, and the import of new equipment is lengthy and challenging. Only 20 satellite phones, 25 Track24 devices, 30 VHF digital radios, and four solar power solutions have been imported into Gaza since 7 October 2023, following coordination with Israeli authorities. 
• Increasing insecurity, displacement, and relocation of staff from Rafah to Deir al Balah have rendered it difficult to deploy shared ETC communications services or provide face-to-face technical support for humanitarian responders. 
• The lack of funding has limited the ETC Cluster’s capacity to address immediate communications needs for humanitarian responders in Gaza. Thus far, only 45.8 per cent of funding requested by the Cluster ($1.8 million) under the updated OPT Flash Appeal has been received.

699.

30 oktober 2024

Quick Takes: Israel/Lebanon/Syria

Readers’ Recommendations

deos: Israel/Lebanon

698.

30 oktober 2024

697.

29 oktober 2024

Readers’ Recommendations

Israel passes laws to restrict the work of a UN agency that is a lifeline for Gaza (AP)

696A.

29 oktober 2024

Humanitarian Situation Update #233
Gaza Strip

People being displaced from Jabalya, walking southward on foot and carrying only limited belongings, 24 October 2024. Photo by OCHA/Themba Linden

Key Highlights

• At least seven mass casualty incidents have been reported across Gaza over the past week, including four in North Gaza.
• The Ministry of Health appeals for immediate deployment of medical teams, ambulances and civil defence vehicles to save lives in North Gaza, as only two doctors remain at the overwhelmed Kamal Adwan Hospital. 
• Children in Gaza are not only dying from bombs, bullets and shells, but also because those who survive are prevented from leaving Gaza to receive live-saving care. According to UNICEF, only 127 children in critical condition have been allowed to leave the Strip since May.
• Schools, including those sheltering internally displaced persons, continue to be affected by escalating hostilities, including airstrikes, forced evacuations, shelling and arson; between 13 and 26 October, 31 such incidents were documented by the Education Cluster, including 20 in North Gaza.

Humanitarian Developments

• Israeli bombardment from the air, land and sea continues to be reported across the Gaza Strip, resulting in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of civilian infrastructure. In the North Gaza governorate, the Israeli military has been carrying out a ground offensive since 6 October and imposed a tightened siege particularly around the area of Jabalya refugee camp, amid a near total lack of humanitarian aid entering as well as severe communications and internet disruptions. Efforts to deliver life-saving assistance to communities and families in high-risk zones have been hampered. Between 6 and 28 October, 36 coordination requests submitted to the Israeli authorities for critical aid missions targeting Jabalya, Beit Hanoun, and Beit Lahya (all in North Gaza governorate) were denied access, 14 faced impediments, and 23 were facilitated.
• Between the afternoons of 22 and 29 October, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, 343 Palestinians were killed and 914 were injured. Between 7 October 2023 and 29 October 2024, at least 43,061 Palestinians were killed and 101,223 were injured, according to MoH in Gaza. The MoH further reported that these figures do not include the mass casualty incident in Beit Lahya on the morning of 29 October, nor the casualties in North Gaza on 25 and 26 October (see below).
• Between the afternoons of 22 and 29 October, nine Israeli soldiers were reportedly killed in Gaza, according to the Israeli military. Between 7 October 2023 and 29 October 2024, according to the Israeli military and official Israeli sources cited in the media, more than 1,565 Israelis and foreign nationals were killed, the majority on 7 October 2023 and its immediate aftermath. The figure includes 365 soldiers killed in Gaza or along the border in Israel since the beginning of the ground operation. In addition, 2,373 Israeli soldiers were reported injured since the beginning of the ground operation.
• Over the past three weeks, more than 71,000 people have been displaced from North Gaza governorate to Gaza city and about 100,000 people remain in North Gaza, according to the most recent estimates by the UN and its partners. On 25 October, the Palestinian Civil Defence (PCD) announced that it has been forced to halt operations in North Gaza, rendering the area without life-saving civil defence services, including firefighting, search and rescue, and emergency medical assistance. Several PCD staff members were detained, including two at Kamal Adwan Hospital, three others were injured, and the last firefighting vehicle in North Gaza was hit and destroyed, PCD said. The humanitarian crisis in Jabalya is further exacerbated by severe shortages of food, water, and medical supplies. According to the Food Security Sector, as of 26 October, the two bakeries in North Gaza governorate have remained closed due to escalating hostilities and all eight kitchens that were operational as of the end of September suspended operations or became inaccessible.
• On 26 October, Ms. Joyce Msuya, UN Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator stated: “What Israeli forces are doing in besieged North Gaza cannot be allowed to continue. Hospitals have been hit and health workers have been detained. Shelters have been emptied and burned down. First responders have been prevented from saving people from under the rubble. Families have been separated and men and boys are being taken away by the truckload. Hundreds of Palestinians have reportedly been killed. Tens of thousands have been forced to flee yet again. The entire population of North Gaza is at risk of dying.” The following day, the UN Secretary-General expressed shock at the “harrowing levels of death, injury and destruction in the north, with civilians trapped under rubble, the sick and wounded going without life-saving health care, and families lacking food and shelter, amid reports of families being separated and many people detained,” warning that “widespread devastation and deprivation … are making the conditions of life untenable for the Palestinian population there.”
• Between 22 and 29 October, at least seven mass casualty incidents were reported across Gaza, including four in North Gaza governorate. On 24 October, between 150 to 200 people were reportedly killed or injured when a residential block of eleven houses was hit in Jabalya refugee camp. On 24 October, Ash Shuhada school in An Nuseirat refugee camp, in Deir al Balah, was hit and a fire reportedly broke out; according to the Government Media Office (GMO), 17 Palestinians were killed, including nine children, and over 52 others were injured. On 25 October, 25 people were reportedly killed when two houses were hit in Beit Lahya Project area (Mashrou’ Beit Lahya). On 24 and 25 October, MoH reported that a total of 38 Palestinians were killed and tens of others, mostly children and women, were injured when several residential buildings were destroyed during a military operation in Qizan An Najjar and Al Manara areas in Khan Younis, while about 20 people were missing according to PCD. On 26 October, at least 30 people were reportedly killed and dozens injured when a residential block was hit near the eastern junction in Beit Lahya, while some remained under the rubble due to the suspension of PCD services in North Gaza. On 27 October, eleven Palestinians, including one girl and four women, were reportedly killed when Asma UNRWA school designated as IDP shelter in Ash Shati’ (Beach) refugee camp in Gaza city was hit. On 29 October, 93 Palestinians were killed or went missing under the rubble following an Israeli strike on a residential building in Beit Lahya, according to MoH.

• The following are some additional deadly incidents reported between 21 and 27 October: 
  • On 21 October, at about 12:35, nine Palestinian family members were reportedly killed when a house was hit in Az Zarqa area, northeast of Gaza city.
  • On 22 October, at about 09:20, eight Palestinians, including at least five males, were reportedly killed and others injured when a group of Palestinians was hit in Az Zeitoun neighbourhood, southeast of Gaza city.
  • On 23 October, at about 16:30, six Palestinians were reportedly killed when a house hosting IDPs was hit in Jabalya Al Balad, in North Gaza. 
  • On 27 October, at about 1:00, 10 Palestinians were reportedly killed and others injured when a house hosting IDPs was hit in Beit Lahya Project, in North Gaza.
• The continued targeting of schools is severely hampering the emergency education response throughout Gaza. Between 13 and 26 October, 31 incidents were reported, affecting 22 schools run by the UN and eight managed by the Palestinian Authority, with some schools impacted multiple times. Of these incidents, 20 occurred in the North Gaza governorate. In total, 57 incidents affecting schools were recorded between 1 and 26 October, including airstrikes, forced evacuations, shelling, and arson. These incidents continue to further destroy educational infrastructure, resulting in loss of life and instilling fear among parents and children. 
• Health care conditions remain critical in North Gaza, with “intensive military operations unfolding around and within healthcare facilities and a critical shortage of medical supplies, compounded by severely limited access, depriving people of life saving care,” warned the WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on 26 October. Out of five hospitals that were functional in the North Gaza governorate prior to October 2023, two (Kamal Adwan and Al Awda) remain partially operational at present after the Indonesian hospital was put out of service. 
• On 26 October, MoH informed WHO that the siege at Kamal Adwan Hospital had ended. On 25 October, Israeli soldiers had reportedly entered the hospital where 600 people were present including 195 trauma and non-trauma patients; according to MoH, three nurses and a cleaner were injured while three ambulances, a transport vehicle and the solar panel electricity generation system were destroyed on 25 and 26 October. Of the hospital’s 70-member team, 44 male staff members were detained by the Israeli military, 30 of whom remain currently in custody and others were forced to move southward.  In a press statement on 29 October, MoH described a horrific situation at Kamal Adwan Hospital as the facility had to cope with a new mass casualty influx on the same morning, with only the hospital’s director and one pediatrician struggling to assist 150 injured patients, no surgeons, anesthesia or Intensive Care Unit teams. The MoH appealed for the urgent deployment of medical teams, particularly surgical ones, as well as ambulances and civil defense vehicles to save lives.
• On 24 October, just hours prior to the raid into Kamal Adwan, WHO, alongside OCHA, UNMAS, CADUS and the Palestine Red Cross Society (PRCS) managed to reach the hospital, delivering 10,000 litres of fuel, 180 blood units, medicines to cover the needs of 5,000 patients as well as trauma surgery and alcohol supplies for 1,600 interventions. The mission also transferred 23 critical patients, alongside 26 caregivers, to Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza governorate, and provided the latter with laboratory supplies and medicines to cover the needs of 6,000 people. Briefing the press in Geneva on the mission, the WHO Representative in the OPT, Dr. Richard Peerperkorn, reported that, at a checkpoint near Kamal Adwan, the team witnessed “thousands of women and children leaving the area, walking, limping with their few belongings towards Salah al Din [road] and Gaza city.” At Kamal Adwan, the mission team saw “mayhem and chaos,” with the emergency ward overflowing with “horrific trauma patients,” hospital staff completely overwhelmed and underequipped to deal with the mass casualty situation, and hundreds of people seeking shelter in every corner of the facility, added Peerperkorn. 
• As for the Indonesian Hospital, WHO observed during its 24 October mission that the facility’s boundary wall had been demolished, and the Health Cluster reported as of 26 October that no food or water were available for patients, medical staff and IDPs, four patients had died between 20 and 26 October, and a WHO-led mission to deliver food, water and medical supplies was denied by the Israeli authorities. Lastly, Al- Awda Hospital is inaccessible due to damaged roads, with 151 people, including 65 employees, 43 patients, 36 companions and seven children remaining in the facility as of 26 October, according to the Health Cluster. The hospital lacks potable water and is mainly relying on untreated well water. Central water pipes have been damaged, limiting water availability to two hours per day. 
• “Escalating violence, intense bombardment, mass displacement orders, and lack of assured humanitarian pauses across most of northern Gaza” have compelled the Polio Technical Committee for Gaza, which comprises the Palestinian Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF, UNRWA and partners, to delay the third and final phase of the emergency polio vaccination campaign, aimed at administering the second dose of the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) to 119,279 children in the northern governorates. In a statement, WHO and UNICEF explained that “current conditions, including ongoing attacks on civilian infrastructure continue to jeopardize people’s safety and movement in northern Gaza, making it impossible for families to safely bring their children for vaccination, and health workers to operate.” Following sustained negotiations, agreement has now been reached with the parties to undertake the vaccination drive between 2 and 4 November in the Gaza governorate. Completing the third phase and ensuring that at least 90 per cent of all children in every community and neighbourhood are vaccinated is critical to stop the polio virus transmission in Gaza and avert the risk of more children being paralysed, warned UNICEF and WHO.
• Recent attacks on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) personnel and facilities, intermittent access to fuel, and military operations have significantly undermined access to clean water. On 19 October, four  engineers from the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU) were reportedly hit while travelling in a clearly marked vehicle during a mission approved by the Israeli authorities the same morning. CMWU subsequently suspended most operations in areas that require coordination with the Israeli authorities. Moreover, according to the WASH Cluster, the strike on Safa well field in Gaza city on 24 October killed two municipal well operators and damaged this critical source of water that has four wells each with a production capacity of 500 cubic metres per hour. While a site assessment is yet to be conducted, the damage is likely to negatively affect water supply in Gaza city, where ground water resources are limited and IDPs from Jabalya continue to move. Intermittent access to fuel has recently forced eight private sector water providers to halt operations in Gaza city and significantly limited production levels of municipal wells. In North Gaza, the lack of fuel deliveries to WASH facilities since 1 October has forced municipal teams to ration or stop water production entirely. Across the Gaza Strip, a recent WASH Cluster assessment revealed alarming water scarcity, with nearly two-thirds of households, or about 1.4 million people, consuming less than the recommended six litres per person per day for drinking and cooking, while nearly half the population lacks the minimum 15 litres per person per day for drinking, cooking, and hygiene. 

• “Children in Gaza are dying, not just from the bombs, bullets and shells that strike them,” but also because, when they survive, “they are then prevented from leaving Gaza to receive the urgent care that would save their lives,” stressed UNICEF Spokesperson, James Elder, on 25 October. Since the Rafah crossing closed on 7 May, only 127 children – many suffering from head trauma, amputations, burns, cancer, and severe malnutrition – have been allowed to medically evacuate outside Gaza. Prior to the closure, between 1 January and 7 May, 296 children were medically evacuated abroad. UNICEF, appalled that “figures have failed to stir those with power to act,” shared the stories of three of the many children trapped in Gaza: a twelve-year-old girl needing urgent bone surgery after severe facial injuries (medical evacuation denied four times); a six-month-old with muscle cancer and severe malnutrition, with a tube inserted in his kidney, awaiting evacuation for two months in a tent; and a four-year-old girl who lost a leg and fingers, sustained fourth-degree burns, and risks further amputations of her hand and the other leg without immediate evacuation. The last case was only approved for medical evacuation at the end of October, with no set date for departure, after her mother, whose medical evacuation had been denied, died of fourth degree burns and severe blood poisoning on 23 October. Overall, WHO estimates that 14,000 patients are in urgent need of medical evacuation outside Gaza, with only 39 per cent of all medical evacuation requests approved by the Israeli authorities since October 2023, and just 33 per cent of patients having physically left the Strip. Since the closure of the Rafah crossing, only 229 patients, along with 316 companions, have been exceptionally evacuated on six occasions, with WHO continuing to appeal for the immediate restoration of medical corridors to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as to Egypt and Jordan, from where patients could be transferred onwards as needed. 
• Aid workers and emergency responders continue to face extreme challenges in assisting people across the Gaza Strip, often with immense risks to their personal safety. Since 3 October 2024, at least 14 aid workers and four health workers have been killed and others injured across the Gaza Strip, including some who were off-duty. These include seven UNRWA staff and seven staff of national and international NGOs. Since October 2023, at least 322 aid workers, including 315 Palestinians and seven foreigners have been killed; this includes 237 UN staff (of whom 233 were UNRWA staff members), 33 PRCS staff and volunteers, and at least 52 other aid workers with national and international NGOs.
• On 26 October, the Israeli military announced the expansion of the zone in Al Mawasi to which it has been ordering Palestinian to move; the order revokes previous evacuation notices affecting 11 square kilometres in Khan Younis and Deir Al Balah, therefore expanding the zone to 68 square kilometres or about 19 per cent of Gaza’s total area. In total, since October 2023 and as of 29 October, the Israeli military has issued over 65 evacuation orders, including four that were subsequently revoked. Currently, about 80 per cent of Gaza is under active evacuation orders.
• Between 1 and 28 October, out of 580 planned aid movements across the Gaza Strip requiring coordination with Israeli authorities, 44 per cent (254) were denied, 36 per cent (212) were facilitated, 16 per cent (92) were impeded, and four per cent (22) were cancelled due to logistical and security challenges. This includes 93 coordinated aid movements aimed at providing humanitarian assistance in the North Gaza and Gaza governorates via Al Rashid checkpoint, of which only eight per cent (seven) were facilitated by Israeli authorities.
• A new joint assessment by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA) highlights that, by the end of 2024, the Human Development Index (HDI) in Gaza will drop to 0.408—a level estimated for 1955, erasing over 69 years of progress. For the West Bank, the HDI is expected to decline to 0.676, reflecting a 16-year loss, and could further worsen if military incursions expand, with the overall HDI in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) estimated to have regressed by 24 years. The poverty rate throughout OPT is projected to rise to 74.3 in 2024, up from 38.8 per cent in 2023, affecting 4.1 million people, including 2.61 million who are newly impoverished. The assessment underscores that the number of people living in multidimensional poverty has more than doubled in 2024 compared with 2017, rising from 24.1 to 55.4 per cent throughout OPT, with the greatest increases in deprivation rates observed across the following Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) indicators: freedom of movement, monetary resources, unemployment, access to healthcare and school enrolment. The analysis also shows that Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has contracted by 35.1 per cent this year, compared with a no-war scenario, with unemployment potentially rising to 49.9 per cent. “Projections in this new assessment confirm that amidst the immediate suffering and horrific loss of life, a serious development crisis is also unfolding – one that jeopardizes the future of Palestinians for generations to come,” stressed the UNDP Administrator, Achim Steiner, adding that “even if humanitarian aid is provided each year, the economy may not regain its pre-crisis level for a decade or more,” particularly in the absence of early recovery or under a restricted early recovery scenario. 

696.

29 oktober 2024

For nine months this past year, I carried my Palestinian son, a baby born to grow the olive trees of tomorrow, born in the midst of unbearable pain for his people. I waited for his first breath as I witnessed death around me—the suffering of my people enduring a genocide that my child will inherit the resilience to resist.

I thought often of our Palestinian mothers who give birth to life while facing death, whose babies lie buried beside them under rubble, whose children never have the chance to simply live.

The juxtaposition of carrying life amid so much loss hasn’t left me; it drives me to fight for a world my son and all Palestinian children deserve.

695A.

29 oktober 2024

Biden Administration Must End its Complicity in Israel’s Ongoing Barbaric Assault on Gaza

As Israel’s relentless barbaric assault on Gaza’s hospitals, homes, and shelters shows no sign of abating, yet another catastrophic massacre unfolded in northern Gaza today. An Israeli airstrike demolished a five-story residential building in Beit Lahiya, where displaced families—already terrorized by unending bombings—had sought safety. The strike claimed the lives of 109 Palestinians, many of them children, and wounded dozens more, marking yet another dark day in the mounting genocide.

This massacre is not an isolated event but a horrific manifestation of an ongoing, calculated campaign against Gaza’s civilian population, which remains entrapped under siege with no safe haven. Gaza has already endured relentless bombardment, with confirmed deaths exceeding 43,000 and estimated deaths surpassing 186,000 back in July. This barbaric assault has displaced over 1.9 million people, constituting 95% of Gaza’s pre-war population, while the use of forced starvation has driven survivors to conditions of utter despair. Israel’s recent ban on UNRWA from Gaza, widely condemned as part of an agenda of ethnic cleansing, has further exacerbated this humanitarian catastrophe​.

The horrors of Beit Lahiya are but one chapter in a broader story of brutal disregard for Palestinian lives, enabled by more than $22.76 billion funneled (in the last year) from the United States to Israel’s military. These funds have enabled and emboldened Israel’s military occupation, unchecked human rights abuses, and the systematic destruction of Gaza, the West Bank, and even Lebanon. Each dollar reinforces this machinery of violence, making the U.S. an undeniable partner in these atrocities.

Meanwhile, as indirect negotiations between Palestinians and Israel proceed in Doha, President Biden has publicly asserted his desire for an “immediate ceasefire.” Yet his administration’s actions have repeatedly revealed a deeply contradictory truth. Over the past year, Biden has not only cemented the United States. as an unwavering ally in Israel’s brutal war but has also isolated America from much of the global community by aligning with Israel’s war crimes. The U.S. stance disregards international law, turning a blind eye as Palestinian civilians become deliberate targets in a campaign of collective punishment.

If Biden were truly committed to peace, he would take immediate, meaningful action by halting all military support to Israel, stripping it of the resources used to carry out these appalling acts, and pushing for an authentic ceasefire rather than defaulting to political allegiance. With time slipping away, every decision now will define the Biden administration’s legacy in the face of one of the most devastating war crimes of this century.

In solidarity,

Osama Abu IrshaidExecutive Director

695.

29 oktober 2024

Today's headlines

Israeli journalists join the live-streamed genocide

A mainstream Israeli journalist recently blew up a house in Lebanon as part of a news report while embedded with the military. The broadcast shows how mainstream genocidal activity has become in Israeli society.

Israel’s Genocide Day 388: Ongoing Israeli assault rips through northern Gaza, shuts down Kamal Adwan Hospital

Qassam Muaddi

The last functioning hospital in north Gaza is forced out of service as Israeli forces continue to besiege and bomb Jabalia and Beit Lahia. In southern Lebanon, Israeli forces continue to take heavy losses.

One doctor left at north Gaza hospital after Israel detains entire staff

Qassam Muaddi

The Kamal Adwan Hospital was invaded by the Israeli army and emptied of most of its patients and medical staff, while quadcopter drones opened fire on people inside. The hospital’s director, Dr. Husam Abu Safiyeh, is the only remaining doctor.

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29 oktober 2024

Humanitarian Access Snapshot - Gaza Strip
September 2024

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28 oktober 2024

"He left at dawn to protect the home that we have been building for years, but he never came back," Mohamad Qassas said in an interview with Eyewitness Palestine, referring to his father.

We will be joined directly by a few speakers live from Gaza via Zoom, alongside Husam Zomlot the Palestinian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, who was born and raised in Gaza.

In light of misleading information and propaganda spread on mainstream media outlets, it is important to amplify and hear directly from Palestinians on the ground.

 76 Years and a Genocide later Webinar

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28 oktober 2024

Prevent Further U.S. Complicity in Gaza’s Oppression: Stop the Use of Private Contractors

Alarming reports have come out in the past few weeks revealing that the Biden administration is supporting a joint U.S.-Israeli plan to use private contractors, including CIA-trained operatives, to control aid distribution in Gaza. This plan will establish internment camps for Palestinians and will directly involve the U.S. in human rights abuses while corporatizing the suffering and oppression of Palestinians.

TAKE ACTION NOW

Here’s what you need to know:

• Israel’s government reportedly aims to implement high-security zones in Gaza where access to food and humanitarian aid will be biometrically controlled. These so-called “humanitarian bubbles” will effectively confine and control Palestinians, forcing them to submit to tracking for survival essentials.
• Amnesty International, B'Tselem, and countless other human rights organizations have identified Israel’s policies toward Palestinians as apartheid. By supporting these private contractors, the U.S. risks further complicity in Israel’s oppression and systematic domination of Palestinians.

This plan is a gross violation of international law and U.S. humanitarian principles. Instead of engaging private contractors in Gaza to round up Palestinians and undercut the UN, the U.S. should be facilitating unfettered humanitarian aid, working through established international agencies like UNRWA to spread aid. NOT privatized military contractors.

demand an end to U.S. involvement in militarized aid distribution and control in Gaza.

In solidarity,
Americans for Justice in Palestine Action

691.

28 oktober 2024

Today's headlines

An international civil society movement for Palestine is needed today more than ever

Forty years ago an international coalition of over 1,200 organizations working for freedom in Palestine would meet yearly to share information and coordinate action. A similar effort is needed today more than ever.

Read more

Before you go

Mondoweiss is an independent, reader-funded publication. We publish stories and analysis about the struggle for freedom in Palestine that you will not find in corporate media. Our growing team relies on your support. Here are some ways you can help...

 Join our supporters and become a Mondoweiss donor today.

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 Forward this email to a friend by clicking this link.

 Subscribe to our podcast anywhere you listen.

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28 oktober 2024

ICJ Israel/Palestine 

ICJ Israel/Palestine and the EU: Some EU governments have long prevented the EU from taking measures to address the Israeli government’s grave abuses against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. Recent rulings by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) make this inaction no longer tenable, and will test the EU’s  commitment to international law.

689.

27 oktober 2024

The last year has been filled with terror, and  much of that brutality has a political character – watching pro-Israel orthodoxy grip the American discourse during a presidential election and compel the Democratic leadership to sign off on Israel’s genocide and escalation toward war with Iran.

The criminalization of protests against Zionism – and just this week, the refusal of the LA Times to endorse Harris – only shows we are winning over public opinion.

Over the years, our newsroom has helped platform Palestinian, Jewish, and other anti-zionist voices vilified by mainstream media. Mondoweiss continues to offer them a space to portray themselves in their own words.

As the attacks on activists become more vicious, our role in exposing them becomes even more relevant.

We need to expand our capacity to truly be a resource for students and activists all over the States and the rest of the world. Please donate generously today before we run out of time.

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With gratitude,

688.

27 oktober 2024

Ethnic cleansing in northern Gaza

It is surreal, to say the least, watching the Israeli military carry out ethnic cleansing in northern Gaza while the U.S. Presidential election cycle comes to a close. Make no mistake: ethnic cleansing is happening right now in northern Gaza. It is being funded, fueled, and protected from international accountability by the United States. The Biden administration, including Vice-President Kamala Harris, is fully implicated in this crime.

Our reporters and contributors kept us grounded in reality this week. Take a look at their important stories below

David Reed, Publisher

Survivors of north Gaza invasion report Israeli ‘extermination’ campaign

Tareq Hajjaj reports this harrowing piece with eyewitness testimonies about the apparent ethnic cleansing Israel is carrying out in northern Gaza. “I carried my sons in my hands and buried them. I felt like I was burying myself with each one of them,” said Jaber Abu Laila, a resident of Beit Lahia.

Bodies of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks on Jabalia refugee camp are brought to al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, October 23, 2024. (Photo: Hadi Daoud/APA Images)

Get caught up

 Shatha Hanaysha interviewed Gaith Radwan, the commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s al-Quds Brigade in the West Bank city of Tulkarem. Radwan was killed on October 3 by an Israeli airstrike, the first such attack in the West Bank in 20 years. An entire family was also killed in that airstrike. “My personal dream is to live like any person who is comfortable in their life. There is no Palestinian who is comfortable. Anyone who says otherwise is lying. No one can be at ease while being occupied,” he told her.

 Qassam Muaddi reports on Israel’s effort to empty northern Gaza of all Palestinians. The Israeli army forcibly expelled Palestinians in northern Gaza from their shelters, as relayed by eyewitness accounts, news reports, and video footage released by Israeli sources.

 Sharaiz Chaudhry says the BBC is manufacturing consent for Israel’s genocidal assault on Palestine and attacks on Lebanon. Lucy Williamson, the BBC’s Middle East correspondent, embedded with the Israeli military for a report from Lebanon. In response, seven BBC Arabic journalists suspended their work in protest.

 Qassam Muaddi details the brutal assault Israeli forces carried out on northern Gaza’s last functioning hospital. Israeli forces have since withdrawn, leaving the hospital barely functioning and heavily damaged.

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27 oktober 2024

As words fail us, as we try to grasp for the ability to describe unseen levels of immiseration and displacement, little room remains for symbolism. All we have is our resistance against the occupation, apartheid and genocide, our only remaining tool to honor the memory of those lost and save those waiting to come home to their families, Palestinians and Israelis alike.

Our struggle is one that is in total solidarity with Palestinians themselves fighting for a different future, one of justice for everyone from the river to the sea. We fight so that the oppression before October 7 and the genocide that followed it will never happen again. Our vision of honoring the dead is to fight for the lives that they could have lived, insisting on the conditions that could have allowed them to keep on living. As Israelis, we recognize that the victims of the October 7 attacks lost their lives on the altar of Jewish supremacy, a system maintained on the backs of the Palestinian people. That is why we continue to see refusal as the way forward. This is the only path that allows for Israelis to refuse the state of affairs, to refuse to kill and be killed, to refuse to oppress in the name of ethnic supremacy, revenge and an illusionary sense of safety.

Join us and support the Israeli resistance, not the genocide. Your support allows us to back the growing war refusers' movement here, and to offer an alternative for the growing number of Israelis who recognize that we need a different path forward. Please sign and share our solidarity statement with your community, and let the world know you back war refusers in Israel and the world over.

686.

27 oktober 2024

Today's headlines

Generating consent for genocide: The BBC’s complicity in Israel’s crimes in Palestine and Lebanon

The BBC is deceiving the British public and using its position to manufacture consent for Israel's genocidal assault in Palestine and Lebanon.

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OSPACA NIEUWSDIENST 7.

26 oktober 2024

Dear fellow Pro-Palestinians, comrades in arms!

For months, we pro-Palestinians, at demos and also at other actions, have been shouting the slogan ‘FREE, FREE PALESTINE’ as loudly and massively as possible worldwide. Without knowing when the dawn might appear for this.

But on 19 July this year, a giant levee breach took place!  We pro-Palestinians were no longer alone with our slogan from that day onwards! A tremendous power suddenly rallied fully behind us! And it was THE POWER OF LAW!!!

This is not just about the power of law in the form of somewhere, in any country, a little court of law adjudicating some rules of law. This is about the very highest court in our world, namely the International Court of Justice. Which is the only body allowed to rule on the highest law on earth. About the highest international and highest international humanitarian law, which includes the law of war. On 19 July this year, this International Court of Justice (ICJ), totally and unconditionally, adopted our slogan in its ruling. Since then our slogan ‘FREE, FREE PALESTINE’ is also the slogan of the Inter-national Court of Justice. Totally. And in all respects. We, Pro-Palestinians, and the ICJ, speak with one mouth here from now on. Exactly the same language!

But not only has the ICJ ruled that there must be a "FREE PALESTINE ’. Whereby all countries in the world have been imposed by this Court to unconditionally respect the Palestinians' right to self-determination and recognize Palestine as an independent state. Because, whether or not in a mutual cooperation with the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), there is also, with the express agreement of a crushing two-thirds majority of this UNGA, also an explicit timeframe, by which the Israeli land grabbers has to disappear from occupied Palestinian Territory. They will be given by the UBGA  a year to do at the latest. No more and no less!

And furthermore, the International Court of Justice, as the highest legal body in this world, in conjunction with the UNGA - with a vote ratio of only 14 out of 139 member states against - has indicated exactly the framework in which this "FREE PALESTINE ’ will have to take shape. And this court, together with the UNGA, also determined the legal obligations, which all states in the world must observe. To further realize this ‘FREE PALESTINE’.

Since this is a very special case, the International Court of Justice has also ruled here that all states of the United Nations are under an international law obligation to work to ensure that its ruling is implemented in its entirety. Point one, then, is that Israeli land grabbers of Palestinian occupied territory should get out of there. And this not only unconditionally, but as soon as possible! Equally, all United Nations states must actively work to ensure that all UN states recognize Palestine as an independent state. And that millions of ethnically cleansed and expelled Palestinians are assured their return to Palestine. Finally, Israel will have to be forced to pay reparations for all material damage and immaterial suffering caused.

In the event that United Nations national states do not comply with their international law obligations, citizens of those states should drag their national governments before their own national courts !! Those fully have a legal commitment to protect and implement international law. And when a UN State fails to comply, other UN States could receive their jurisdiction.

Finally, with us in the Netherlands, there are also, as constitutional imperatives, the Articles 90 and 94 of the Dutch Constitution. But especially, and above all, because much of international law contains ius cogens. And even interprets law erga omnes. In other words, represents the highest conceivable law of this world!

OSPACA  NIEUWSDIENST                                                                                              INFO@KAPITALISMEOORZAAKOSPACA.ORG

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25 oktober 2024

Dat is de kern van een deze week uitgebracht advies van de Adviesraad Internationale Vraagstukken (AIV) aan het kabinet en parlement. Dat het advies bijzonder urgent is, blijkt uit het feit dat de AIV het kabinet adviseert zonder daarom te zijn verzocht - een uitzonderlijke stap.

Op zijn beloop gelaten
Het advies betreft het uitblijven van een adequate internationale reactie. De Raad wijst er nadrukkelijk op dat de Arabische staten, de EU en Nederland het hebben laten afweten, zowel wat betreft de inzet voor de-escalatie en een duurzaam staakt-het-vuren, als voor conflictoplossing op langere termijn.

Zo is niet alleen een oplossing voor het ‘conflict’ buiten beeld geraakt, maar staat intussen ook Libanon in brand en dreigt een regionale oorlog waarbij ook onder meer Iran betrokken kan raken.

Concrete aanbevelingen
Op grond van deze tastbare risico’s bestaat voor de buitenwereld een urgent belang om in te grijpen. Daarin dient ook Nederland een rol te spelen. In zijn advies doet de AIV dan ook concrete aanbevelingen voor de herziening van het Nederlandse beleid. In een artikel op onze website zetten we de belangrijkste op een rij.

De hamvraag is nu of het kabinet en de (rechtse) Kamermeerderheid bereid zijn hun destructieve pro-Israëlpolitiek in te ruilen voor een beleid gericht op de-escalatie, vrede en bescherming van de internationale rechtsorde. Gebeurt dat niet, dan wordt met open ogen gekozen voor de rampzalige gevolgen waarvoor de AIV met stemverheffing waarschuwt.

Lees hier ons volledige artikel over de aanbevelingen van de AIV.

Wij strijden tegen oorlogsmisdaden, annexatie, bezetting en onderdrukking. Helpt u mee?

Ja, ik help mee

Documentaire | Hoe Israëlische propaganda na ‘7 oktober’ de wereld overspoelde

Na 7 oktober 2023 bracht Israël bizarre leugens over Palestijnse gruweldaden in omloop; over onthoofde baby's, een doorboorde foetus, en andere afschuwelijke taferelen. Wekenlang domineerden deze verhalen het wereldnieuws.

De verhalen werden in omloop gebracht om de weg te plaveien voor Israëls genocidale reactie.

Dat is de belangrijkste conclusie van de documentaire Atrocity Inc: How Israel Sells Its Destruction of Gaza van de Joods-Amerikaanse journalist en schrijver Max Blumenthal. Op basis van eerder onderzoek en publicaties van gerenommeerde media vat de documentaire samen hoe deze leugens de wereld in werden geholpen, wie daar belang bij had, en hoe ze buiten Israël gretig werden versterkt.

Hoofddoel van de Israëlische propaganda was het ontmenselijken van de Palestijnen. Daarmee maakten Israëlische leiders de geesten in binnen- en buitenland rijp voor het genocidale geweld in Gaza.

Lees hier ons begeleidende artikel bij de documentaire.

De etnische zuivering van Noord-Gaza is in volle gang

Begin oktober is Israël een grootschalige aanval begonnen op het al grotendeels verwoeste vluchtelingenkamp Jabalya en omliggende plaatsen in het noorden van de Gazastrook. Het gebied is volledig omsingeld en de bombardementen gaan onafgebroken door.

Sinds het begin van de aanval zijn er zeker 640 Palestijnen gedood, vertellen medische bronnen aan nieuwszender Al-Jazeera. Afgelopen week richtte het Israëlische leger meerdere bloedbaden aan. Ook de drie ziekenhuizen in Noord-Gaza worden belegerd. VN-hulporganisatie OCHA meldde dinsdag dat Israël hulpverleners al vijf dagen op rij de toegang tot het noorden ontzegt. Mogelijke overlevenden onder het puin kunnen hierdoor niet worden gered.

Een ontheemde Palestijnse familie in Noord-Gaza op de vlucht voor het Israëlische geweld. © UNRWA

Etnische zuivering
Op 20 oktober waarschuwde het kantoor van de Hoge VN-Commissaris voor de Mensenrechten ‘dat de manier waarop het Israëlische leger vijandelijkheden uitvoert – samen met de onwettige inmenging in humanitaire hulp en bevelen tot gedwongen verplaatsing – mogelijk leiden tot de vernietiging van de Palestijnse bevolking in het noorden van Gaza’.

‘Genocide voltrekt zich op de meest duidelijke manier, recht voor de ogen van de wereld,’ aldus het Palestijnse ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken. Burgers worden gedwongen om te vertrekken, en anders te sterven. Journalisten ter plekke bevestigen dit.

Van steeds meer kanten wordt er dan ook op gewezen dat Israëls acties in het gebied neerkomen op etnische zuivering. Hoewel Israël dit ontkent, zeggen Westerse diplomaten dat ze Israëls officiële verklaringen niet vertrouwen, en wel degelijk vrezen voor de etnische zuivering van Noord-Gaza. De ooggetuigenverslagen uit Noord-Gaza lijken dit te bevestigen.

Lees hier het hele artikel over de Israëlische aanval op Noord-Gaza.

Israëlische en internationale ngo's roepen op tot actie
Op 14 oktober waarschuwden vier Israëlische ngo’s – B’Tselem, Gisha, Yesh Din en Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) – dat Israël de Palestijnse bevolking van Noord-Gaza door middel van geweld en uithongering dreigt te verdrijven en de internationale gemeenschap medeplichtig is als ze niet ingrijpt.

Een dag later riep een internationale coalitie van 38 ngo’s de internationale gemeenschap in een scherpe verklaring op in actie te komen: ‘Global leaders have both a legal and moral duty to act now.’ 

Opinie | Van het bloedbad van Deir Yasin tot Operatie al-Aqsa Vloed: 75 jaar Israëlische oorlogsmisdaden

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25 oktober 2024

Today's headlines

Israeli army continues attempts to empty northern Gaza

Qassam Muaddi

Following the Israeli army's claim to have displaced 20,000 Palestinians from Jabalia, local sources tell Mondoweiss that most of the displaced have relocated to other places in northern Gaza.

Israel’s Genocide Day 384: Israel continues to ethnically cleanse northern Gaza

Qassam Muaddi

The ongoing extermination campaign in northern Gaza is displacing Palestinians from shelters as dozens of residents have been abducted by the Israeli army. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes hit Beirut’s southern Dahiya district.

682.

24 oktober 2024

AJP Action Calls for Blinken To Stop Wasting Time and Implement an Immediate Ceasefire

[WASHINGTON D.C., October 24, 2024] – Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action) urgently calls on Secretary Blinken to stop wasting time with failed diplomatic visits and to demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s 11th visit to the Middle East since the start of Israel’s genocide in Gaza is not an accolade underscoring his commitment to peace. Instead, it is a demonstration of his failure to secure an end to the Israeli violence destabilizing the entire region.

This is because, despite the gestures towards peace, Secretary Blinken is recreating his year-long ploy of providing Israel with unlimited military, diplomatic, and financial support while begging it to accept a ceasefire. Blinken, along with the rest of the Biden Administration, must show that he will abide by U.S. and international laws to embargo aid to Israel so long as it continues to commit human rights violations. Instead of doing that over the last year, both Blinken and Biden have continuously kowtowed to Israel at every turn while giving them 10’s of billions of dollars to continue their genocidal military campaigns and expand their colonial and apartheid regime. Such a strategy will not bring an end to Israel’s genocide. Ending military aid will.

The administration cannot wait any longer. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is intensifying daily, with entire neighborhoods in ruins from the U.S.-supplied bombs. In northern Gaza, over 400,000 people are trapped under relentless Israeli shelling and airstrikes, with more than 800 killed in just two weeks. Families fleeing the Jabalia refugee camp face death even as they attempt to escape. Aid has been completely cut off, and UN officials warn that civilians are "just waiting to die" amid accusations of ethnic cleansing. Israel’s actions, supported by U.S. military aid, are driving this humanitarian catastrophe​.

“The current U.S. policy of arming and funding Israel while requesting a ceasefire is both hypocritical and ineffective,” said Osama Abuarshaid, Executive Director of AJP Action. “Blinken’s diplomatic theater is enabling Netanyahu’s war crimes. The United States must immediately end military aid to Israel and demand a ceasefire before this administration’s legacy becomes one of complicity in genocide.”

The Biden administration has expanded military support to Israel, recently deploying 100 U.S. troops to operate advanced anti-ballistic missile systems in Israel, risking American lives. Meanwhile, Israeli forces continue to bomb civilian areas in Lebanon, with strikes killing civilians even in proximity to Beirut’s main hospital​​ and the ancient city of Tyre. This all while Israeli leaders openly threaten war with Iran, raising the specter of a wider regional conflict that could drag the U.S. into another devastating war.

It is overdue for the Biden administration to align U.S. policy with international law. The Israeli government’s systematic targeting of civilians, destruction of homes, and collective punishment of Palestinians amounts to war crimes under the Geneva Conventions​.

AJP Action calls on Secretary Blinken and the broader Biden Administration to end military aid to Israel and use the administration’s leverage to bring an end to the killing. The Biden administration must stop enabling Israel’s actions and take decisive steps to protect Palestinian lives. Biden and Blinken have chosen a legacy of enabling genocide; this is their last opportunity to leave office, having done some good by using their power to join the rest of the world in holding Israel accountable.

Signed,
Americans for Justice in Palestine Action

Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization advocating for legislation supporting the human rights of the Palestinian people and endorsing candidates for office who support those rights.

681.

24 oktober 2024

I’m reaching out after returning from a historic Palestinian delegation to Ireland, where we experienced firsthand the deep solidarity and shared resistance between the Irish and Palestinian people. Our delegation, which included organizers from Adalah Justice Project, Palestinian Youth Movement, Arab Resource and Organizing Project, Palestinian Feminist Collective, and others, was rooted in an anti-imperialist and anti-colonialist vision, and we’re eager to share this powerful experience with you.
 

The Irish people know what it means to resist colonial rule, having fought British occupation for over 800 years. Our hosts, the Bloody Sunday Trust, are survivors of the 1972 massacre in Derry, where British soldiers killed unarmed civilians. Their ongoing fight for justice and a unified Ireland continues to inspire.

Everywhere we went, the solidarity with Palestine was visible. From flags flying high in streets and homes to conversations in local cafes, it was clear that the Irish people recognize the brutal reality of Israel’s apartheid regime and the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Their struggle against British colonialism resonates deeply with our fight for Palestinian liberation.


In solidarity,

Sandra Tamari

680.

24 oktober 2024

Humanitarian Situation Update #232
West Bank

A house belonging to a 65-year-old Palestinian woman and her grandson was severely damaged due to an Israeli settler attack in Jalud village, Nablus. Photo: Partner

Key Highlights

• Israeli forces killed a Palestinian mother of seven in Jenin while harvesting olives near the Barrier along with other harvesters who did not pose any threat to forces, the UN Human Rights Office reports. 
• Since the beginning of October 2024, OCHA has documented about 180 settler-related incidents in nearly 90 Palestinian communities across the West Bank, 60 per cent of which were related to the olive harvest season. Of the total, 104 incidents led to casualties or property damage.
• Several communities in the occupied West Bank have experienced a surge in attacks and access restrictions to their land following the establishment of Israeli settlement outposts near them; 43 new outposts have been established since October 2023, Peace Now reports. 
• The eight remaining families in Juret Al Khiel community in Hebron governorate were displaced amid ongoing Israeli settler attacks. This community is the 11^th community to become fully displaced in the West Bank, citing attacks by Israeli settlers and access restrictions.

Latest Developments (after 21 October)

• On 22 October, Israeli forces shot in the chest and killed an 11-year-old Palestinian boy during a search-and-arrest operation in Nablus city, while he was reportedly throwing stones along with other boys toward Israeli armoured vehicles.

Humanitarian Developments (15-21 October)

• During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed three Palestinians and injured 59 others, including 27 children, in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Two of the fatalities were killed during raids by Israeli forces in Jenin and Tulkarm. On 15 October, Israeli forces killed and withheld the body of a 20-year-old Palestinian man in Jenin refugee camp, during a three-hour operation in which they besieged his house, and the two sides exchanged fire. Seven other Palestinians, including four women, were injured by Israeli forces during the same operation. On 20 October, an Israeli army jeep chased and hit a 20-year-old Palestinian man riding on a motorcycle during a raid in Anabta town and he later died in hospital. 
• The third fatality during the reporting period was a 59-year-old Palestinian mother of seven, who was shot and killed by Israeli forces in Faqua’a village, in Jenin governorate, while she was harvesting olives along with several Palestinian families on their land on the West Bank side of the Barrier. According to the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), the farmers “were not posing any threat whatsoever when Israeli security forces fired multiple shots at them without prior warning.” Noting that this incident "comes in the context of intensified, organized attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian harvesting teams to sabotage the olive harvest, along with use of force by Israeli security forces to block Palestinians' access to their lands in an apparently arbitrary manner," OHCHR emphasized that “restricted access to land and unchecked violence are key features of a coercive environment that is increasingly forcing Palestinians to leave their land." OHCHR urged the Israeli authorities to carry out an investigation into this and other similar incidents of violence by Israeli settlers and forces against Palestinians and called for perpetrators to be prosecuted and effective remedies to be provided to the victims.
• Another two Palestinian fatalities were documented during the reporting period. An 18-year-old male succumbed to wounds sustained when he was shot in the head with live ammunition by Israeli forces during a raid in Jenin city on 5 July 2024. Furthermore, on 19 October, a 27-year-old Palestinian man died after reportedly colliding with an Israeli force's jeep near Ofra settlement on Road 60, in Ramallah governorate (not counted in the overall number of Palestinians killed since October 2023 below). No Israeli forces were injured.
• During the reporting period, Israeli settlers perpetrated 41 attacks against Palestinians resulting in casualties, property damage or both; seven Palestinians, including two children, were injured. More than half of these incidents (24 incidents) took place within the context of the olive harvest season, which resulted in the injury of six Palestinians, and left about 670 trees either vandalized or had their crops stolen. Since the beginning of October 2024, about 180 settler incidents were documented, affecting nearly 90 communities, of which some 60 per cent were related to the olive harvest season. These include 104 incidents that resulted in casualties, property damage or both. The following are some of the key settler attacks that took place during the reporting period.  
  • On 18 October, Israeli settlers physically assaulted and injured a Palestinian boy with hearing impairment while he was working on a farm in Wadi Qana, near Deir Istiya town in Salfit governorate. The settlers damaged 40 sacks of fodder and stole an electric generator and a milking machine. 
  • On 18 October, three groups of about 200 Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian olive harvesters in Yatma village, south of Nablus. The settlers, some armed and reportedly from Rechalim settlement and Eyvatar outpost, fired bullets and threw stones toward farmers in different parts of the village. When Israeli forces arrived at the scene, they fired tear gas cannisters and live bullets in the air and evacuated Palestinian farmers, not allowing them to collect their harvest and tools. As a result, one Palestinian was injured by a stone thrown by settlers, and another suffered from tear gas inhalation. In the afternoon, when the farmers returned to their land, they found that at least 1,000 kilogrammes of collected olives, 18 ladders and 50 mattresses had been stolen. Ten Palestinian families were affected. 
  • On 20 October, a group of armed Israeli settlers believed to be from Asfar settlement raided Juret Al Khiel community in Hebron governorate, vandalizing residential caravans and other property. Eight families comprising 41 members including 13 children, were thus forced to flee, taking refuge along with their sheep in a nearby valley. Upon returning to check on their properties, the families found that four caravans and six solar panels had been vandalized, and the settlers subsequently returned and threatened the families to leave. On 21 October, Israeli settlers erected two tents in the community and as of today, the families have been displaced to Sa’ir town. The eight displaced family are the last remaining families in the community, following the gradual displacement of other families from the community over the past few years; these families had been displaced mainly due to a combination of settler attacks and discriminatory planning processes, which have created a coercive environment that put pressure on people to leave. This community is the 11th community to become fully displaced in the West Bank, citing attacks by Israeli settlers and access restrictions.  
  • On 19 October 2024, dozens of Israeli settlers, some armed and reportedly from Shilo settlement bloc raided and attacked Palestinians southeast of Jalud village, in Nablus. The settlers burnt about 40 dunums of land cultivated with 50 olive trees, causing damage to olive produce, harvesting tools, mattresses and equipment. Settlers also threw inflammable materials at three houses and cars, causing significant damage. One of the houses, home to a 65-year-old woman and her 14-year-old grandson, sustained major damage to the kitchen and two rooms and was rendered temporarily uninhabitable. Three sheep were also shot and killed, and two Palestinians were injured by stones.

• Restrictions imposed by Israeli forces have further compounded the difficulties faced by Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest season. Since 1 October, OCHA has documented at least 25 incidents where Israeli forces attacked Palestinians and restricted their access to agricultural lands, affecting around 700 people. These incidents included various forms of preventing access to agricultural lands. For example, in Sabastiya and Deir Sharaf (both in Nablus), farmers were expelled while harvesting olives, with Israeli forces preventing them from taking their harvested crops. In Yatma (Nablus), Israeli forces confiscated agricultural tools and threatened further action if farmers returned. In Turmusa’yya (Ramallah) and Salim (Nablus), tear gas was used to push farmers off their lands. Additionally, in Kafr ad Dik (Salfit), roads were blocked with earth mounds and rocks, preventing farmers from accessing their lands with vehicles and disrupting the transportation of tools and harvested olives. 
• In a new report, Peace Now, an Israeli NGO, reported that 43 new settlement outposts, primarily farm outposts, have been established in the West Bank since October 2023, compared with an annual average of seven outposts in the nearly three decades prior. While settlement outposts are considered illegal under Israeli law, Peace Now highlighted that the Israeli government financed settlement outposts with NIS28 million (US$7.5 million) in 2023 and allocated to them NIS75 million (US$20 million) in 2024. In addition to authorizing funding for 70 settlement outposts, Israeli authorities have retroactively “legalized” eight settlement outposts (five of which will be established as new settlements) and allocated NIS7 billion (US$1.9 billion) for road infrastructure serving settlements, the NGO added. All Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory are illegal under International Humanitarian Law. They also deepen humanitarian needs by affecting livelihoods, food security and access to essential services. 
• Since October 2023, there has been a surge in Israeli settler attacks against Palestinian communities in the West Bank, particularly in areas that are located near old or newly established settlement outposts, as can be illustrated in the following four examples: 
  • In Bethlehem, the residents of Khallet al Louza village saw an escalation of settler attacks since August 2024, following the establishment of a new caravan on Palestinian land in Givat Etam outpost. Five settler attacks in the community were documented by OCHA in the first seven months of the year, compared with eight over the past three months, including five during the current olive harvest season. Of the 13 incidents in 2024, 10 resulted in casualties or property damage. Incidents in October included settlers physically assaulting a farmer and his family, setting fire to 40 olive trees over 50 years old, threatening farmers to stay away from their land, and severely assaulting two elderly farmers and leaving them with limb fractures.
  • In Ramallah, Burqa village is surrounded by Oz Zion, Givat Assaf, Ramat Migron, and Tsur Harel settlement outposts, with the last one re-established in July 2024. The residents of Burqa village saw an increase in settler attacks since October 2023, with 36 incidents documented by OCHA, compared with three incidents in the first nine months of 2023. A third of the incidents over the past year (12 out of 36) have occurred since July 2024, including ten resulting in casualties and property damage and two entailing harassment, intimidation and restricted access to agricultural land. 
  • In Jericho, the residents of Ras 'Ein al 'Auja Bedouin community have seen a rise in attacks against them since the beginning of 2024, especially following the establishment of a new settlement outpost near the community in May 2024. OCHA documented 67 settler incidents in the community so far in 2024, including 25 that resulted in casualties or property damage, compared with two incidents in all of 2023. The majority of incidents in 2024 (52) took place between 1 May and 21 October 2024. 
  • In Jerusalem, following the establishment of a settlement outpost just 150 metres from Khan Al Ahmar Bedouin community in late August 2024, daily settler attacks have severely restricted movement and access for Palestinians in the area. Settlers have blocked roads by parking vehicles at community entrances, searched vehicles, checked IDs, threatened residents, vandalized Palestinian vehicles parked near the community, and blocked herders’ access to grazing lands. 

• During the reporting period, Israeli authorities demolished or forced the demolition of 24 Palestinian-owned structures across the West Bank, all due to the lack of Israeli-issued building permits that are nearly impossible to obtain, including nine in East Jerusalem and 15 in Area C. Half of the structures were homes, which resulted in the displacement of 23 people, including eight children. Seven of the nine structures demolished in East Jerusalem were demolished by their owners; one of these structures was a business facility that provided oxygen to hospitals in East Jerusalem and had been operating since 1957. 
• On 16 October 2024, the Jerusalem Municipality issued a final warning for the demolition of a two-story building in Al Bustan area of Silwan, in East Jerusalem. The building houses Al Bustan Association and an apartment for a family of three. This building had already received a final demolition notice in July 2024 and is now at immediate risk of demolition. Al Bustan Association serves over 1,000 community members, offering youth education programs, legal workshops and scouting activities as well as supporting sports teams, cultural groups and women’s groups. Since early October, the Jerusalem Municipality has issued 14 demolition orders in Al Bustan area, demanding ten families to vacate their homes and clear all belongings within ten days. In total, 87 people now face imminent displacement. The final warnings and demolition orders are part of a plan to build and expand an Israeli settlement project by establishing public spaces designated for Israelis. According to the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), who is representing 85 demolition cases in the community, “Al-Bustan, home to about 1,550 Palestinians and 150 housing units...is near the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. This has led Israeli authorities to focus on increasing the Jewish presence and displacing Palestinians. All structures in Al-Bustan are currently unprotected and at risk of demolition.”

Key Figures, 7 October 2023 – 21 October 2024

• In total, 732 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in addition to two who died of wounds sustained prior to 7 October. These include 715 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces, 12 by Israeli settlers, and seven where it remains unknown whether the perpetrators were Israeli forces or settlers. During the same period, 23 Israelis, including 16 members of Israeli forces and six settlers, were killed by Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. In Israel, attacks by Palestinians from the West Bank resulted in the killing of 16 Israelis and eight Palestinian perpetrators. 
• OCHA documented about 1,536 attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians, of which 152 led to Palestinian casualties, 1,226 led to damage to Palestinian property, and 158 led to both casualties and property damage. Since 7 October 2023, 285 Palestinians households comprising 1,669 people, including 807 children, have been displaced in Bedouin and herding communities across the West Bank, primarily citing attacks by Israeli settlers and access restrictions. 
• Israeli authorities destroyed, confiscated, sealed or forced the demolition of 1,829 Palestinian structures across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, displacing more than 4,611 Palestinians, including about 1,939 children. These include more than 2,800 Palestinians, including over 1,100 children, who were displaced due to the destruction of homes during operations by Israeli forces. 
• For additional breakdowns of casualties, displacement and settler violence between January 2023 and September 2024, please refer to the OCHA West Bank snapshot.

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24 oktober 2024

Normaal schrijf ik niet over ons. Het gaat niet om ons. Normaal schrijf ik u over de miljoenen mensen in 121 landen wereldwijd, voor wie CARE zich al 80 jaar dag en nacht inzet. Onze hulpverleners maken elke dag immense persoonlijke offers en riskeren alles om de levens van anderen te redden. Dit moedige werk had afgelopen week catastrofale gevolgen.

Onze arts Ahmad Al-Najar en onze verloskundige Laila Jneid werden afgelopen week gedood bij aanvallen in Noord-Gaza, terwijl zij aan het werk waren op een medische post van CARE. Wij zijn aangedaan, verdrietig en boos. Hulpverleners en burgers zijn geen doelwit. Nooit.

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24 oktober 2024

A month ago, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly voted for imposing sanctions on Israel for the first time in 42 years! 

A month later, with the continued complicity of the west, led by the US, Israel’s genocide in Gaza takes new horrific turns everyday.

Through its year-long genocide in Gaza, Israel has killed 228 UN staff members, destroyed UN infrastructure, attacked UNRWA, and Israel’s outgoing ambassador has called for UN Headquarters to be “wiped off the face of the Earth.”

Why should a regime that perpetrates genocide and apartheid and violently attacks the UN continue to be its member?

Join us today in writing to the President of the UNGA, Philémon Yang, urging him to enact the resolution sanctioning Israel by suspending it from the UN!­

Israel Out of UN now!

We need to keep reminding decision-makers that the historic resolution of 18th September 2024 cannot remain a promise on paper! It needs to be turned into reality, and it includes the suspension of Israel from the UN.

Let’s remind the institution of its responsibility!

The world is watching, and we must ensure that no member state is allowed to undermine the very principles on which this body was founded.

In solidarity,
BDS Movement

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24 oktober 2024

In today's Daily Brief:

• Israeli War Crimes in Lebanon

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24 oktober 2024

Today's headlines

‘This is an extermination’: Israel’s assault on north Gaza’s last functioning hospital

Israel is emptying northern Gaza of its inhabitants during its ongoing ethnic cleansing campaign. One of the key strategies it is using to achieve this is by hospitals, and the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia has become a primary target.

The American Psychological Association is abandoning its commitment to human rights by refusing to speak out on Palestine

The American Psychological Association claims to “prioritize human rights advocacy,” but if its leaders want to truly honor that commitment they must recognize and address the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza today.

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23 oktober 2024

This week, we focus on the killing in combat of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and what impact it might have during Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip.

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23 oktober 2024

"Coffins have run out"

Stop $20b in weapons to Israel.

Protect freedom of religion and speech on campus.

Last week, Northwestern University leadership twice sent militarized police to threaten Jewish students and desecrate their Gaza Solidarity Sukkah.

This is blatant antisemitism: Write to Northwestern now and tell them to protect students’ rights to freedom of religion and expression on campus.

"Holocaust of our time"

What we're reading.

Organizing Director at JVP Elena Stein writes for the Guardian about why 500 Jews and allies shut down the New York Stock Exchange to demand an end to the U.S.-backed genocide in Gaza.

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23 oktober 2024

Today's headlines

How the UN Commission of Inquiry Report on October 7 launders Israeli propaganda

Debunked claims of sexual violence carried out by Palestinians on October 7 have dominated Western coverage of the Gaza genocide. It is still essential to counter this Israeli propaganda to correct the historical record.

Latinos have a historical obligation to combat empire. Today this means resisting Zionism.

Latinos must remember our historical obligation to demand an end to U.S. imperialism and fight for the abolition of Zionism.

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23 oktober 2024

The US has given Israel a month to improve humanitarian conditions in Gaza, and has threatened to embargo weapons shipments if it does not comply. This ultimatum came weeks into what is in all likelyhood at least a partial implementation of the "Generals' Plan” in the northern Gaza Strip. "The commanders say openly that the 'Eiland Plan' is being promoted by the IDF," one reservist told Haaretz.

Those responsible for the plan proposed using "humanitarian aid as strategic leverage to return the hostages and defeat Hamas." Simply put, this means monstrously starving hundreds of thousands of people, with the aim of harming those affiliated with Hamas as well.

In theory, this is meant to cause desperation, and lead Gazans to revolt against Hamas. Critically malnourished and unarmed civilians are somehow expected to succeed where a fully equipped modern military hasn’t. One could also look at it as yet another twisted variation on the use of civilians as human shields.

In practice, Israel has tried this before. Gazans have been displaced more times than we can count, and depriving them of food, water and medical supplies isn’t new either. It’s not a bug, it’s a feature, and yet it hasn’t brought that mythical “total victory” or a hostage deal any closer.

These methods are morally depraved, but they’re also illogical and unpragmatic even though they are fed to the Israeli public as such. Quite like the positioning of Hamas as those solely responsible for the lack of a hostage deal and ceasefire, while our government deflects any responsibility for not reaching a deal.

Israeli hostage Eden Yerushalmi’s body was found weighing 36 kilograms. Gazan babies are starving to death. These are the results of a strategy not only intended to push the population to rise up against Hamas, but to force them to move south of the Netzarim corridor and vacate the north.

Over the last few days thousands have been forced out of the north due to fear of starvation or bombings, and yet It’s also clear that many won’t flee south. Some are elderly or disabled and simply can’t. Many are rightly frightened of being hurt on the unsafe journey through a war zone, and they’ve all seen how areas that were designated as safe zones by the IDF have been repeatedly bombed by the IDF itself.

Previous ground invasions in Gaza and events during this last year have shown that the IDF knowingly disregards the fact that many civilians called on to leave will remain, and converts these areas into what essentially become “kill zones” where those left are re-classified as “involved”. We all know what that means.

To normalize the plan, retired general Giora Eiland was presented as its architect. In reality however, it was cooked up by a coalition of pro-occupation far-right groups - one of which, "Tzav 9", where behind the efforts to block aid convoys from entering Gaza months ago, and who have since been sanctioned by the US.

Unsurprisingly, the real initiators, as well as the main proponents of the plan from across the entire government coalition have all regularly objected to any and every ceasefire and hostage deal up until now.

A few days ago, as thousands were fleeing from northern Gaza under the threat of starvation and bombing, Netanyahu's Likud Party held a "Gaza resettlement conference" nearby, overlooking the charred houses of Kibbutz Be'eri in the Gaza envelope. The settler leadership including cabinet ministers Smotrich and Ben-Gvir were all present as well.

The conference area was designated a “restricted military zone,” and protesters against it, many of whom are the still-displaced residents of Be’eri and family members of hostages, were blocked from entering. They want a ceasefire and a hostage deal - that’s why they were pushed aside.

A month ago, Netanyahu said he was considering the "Generals’ Plan". A week ago he said the same thing. Between those two statements, were multiple weeks of no food entering northern Gaza, coupled with mass bombings. Now, his party hosts a conference to say out loud what he won't.

So while the "Generals' Plan" is presented as a plan to pressure Hamas into a hostage deal, the conference yet again makes clear it's true goal and that of our government: full and long-term occupation, including the re-establishment of Israeli settlements. A vacant north Gaza Strip would enable exactly that.

Soldiers’ testimonies we've received and have been published over the past months substantiate and detail the IDF's use of Palestinian civilians as human shields.

Since then, more and more testimony based information has come out, from both IDF soldiers who have chosen to break their silence, and Palestinians who were coerced into these situations.

All the information, including testimonies, are available in the following links:

New York Times | How Israel’s Army Uses Palestinians as Human Shields in GazaHaaretz | Israeli army uses Palestinian civilians to inspect potentially booby-trapped tunnels in GazaThe Guardian Soldiers’ testimonies we've received and have been published over the past months substantiate and detail the IDF's use of Palestinian civilians as human shields.

Since then, more and more testimony based information has come out, from both IDF soldiers who have chosen to break their silence, and Palestinians who were coerced into these situations.

All the information, including testimonies, are available in the following links:

New York Times | How Israel’s Army Uses Palestinians as Human Shields in Gaza

Haaretz | Israeli army uses Palestinian civilians to inspect potentially booby-trapped tunnels in Gaza

The Guardian | Palestinians describe being used as ‘human shields’ by Israeli troops in Gaza

The independent | Stripped and held at gunpoint, the Gaza schoolboys ‘forced to be Israel’s human shields’

Frankfurter Allgemeine | Sie waren nur Zivilisten

Tagesschau | Setzt Israels Armee menschliche Schutzschilde ein?

Additional Reading Suggestions

| Palestinians describe being used as ‘human shields’ by Israeli troops in Gaza

The independent | Stripped and held at gunpoint, the Gaza schoolboys ‘forced to be Israel’s human shields’

Frankfurter Allgemeine | Sie waren nur Zivilisten

Tagesschau | Setzt Israels Armee menschliche Schutzschilde ein?

Additional Reading Suggestions

Over 50% of our funding last year came from foreign governmental entities.
100% of our testimonies came from soldiers who served in the occupied territories.

Our mailing address is:

Breaking the Silence

Tel Aviv 6713206

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22 oktober 2024

“If you don’t come back, we will kill you” were the last words Jamal heard before he was shot dead by Israeli occupation army on February 22nd, 2024.

25-year-old Jamal Aldin Muhammad Abu Al-Ola was forcibly sent by the Israeli occupation military in a white hazmat suit, hands bound with plastic cable ties, and a yellow cloth wrapped around his head to urge thousands of people sheltering in Nasser Hospital to evacuate from the hospital.

“Everybody should leave,” “They are going to destroy everything here,” Jamal said in a video that went viral. A small crowd of men and children, including his mother, followed him until he approached the gate. Cruelly and tragically, moments later occupation forces shot Jamal dead.

Join Eyewitness Palestine on October 23 at 12 PM EST to hear firsthand testimonies from Jamal’s brother, Husam Aldin, and his mother. Don’t miss this powerful opportunity to hear their story! 

UPCOMING EVENTS

 Join Eyewitness Palestine on October 30th, 2024 at 12 PM EST for a special edition webinar featuring a video with messages and interviews directly from Gaza including Palestinian children, journalists and healthcare workers. They will discuss the extreme conditions they have witnessed over the past year during the genocide. We will also be joined live by Husam Zomlot the Palestinian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, who was born and raised in Gaza.

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22 oktober 2024

Humanitarian Situation Update #231
Gaza Strip

An overnight joint mission to evacuate patients from Kamal Adwan Hospital in North Gaza to Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza governorate. Photo: OCHA

Key Highlights

• Israeli strikes have reportedly impacted all three partially functional hospitals in the North Gaza governorate, with injured patients dying at Kamal Adwan Hospital amidst a lack of life-saving medical supplies, fuel and food, while communication challenges hamper efforts to ascertain the situation at the Indonesian and Al-Awda hospitals.
• Between 1 and 21 October, only six per cent (four out of 70) of coordinated aid movements that aimed to provide humanitarian assistance in North Gaza and Gaza governorates via Al Rashid checkpoint were facilitated by Israeli authorities.
• The number of people facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity is projected to increase three-fold between November 2024 and April 2025, and an estimated 60,000 children between six and 59 months are projected to become acutely malnourished over the coming year, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification global initiative warns.

Humanitarian Developments

• Israeli bombardment from the air, land and sea continues to be reported across the Gaza Strip, resulting in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of civilian infrastructure. In the North Gaza governorate, the Israeli military has been carrying out a ground offensive since 6 October and imposed a tightened siege particularly around the area of Jabalya refugee camp, amid a near total lack of humanitarian aid entering as well as severe communications and internet disruptions. Heavy fighting in and around Jabaliya continues to be reported, so is rocket fire by Palestinian armed groups toward Israel. Meanwhile, the Israeli military continued to issue orders for residents, schools and hospitals to evacuate, including on 17 October when a pause was announced via the Israeli Civil Administration between 08:00 and 16:00 and presented as another chance for Jabalya refugee camp residents to leave.
• In a statement issued on 20 October, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) highlighted its increasing concern “that the manner in which the Israeli military is conducting hostilities in north Gaza, along with unlawful interference with humanitarian assistance and orders that are leading to forced displacement, may be causing the destruction of the Palestinian population in Gaza’s northernmost governorate,” particularly around Jabalya, Beit Lahya and Beit Hanoun. Describing the measures taken by the Israeli military, the statement cited inter alia: the denial of entry into northern Gaza of “all essential supplies between 1 and 14 October,” with only “a token amount of aid” having entered since then; continuous bombing and attacks especially in and around Jabalya refugee camp, which “have made it extremely dangerous for civilians to flee,” with reports received of “Palestinians targeted while fleeing”; reported restrictions and attacks on rescue teams and medics which are “hindering lifesaving operations, including the recovery of Palestinians trapped under rubble”; and reports of tens of Palestinian men detained by the Israeli military.
• Between the afternoons of 15 and 22 October, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, 374 Palestinians were killed and 1,269 were injured. Between 7 October 2023 and 22 October 2024, at least 42,718 Palestinians were killed and 100,282 were injured, according to MoH in Gaza. Moreover, on 20 October, the Palestinian Civil Defence (PCD) reported that tens of homes have been hit in Jabalya, Beit Lahya and Beit Hanoun, but coordination requests to reach injured and trapped people in inaccessible areas have been unsuccessful. Tens of bodies reportedly remain under the rubble and dozens of bodies remain scattered in the streets of Jabalya, PCD added.
• On 20 October, the MoH published the breakdown of 40,717 out of 42,010 fatalities as of 7 October 2024 for whom full details have been documented by MoH (also available on the Health Cluster’s Unified Dashboard here); according to MoH, these include 13,319 children, 7,216 women, 3,447 elderly, and 16,735 men. Among the child fatalities, 786 children are under one year of age, representing about six per cent of killed children whose full identification details have been documented, MoH further reported. Additionally, as of 7 October 2024, MoH noted that 35,055 children had lost one or both parents over the past year.
• Between the afternoons of 15 and 22 October, three Israeli soldiers were reportedly killed in Gaza, according to the Israeli military. Between 7 October 2023 and 22 October 2024, according to the Israeli military and official Israeli sources cited in the media, more than 1,556 Israelis and foreign nationals were killed, the majority on 7 October 2023 and its immediate aftermath. The figure includes 356 soldiers killed in Gaza or along the border in Israel since the beginning of the ground operation. In addition, 2,362 Israeli soldiers were reported injured since the beginning of the ground operation.
• Between 17 and 19 October, at least three mass casualty incidents took place in North Gaza governorate. On 17 October, at about 14:00, Abu Hussein UNRWA school hosting internally displaced people (IDPs) was reportedly hit in Jabalya refugee camp, resulting in the killing of 28 Palestinians and the injury of 160 others, according to the Government Media Office (GMO). According to UNRWA, this was the third attack on UNRWA facilities in the Gaza Strip in one week. On 19 October, at about 00:05, several houses belonging to three families were simultaneously hit in Jabalya refugee camp, killing 33 Palestinians, including women and children, and injuring dozens, with many reported missing under rubble. On the same day, at about 22:00, a residential block in Beit Lahya Project area, which belongs to five families and where newly displaced families from Jabalya were sheltering, was reportedly hit by the Israeli military, resulting in 87 fatalities and people trapped under rubble and more than 40 people injured, according to MoH.

• The following are some of the other key deadly incidents reported between 14 and 21 October:
  • On 14 October, at about 22:00, 11 Palestinians, including six women, were reportedly killed and others injured when a house was hit in the Al Falouja area of Jabalya refugee camp, in North Gaza.
  • On 14 October, at about 18:45, five Palestinians were reportedly killed and at least 15 were injured when six IDP tents were hit in Al Sumoud camp in the Al Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis.
  • On 15 October, at about 02:30, six Palestinians, including a husband, his wife and their three children, were reportedly killed when a house was hit in the vicinity of the European Gaza Hospital in Al Fukhari town, southeast of Khan Younis.
  • On 17 October, at about 14:45, 13 Palestinians, including four females, were reportedly killed and others injured when a house was hit in Al Maghazi refugee camp, in Deir al Balah. The Director of Emergency Medical Services for central Gaza was reportedly among the fatalities.
  • On 18 October, at about 23:30, 11 Palestinians were reportedly killed when a residential building was hit in Al Maghazi refugee camp, in Deir al Balah.
  • On 19 October, at about 12:10, eight Palestinians, including at least one woman and one girl, were reportedly killed and others injured when UNRWA Asmaa School, which was sheltering IDPs, was hit in As Shati’ (Beach) refugee camp, west of Gaza city.
  • On 21 October, at about 11:00, six Palestinians were reportedly killed and others injured when a group of people filling water tanks was hit at Al Halabi Junction, in North Gaza.
• On 18 and 19 October, Israeli strikes reportedly impacted all three remaining hospitals in the North Gaza governorate – Kamal Adwan, Indonesian and Al-Awda. According to MoH, the top floors and front yard of the Indonesian Hospital, which hosted more than 40 trauma and chronic patients as well as medical staff, were hit and had a total power outage. Two critical patients subsequently died amid lack of electricity and supplies, MoH added. Al-Awda Hospital and the entrance to the laboratory of Kamal Adwan were also hit, resulting in casualties, Al-Awda Health and Community Association and MoH reported. On 21 October, a complex mission led by the World Health Organization (WHO), together with OCHA, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), managed to evacuate 14 critical patients, alongside 10 caregivers, from Kamal Adwan to Al Shifa Hospital in the Gaza governorate. The mission, which departed from Deir al Balah on 20 October, had to spend the night at the Kamal Adwan Hospital due to intense fighting in the area and was only able to proceed to Al Shifa the following day. Overall, as of 21 October, 100 in-patients remained hospitalized at Kamal Adwan, including seven adults and seven children in the Intensive Care Unit, with a constant influx of new casualties flooding the emergency department; some 200 trauma patients arrived in the space of 24 hours between 20 and 21 October, including 53 already deceased. On 21 October, the Director of Kamal Adwan reported that blood units had been exhausted, medical crews have been working restlessly without food, a number of patients had succumbed to their wounds amid capacity constraints, and other wounded persons were lying in the streets with no possibility to rescue them. Meanwhile, communication challenges caused by internet outages are hampering efforts to ascertain conditions at the Indonesian and Al Awda hospitals, informs the Health Cluster. Moreover, no UNRWA medical points are currently operational in North Gaza.
• For more than two weeks, the UN and its partners estimate that more than 60,000 people have been displaced from North Gaza to Gaza city, including more than 1,000 people, mostly women and children, displaced via Salah ad Din Road to northern and western Gaza city on 19 October. Approximately 4,000 people have also been displaced from Jabalya to Beit Hanoun, in addition to others who have been displaced from an UNRWA school and two other UNRWA shelters in Jabalya to Beit Lahya. Displacement to Deir al Balah and Khan Younis in southern Gaza has been limited, with around 100 people, primarily women and children, crossing via Al Rashid Road. During an inter-cluster mission to schools in Gaza City hosting IDPs on 19 October, UN agencies and partners identified the urgent need to provide shelter solutions to relieve severe overcrowding, with some people living in restrooms due to lack of space. The severe lack of shelter and non-food items (NFIs) is disproportionately affecting women and children, who comprise about 70 per cent of people residing in some IDP sites. Facilities also lack lighting, contributing to increased risks of gender-based violence (GBV). A significant number of family separation cases were reported, and many requests were made by communities for bodies to be collected from under the rubble and in the streets. There are limited mental health and psycho-social support (MHPSS) activities, and efforts are underway to expand the provision of protection services. Elderly people and persons with special needs were identified in all sites and were found to require various types of assistive devices that are unavailable.
• Between 14 and 20 October, according to WHO, the total number of children vaccinated during the second round of the polio vaccination campaign reached 420,100 children, with 339,885 children also receiving vitamin A supplements. This includes 183,556 children under the age of 10 vaccinated in central Gaza as of 17 October and 236,544 vaccinated in southern Gaza since 19 October. On 14 and 15 October, WHO also conducted special missions to deliver polio vaccines and related equipment to areas in central Gaza that are beyond the agreed humanitarian pauses, and eight health facilities in the area continued to administer the vaccines to ensure the greatest possible coverage. To date, 71 per cent of all children to be vaccinated have been reached, and negotiations are still ongoing with the Israeli authorities on how the last phase of the vaccination drive can be implemented in northern Gaza, which was originally scheduled to begin on 23 October.
• According to the latest data by the Health Resources and Services Availability Monitoring System (HeRAMS), covering the period up to 30 September, 76 per cent of still partially functioning hospitals across the Strip have insufficient water supply, 94 per cent struggle with insufficient sanitation facilities, 71 per cent are unable to follow proper hand hygiene practices, 82 per cent have insufficient personal protective equipment (PPE), and all hospitals lack sufficient means to maintain adequate environmental cleaning standards. With regard to waste management, 94 per cent of hospitals are unable to follow proper waste segregation practices and 88 per cent have insufficient means for the safe, final disposal of both sharps and infectious waste. Furthermore, according to UNRWA, at least 56 items in its still functional healthcare centres across the Strip will be exhausted by November. Moreover, due to zero stock of most laboratory supplies and equipment requiring maintenance or replacement, UNRWA laboratories are now able to perform only four tests, compared with nearly 35 tests prior to October 2023. Hospitals are also struggling to operate amid intensified military activity in their surroundings, a continuous flow of casualties, access impediments, and severe shortages of fuel, supplies and specialized medical teams. At present, 14 international Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs) are operational in central and southern Gaza and one national EMT is deployed at Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza governorate. Given the critical state of Gaza’s healthcare system, WHO appeals for all potentially qualified Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs) to be allowed to enter the Strip to support the local healthcare workforce in providing primary services and undertaking specialized surgeries, including rehabilitation and reconstruction surgeries.

• The risk of famine remains high throughout the Gaza Strip and the recent surge in hostilities has heightened concerns that this worst-case scenario may materialize, highlights the fourth analysis published by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) initiative. The analysis, conducted between 30 September and 4 October by over 52 experts from 16 organizations, shows that about 1.84 million people in Gaza, comprising 86 per cent of the total population, are currently facing crisis or worse levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above), including 664,000 people facing emergency levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 4) and nearly 133,000 facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 5). The analysis explains that, while a temporary surge in humanitarian assistance and commercial supply between May and August 2024 partly alleviated acute food insecurity, the sharp decline in both commercial and humanitarian goods entering Gaza in September - the lowest volume recorded since March – combined with deterioration in humanitarian access to the north of Gaza since then - is expected to have dramatic consequences in the upcoming winter months. For the period between November 2024 and April 2025, the analysis projects that nearly two million people, or 91 per cent of the population, will be in crisis or worse levels of food insecurity and that there will be a three-fold increase in the number of people facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity (345,000 vs. 133,000), particularly affecting Rafah and the northern governorates. The IPC analysis concludes that “only by ensuring widespread access to adequate food, medical supplies, water, and basic services across the Gaza Strip can the risk of a rapid descent into famine be contained.” This in turn requires an immediate, sustained and unconditional ceasefire, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access, rehabilitation of local food systems and the scaling up of prevention and management of acute malnutrition, adds the report. Commenting on these risks, the Senior Deputy Director of UNRWA Affairs, Sam Rose, stressed: “Whether people are on the verge of famine or in famine, they are in absolutely desperate conditions and this is completely man-made.” The situation can only be reversed with “trucks coming in,” he added, noting that more than three months’ worth of food supplies are still awaiting outside Gaza.
• For the first time, the IPC analysis also covered Acute Malnutrition (AMN), showing that the latter has already reached serious levels (IPC AMN Phase 3) - increasing ten-fold since the escalation of hostilities in October 2023 - and is projected to further worsen across all governorates. An estimated 60,000 children aged six to 59 months are expected to become acutely malnourished in the period between September 2024 and August 2025 - 12,000 of whom (20 per cent) in the most severe form - alongside some 16,500 pregnant and breastfeeding women. The analysis attributes this deterioration to a combination of extreme food deprivation, collapse of health and nutrition services and insufficient access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in a context characterized by winter temperatures, rains and flooding, which will both exacerbate acute malnutrition and heighten the risk of epidemics in highly congested areas. According to the latest WHO data, communicable disease rates are already alarming across Gaza, with more than 1.1 million cases of acute respiratory infections, 669,000 cases of acute watery diarrhea, 225,000 cases of skin diseases, 132,000 cases of acute jaundice syndrome, as well as 18 cases of acute flaccid paralysis already reported in the Strip. “The latest IPC analysis confirms our worst fears for children in northern Gaza,….nearly one in five children suffer from wasting, the most life-threatening form of malnutrition,” highlighted the UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban in a statement on 18 October. “This looming disaster could lead to the loss of countless young lives unless immediate and unhindered humanitarian access is granted to deliver life-saving support. The world must act now to prevent this catastrophe from becoming a full-scale famine,” he added.
• To curb acute hunger and malnutrition and restore the availability of fresh food that humanitarian aid cannot provide, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) stressed that supporting farmers in reactivating local food production is critical. This can be achieved by delivering critical agricultural aid and commercial food production inputs and protecting some 30,000 sheep and goats remaining alive in the Strip. To-date however, restrictions at crossings and the collapse of public order and safety inside Gaza have severely hampered the entry of agricultural inputs into the Strip, making planting and agricultural activities nearly impossible. As of 29 September, FAO had distributed fodder to over 4,400 livestock holders in Rafah, Khan Younis and Deir al Balah, and veterinary kits to about 2,400 herder families, but the urgent entry of many more supplies to preserve livestock hinges on restoring access, security and mobility conditions, FAO noted.
• In a new report, Juzoor for Health and Social Development, a Palestinian NGO, shed light on the extreme hardships faced by older people in Gaza. For example, the escalation of hostilities has severely hindered access to medication and now only 40 per cent of elderly people with health problems are estimated to be able to obtain the medications they need. As a result, “many are dying prematurely. Their nutrition has declined, they’ve lost weight, and their psychosocial wellbeing is collapsing. They live with a fear of death or of losing their families,” noted Dr. Umaiyeh Khammash, Director of Juzoor. Restrictions by Israeli authorities on the entry of supplies into Gaza have further limited access to essential items, such as assistive devices, increasing the vulnerability of the elderly, according to the report. Furthermore, many elderly people have been unable to flee during the bombings or escape areas affected by the sudden and frequent evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military, primarily due to mobility issues; therefore, they have often remained stranded without sufficient support for basic needs, such as food, water or medical care. In mid-2023, approximately 100,000 elderly people, or about five per cent of the population, lived in the Gaza Strip, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), of whom 69 per cent suffered from chronic diseases.
• Humanitarian access across the Gaza Strip remains severely restricted, especially for aid missions seeking to reach more than 400,000 people in North Gaza (175,000) and Gaza (256,000) governorates, amid ongoing hostilities, escalating insecurity, and restrictions at Israeli military-controlled checkpoints. Between 1 and 21 October, out of 448 planned aid movements across the Gaza Strip requiring coordination with the Israeli military, 45 per cent (201) were denied, 36 per cent (162) were facilitated, 15 per cent (67) were impeded, and four per cent (18) were cancelled due to logistical and security challenges. These figures include 70 coordinated aid movements that aimed to provide humanitarian assistance in North Gaza and Gaza governorates via Al Rashid checkpoint, of which only six per cent (four) were facilitated by Israeli authorities. Access conditions have especially worsened following the onset of the Israeli military operation in Jabalya on 6 October; between 6 and 21 October, 29 coordination requests for critical aid missions to Jabalya, Beit Hanoun, and Beit Lahya were denied, six were impeded, and 13 were facilitated. Denied movements included a critical mission to rescue about 40 people trapped under rubble in the Falouja area of Jabalya, which has been repeatedly denied since 18 October, underscoring the severe limitations on lifesaving, humanitarian efforts. Similarly, the transport of critical life-saving supplies including blood, medical supplies such as anaesthesia, food parcels and fuel to Kamal Adwan Hospital was denied on 20 October.
• Aid workers and emergency responders continue to face extreme challenges in assisting people across the Gaza Strip, often with immense risks to their personal safety. Since 10 October 2024, at least 10 humanitarian workers and four health workers have been killed and others injured across the Gaza Strip, including some while at home with their families. These include five UNRWA staff and five staff of national and international NGOs. Moreover, Oxfam reported that on 19 October, four water engineers working with the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU) were killed in Khuza’a while en route to repair infrastructure in eastern Khan Younis. On the same day, an ambulance belonging to Al Awda Hospital was reportedly struck in Tal al Zaatar area, east of Jabalya, injuring six people.

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22 oktober 2024

Today's headlines

Israel commits largest massacre yet in northern Gaza

Qassam Muaddi

The siege of north Gaza and Jabalia refugee camp enters its third week as Israel has cut off aid to some 200,000 people. On Saturday, Israeli forces bombed Beit Lahia, killing at least 80 Palestinians, in one of the largest massacres in months.

Israel presents its conditions for Lebanon ceasefire as Hezbollah intensifies operations

Qassam Muaddi

Israel's conditions for a ceasefire in Lebanon include allowing Israel to operate inside Lebanese territory against Hezbollah and freedom of movement for Israel’s air force in Lebanon’s airspace.

Leaked documents show Israel’s alleged plans for Iran attack

On October 18, two U.S. intelligence documents on a potential Israeli attack on Iran were leaked, one describing shifting missile deployments, and the other detailing possible Israeli rehearsals for a strike on Iran.

It is not too late for the Uncommitted Movement to hold Democrats accountable for genocide

The Uncommitted Movement voluntarily gave up its leverage but it is not too late to hold Kamala Harris accountable for supporting the Israeli genocide in Gaza.

Israel’s Genocide Day 381: Israel pummels northern Gaza amid intensifying extermination campaign

Israel's conditions for a ceasefire with Lebanon include allowing the Israeli army to continue operating in Lebanese territory. Meanwhile, Israel steps up its extermination campaign in northern Gaza, targeting its last remaining hospitals.

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Ospaca Nieuwsdienst 6

22 oktober 2024

Geachte mede Pro-Palestijnen, makkers in de strijd!

Maandenlang hebben wij, pro-Palestijnen, bij demo´s en ook bij andere acties, wereldwijd zo hard en massaal mogelijk de leus “FREE, FREE PALESTINE” laten weerklinken. Zonder te weten wanneer de dageraad daarvoor zou kunnen verschijnen.

Maar op 19 juli j.l. vond er een reusachtige dijkdoorbraak plaats!

Wij, pro-Palestijnen, stonden vanaf die dag niet langer meer alleen met onze leus!

Een geweldige macht schaarde zich plotsklaps volledig achter ons! En wel DE MACHT VAN HET RECHT!!

Het gaat hier niet zo maar om de macht van het recht! In de vorm van ergens, in enig land een rechtbankje die over een aantal rechtsregels oordeelt. Het gaat hier om het allerhoogste gerechtshof in onze wereld, namelijk het Internationaal Gerechtshof. Die als enige instantie over het hoogste recht op aarde mag oordelen. Over het hoogste internationale en hoogste internationale humanitaire recht, daaronder valt óók het oorlogsrecht.

Op 19 juli j.l. heeft dit Internationaal Gerechtshof onze leus, in zijn uitspraak, totaal en onvoorwaardelijk helemaal overgenomen.

Sindsdien is onze leus “FREE, FREE PALESTINE” ook de leus van het Internationaal Gerechtshof. Helemaal. En in alle opzichten. Wij, Pro-Palestijnen, en het Internationaal Gerechtshof, spreken hier voortaan met één mond. Precies dezelfde taal!

Maar niet alleen heeft het Internationaal Gerechtshof bepaald dat er een “FREE PALESTINE” moet komen. Waarbij alle landen in de wereld door dit Hof de verplichting opgelegd hebben gekregen om onvoorwaardelijk het recht op zelfbeschikking van de Palestijnen te respecteren en Palestina als onafhankelijke staat te erkennen. Want, al dan niet in een onderlinge samenwerking met de Algemene Vergadering van de Verenigde Naties (AVVN), is er bovendien, met een uitdrukkelijke instemming van een verpletterende tweederde meerderheid van deze AVVN, ook nog een uitdrukkelijk tijdspad bepaald, waarbinnen de Israëlische landrovers van bezet Palestijns Gebied daar opgedonderd moeten zijn.

Zij krijgen hiervoor van de AVVN uiterlijk een jaar de tijd. Niet meer en niet minder!

En voorts heeft dan het Internationaal Gerechtshof, als hoogste rechtsinstantie in deze wereld, in gezamenlijkheid met de AVVN – met een stemverhouding van slechts 14 van de 139 lidstaten tegen -  precies het kader aangegeven waarin dit “FREE PALESTINE” gestalte zal moeten krijgen. En heeft dit hof, samen met het AVVN, verder ook nog eens bepaald wat de rechtsverplichtingen zijn, die alle staten in de wereld in acht moeten nemen. Om dit “FREE PALESTINE” nader tot stand te brengen.

Want het gaat hier om een zeer bijzondere zaak. Het Internationaal Gerechtshof heeft hier ook nog eens bepaald dat op alle staten van de Verenigde Naties de internationaalrechtelijke verplichting rust om zich ervoor in te zetten dat de uitspraak van dit Hof in zijn geheel wordt uitgevoerd. Punt één is dan dat de Israëlische landrovers van Palestijns bezet gebied daar moeten opdonderen. En dit dan niet alleen onvoorwaardelijk, maar ook nog eens zo snel mogelijk! Evenzeer moeten alle staten van de Verenigde Naties er zich actief voor inzetten dat alle VN-staten Palestina als zelfstandige staat gaan erkennen. En dat miljoenen etnisch uitgezuiverde en verdreven Palestijnen hun terugkeer naar Palestina verzekerd zien. Tot slot zal Israël gedwongen moeten worden tot herstelbetalingen voor alle aangerichte materiële schade en alle immateriele leed. 

In het geval dat staten van de Verenigde Naties daaraan geen gevolg geven, moeten die staten, door hun eigen onderdanen, voor de nationale rechters van hun land worden gesleept. Die dan de plicht zullen hebben om, in hun internationaal-rechtelijke uitspraken, het internationale recht te sauveren. Zoals, bij ons in Nederland - conform de grondwettelijke verplichtingen de artikelen 90 en 94 van de Grondwet – de verplichting geldt om de internationale rechtsorde te bevorderen en het internationale recht te beschermen. Maar vooral ook omdat veel van het internationale recht ius cogens vormt. En zelfs ook recht erga omnes vertolkt. Met andere woorden: het hoogst denkbare recht van deze wereld representeert!

OSPACA NIEUWSDIENST                             INFO@KAPITALISMEOORZAAKOSPACA.ORG

668.

21 oktober 2024

Call on the Biden Admin and Congress to enforce U.S. Laws and International Standards

Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip is causing millions of Palestinians in Gaza to face extreme hunger; the United States has a legal and moral obligation to take immediate action. A recent UN-backed report revealed that over 1.8 million Palestinians are experiencing "extremely critical" levels of hunger, with 70% of Gaza’s crop fields destroyed during Israel’s military assault. The catastrophic situation worsens daily, with 133,000 people already in "catastrophic" food insecurity, a number that could rise to 345,000 during the coming winter.

TAKE ACTION NOW: DEMAND CONGRESS TO FOLLOW U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL LAW AND IMPOSE ARMS EMBARGO ON ISRAEL

 These acts violate international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention and the U.S. Leahy Laws. The U.S. must stop providing military assistance to Israel as it continues these illegal acts and impose an immediate arms embargo. The Biden administration holds the power to ensure humanitarian aid reaches Gaza and that a ceasefire occurs. It is overdue to enforce the very laws designed to stop U.S. complicity in human rights violations. The Leahy Laws and international laws, such as the Foreign Assistance Act, mandate the U.S. to cut military assistance to any state responsible for gross human rights violations. Israel’s ongoing military offensive, which directly targets civilian infrastructure, food systems, and medical facilities in Gaza, clearly meets the criteria of such violation.

In solidarity,
Americans for Justice in Palestine Action

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21 oktober 2024

While in her father’s arms during a night of violent bombing, seven-year-old Palestinian Nana wished for seemingly simple pleasures: a house, a garden, a warm meal, a sweet sun, and a clear sky. “If we stayed alive,” she said. She talks of visiting her aunt and grandparents but doesn’t know that her aunt’s house has been eviscerated and her grandfather’s house is a pile of rubble - stripped of memories and family artifacts. The smell of gunpowder and blood hangs in horrifying darkness. And bodies burn alive under a flame cover in a hospital targeted by U.S.-manufactured missiles. Nana assures her father that she isn’t scared, just nervous. A nuanced distinction she can now recognize: she is anxious. She is just seven years old, and knows the difference.

But what she might not know is that her 13-year-old neighbor, Osama, who dreamed of being a professional soccer star, lost his leg, cousins, and own aunt while playing soccer earlier that day when bombs unexpectedly rained down.[1] Or, that another neighbor, 19-year-old social media influencer Medo, with a global reach and an unparalleled positivity in the midst of such horror, regenerated life through gardening in his tent camp only to be killed when the camp was bombed.[2] Or, that 20-year-old Shaaban Ahmad, who had been in university studying software engineering, was burned alive in a makeshift hospital while attached to an IV recovering from an injury sustained during an earlier bombing of a mosque in which he had been seeking shelter.

“The nights, especially, are merciless - cold, unforgiving, filled with the anguished cries of children who know only fear and uncertainty,” he said. “I used to have big dreams, but the war has ruined them. It’s taken a toll on me, making me physically and mentally sick. I suffer from depression and hair loss because of the constant trauma we face.”[3]

And she cannot possibly yet comprehend that the weapons used to kill 40 other Palestinans when the United Nations-run al-Sardi school in central Gaza was bombed earlier this year had been manufactured by Honeywell, just one of the handful of U.S. companies profiting from the slaughter and destruction of her people, culture, and way of life, depriving her of both her family’s past and her own future.[4]

We are witnessing a genocide with an alarming degree of escalation each day. It is considered "plausibly" a genocide by the International Court of Justice, a U.S. federal court, and dozens of U.N. experts and legal scholars. But it doesn’t take a legal system, scholar, or expert to see that this is the case. The stories and footage are there. And it’s children who are paying the highest price and will continue to: it was reported that four out of five children in Gaza lived with depression, grief, or fear, even prior to the past year's attacks.[5]

Since October 7, 2023, the U.S. government has spent $22.76 billion on weapons for Israel.[6] Now it has announced plans to send U.S. troops and a new missile system to Israel. With this unwavering support, the Israeli government has killed well over 100,000 people in Gaza, most of them unarmed civilians.[7] The vast majority of the survivors have been displaced — lives, memories, family artifacts all destroyed — stuck in an occupied territory with food and water scarcities, aid being intentionally blocked, and the U.S.-made and gifted bombs still coming.

Yet, many of us go on with business as usual while others of us feel helpless and don’t know what we can do to help. To stop it.

This is where World BEYOND War comes in.

We are exposing the atrocities, uplifting stories that mainstream media does not, and connecting the dots for Americans, all while providing resources, networks, communities, and pathways for divestment, organizing, and educating on the horror and imperialist positioning of actors that are furthering this and other global conflicts. We make intersectional connections between war and human rights, economies, climate, religious persecution, and more, and are organizing globally to stop the war machine once and for all.

You can help end genocide!

You can share the video of our event this past Saturday, tell the world's governments to act at the United Nations, tell the U.S. government to cease sending weapons, educate others with these reports, and join one of our chapters taking offline action around the world.

But we can’t continue to do this work without the support of our donors.

We are up against the Military Industrial Congressional Intelligence Media Academic Think Tank Complex (MICIMATT) that is extremely well funded by the U.S. government and governments around the world. We do not accept money from governments, and get little from foundations - many of which are tied up in conflicting investments or find our work and position too risky or political (we even lost the opportunity for charitable tax status in Canada because the Canada Revenue Agency deemed our peacebuilding work to be “too biased”).

Our work and ability to expand our outreach are dependent on donations from ordinary people who care about ending all war and creating a just peace.

Thank you for all you do and for considering making a donation to World BEYOND War NOW so that we can stop the war machine from creating such horrifying devastation in Gaza and beyond.

Please Donate Here!

Thank you for everything you do for peace!

—The World BEYOND War team

Footnotes:
1. NBC: "In Gaza, children who survive Israel's assault face a lifetime of trauma"
2. BBC: "Blogger who documented life in Gaza killed in alleged Israeli strike"
3. Aljazeera: "Shaban al-Dalou: The Palestinian teen burned to death in Israeli bombing"
4. Aljazeera: "U.S. weapons parts used in Israeli attack on Gaza school"
5. Aljazeers: "80% of Gaza children suffer depression after 15 years of blockade"
6. Costs of War Project
7. World BEYOND War: "Undercounting Deaths in Gaza"

World BEYOND War is a global network of volunteers, chapters, and affiliated organizations advocating for the abolition of the institution of war.

Donate to support our people-powered movement for peace.

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21 oktober 2024

Videos: Gaza 

Recent daily videos have looked at..

US warns Israel on Gaza aid blockage

665.

20 oktober 2024

Sinwar’s death will not end Israel’s genocide in Gaza

This week brought the extraordinary news that Yahya Sinwar, leader of Hamas in Gaza and the head of Hamas’s politburo, was killed in Rafah’s Tal al-Sultan neighborhood. For months, the Israeli government claimed Sinwar was hiding in tunnels, using Israeli captives as human shields. In fact, he died above ground, in full military gear, operating with a handful of other fighters in close proximity to Israeli troops. Israel said Sinwar was a coward, but there he is, on video, fighting right up to his very literal end.

In this image from an Israeli military drone, Yahya Sinwar is seen injured in a house in Tal al-Sultan in Rafah, Gaza, October 16, 2024.

At the same time as Sinwar’s death played out in Rafah, Israel continued to besiege Jabalia in the north. The reports coming out of that area detail rank barbarism. Hospitals have essentially stopped functioning altogether. Palestinians are being brutally killed and forced out of what’s left of their homes.

Get caught up:

- Qassam Muaddi reports on the killing of Hamas’s leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, in a battle with Israeli soldiers on the frontline in Rafah.

-  Noam Peleg updates us on the Zionist campaign to shut down pro-Palestine activism and protest on Australian university campuses, which culminated recently in the Australian Senate with calls to investigate universities for antisemitism.

- Mitchell Plitnick says the U.S. government is not putting pressure on Israel to end its expanding war on Gaza, despite public pronouncements: “Those who have raised such hopes have apparently not been paying attention for the past year.”

- Michael Arria spoke to Samidoun’s Europe Coordinator, Mohammed Khatib after the group was slapped with sanctions by the United States and Canada listed it as a “terrorist entity.”

-  Robert Clines says the devastation from Hurricane Helene and Israel’s escalation in the Middle East may not seem connected but they are linked through the United States’s commitment to mass militarization and refusal to work toward a just global future.

- Layla Yammine reports on how Israel is exploiting Lebanese sectarian rifts in its assault on Beirut and southern Lebanon. “By exacerbating the sectarian tensions that have long plagued Lebanon, Israel aims to weaken both the resistance and the broader society in service of the larger goal of invasion and occupation.”

- Qassam Muaddi reported on eyewitness accounts from the brutal Israeli siege on the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza. “Bombings begin with very heavy fire belts. Their sound is horrifying. Everything shakes and children put their fingers in their ears and scream.”

-  Arfa Rana resigned from Canada’s largest broadcasting corporation over its complicity in Israel’s genocide. “By the time I resigned, I had become a shell of myself. The constant tug-of-war between my conscience and CBC’s Language guide was an uphill battle that I could no longer fight.”

- James North says pro-Israel critics are panicking at the success of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s new book, “The Message,” and they have honed in on an argument to discredit him that doesn’t hold up to the slightest scrutiny.

-  Michael Arria interviewed Radhika Sainath, senior staff attorney at Palestine Legal about the “Mcarthyite environment” students are finding as they return to school this fall across the United States.

- Qassam Muaddi explains the “Generals’ Plan” for the ethnic cleansing of northern Gaza. “The idea is to drain northern Gaza of its population and thus isolate Hamas from its social base, forcing it to capitulate or die.”

664.

20 oktober 2024

Today's headlines

Australia is dismantling academic freedom in defense of Zionism

An ongoing Zionist pressure campaign against Australian universities has resulted in government recommendations for an investigation. The resulting inquiry will put academia under constant political scrutiny in defense of Zionism.

We are all Samidoun!

Unity of Fields

The attack on Samidoun is an attack on the entire anti-imperialist movement, and marks the beginning of a wave of broader criminalization and repression of pro-resistance speech.

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OSPACA NIEUWSDIENST 5.

20 oktober 2024.

DE GERECHTELIJKE UITSPRAAK VAN 19 JULI 2024 VAN HET INTERNATIONAAL GERECHTSHOF - ZIJNDE ‘S WERELDS HOOGSTE RECHTBANK - EN DE JURIDISCHE GEVOLGEN VAN DEZE RECHTSUITSPRAAK.

Het is bij voorbaat al zo klaar als een klontje, de neofascistische Nederlandse regering-Schoof zal geen stappen ondernemen tot gehoorzaamheid aan de rechterlijke uitspraak van het Internationaal Gerechtshof van 19 juli 2014. Dit is, in het Engels, de International Court of Justice (ICJ), de hoogste rechtbank die de wereld kent.

Dit Internationaal Gerechtshof is ingesteld - en uiteindelijk ook tot stand gebracht - door de Verenigde Naties: de wereldgemeenschap van staten op deze planeet. En is dan gevestigd in ons land, in Den Haag, in het speciaal daarvoor opgerichte Vredespaleis. Met als taak om de naoorlogs tot stand gebrachte schat aan internationaal recht te bewaken. En om ook nog bij schendingen van al deze nieuw tot stand gebrachte rechtsregels, dan wel bij eventuele geschillen over inhoud en betekenis van dit internationale recht, nadere rechtsoordelen tot stand te brengen. Uitspraken waaraan alle staten ter wereld zich zonder meer te houden hebben. Want het Internationale Gerechtshof is het hoogste gerechtshof dat onze planeet kent. Hogere rechtsregels en hogere gerechtelijke uitspraken bestaan niet. En zijn dus ook ondenkbaar.

Dit alles is, direct na afloop van de Tweede Wereldoorlog, meteen tot stand gebracht. Met als doel om, na de grenzeloze barbarij tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog met honderden miljoenen doden, mede door het stellen van nader internationaal recht en regels, aan - opnieuw - een dergelijke totale ontaarding te kunnen ontkomen. Als parool weerklonk dan ook, na de Tweede Wereldoorlog, over de hele wereld:

NOOIT WEER !!

We zien nu dus dat Nederland bij de eerste Westerse kapitalistische staten behoort, die verraad plegen jegens deze intenties. En de uitspraken van het Internationaal Gerechtshof en van de Algemene Vergadering van de Verenigde Naties totaal aan hun laars lappen. Dit dan in het voetspoor van de terreurstaat Israël en diens alles overweldigende steunpilaar, namelijk de Verenigde Staten. En waarbij onze racistische Nederlandse regering-Schoof, bij diens weigering om de rechterlijke uitspraken van het Internationaal Gerechtshof uitvoering te geven, tenslotte ongetwijfeld ook nog gesteund wordt door een groot deel van de rest van de Westerse kapitalistische wereld.

U weet wel, ja die Westerse wereld, die door de tijden heen miljoenen mensen tot slaaf heeft gemaakt. En de hele wereld over heeft gesleurd. De Westerse wereld die vervolgens, als tweede stap, hele continenten op deze aardbol heeft toegeëigend als koloniaal bezit. En daarbij de oorspronkelijke bevolkingen van de door hun gestolen landen heeft gedecimeerd. Dan wel, vaak ook, die oorspronkelijke bevolkingen totaal heeft uitgeroeid. Diezelfde Westerse wereld, die vervolgens ook nog eens grotendeels de zuidelijke helft van onze aarde heeft onderworpen. Dat wil zeggen zich - wederom! - vooral ook weer schuldig heeft gemaakt aan een hele nieuwe vorm van totale uitbuiting en van Westerse zelfverrijking. Diezelfde Westerse wereld is tot slot ook nog eens de uitvinder geweest van het kapitalisme, dat nu de planeet verwoest als leefgebied voor mens, dier en plant. Maar heeft voorheen – de laatste eeuwen - eerst ook miljoenen en miljoenen paupers tot slachtoffer gemaakt van het grootkapitaal. En tot slot - u weet wel - is het diezelfde Westers kapitalistische wereld, die inmiddels twee wereldoorlogen heeft veroorzaakt. Met ontelbare doden en onvoorstelbare vernietigingen.

Het is, steeds weer, diezelfde Westerse wereld geweest die, op planetaire schaal geoordeeld door de tijd heen, vanaf de tijd van Columbus het kwaad van de wereld op gigaschaal heeft gerepresenteerd. En Nederland neemt daarbij, historisch gezien, een vooraanstaande plaats in. Ja, je moet het maar aandurven. Om mooi weer te spelen als behoeder, ja zelfs mede-ontwerper van de stroom van nieuwe, na-oorlogse internationaalrechtelijke regelingen, en vervolgens ook nog eens de rol te vervullen van bouwer en bewaker van het Vredespaleis, waarin het Internationaal Gerechtshof - de hoogste rechtbank van de wereld - zijn zetel zal hebben. En dan vervolgens, bij eerste de beste internationale rechtszaak welke dient voor dit hoogste Hof ter wereld, en waarbij dan door dit Hof ook aan Nederland eisen worden opgelegd die Nederland in het geheel niet bevallen, dit Internationaal Gerechtshof in één klap totaal te diskwalificeren. En als rechtens volslagen impotent in een hoek van datzelfde Vredespaleis te trappen. Zoals nu het fascistenfestijn-Schoof zich uitleeft.

Want het oordeel van 19 juli 2024 van het Internationaal Gerechtshof, dat Nederland - zeg maar gerust als onderhorige van Israël en van de Verenigde Staten - nu even niet bevalt, mist ook nog eens totaal iedere rechtskracht - zo luidt hier dan de nadere vuilbekkerij van onze Nederlandse Staat, alsmede van diens staatsbedienaren. En het is inderdaad ook nooit de bedoeling geweest, van de westerse kapitalistische landen van de wereld, dat de rechtspraak van dit Internationaal Gerechtshof daadwerkelijk enigerlei rechtskracht zou hebben. Tenminste, niet als de uitspraak zich zou keren tegen een Westers kapitalistische staat en diens belangen, dan wel tegen een niet-Westerse kapitalistische staat verbonden met de Westerse wereld.

Nu zijn neofascisten en racisten inmiddels overal ter wereld wel zo brutaal dat ze, zonder een spier te vertrekken, durven te stellen dat een dergelijke interpretatie van het internationaal recht - inhoudende dat dit zich alleen richt tegen niet-Westerse landen en personen, en dat het nooit bedoeld is om de westerse wereld ook maar een strobreed in de weg te leggen – de enige juiste interpretatie van het internationale recht zou zijn. Maar er is ook nog een andere kunstgreep om de werking van een uitspraak van het Internationaal Gerechtshof al bij voorbaat te neutraliseren. En wel door domweg te verklaren dat die uitspraak ‘niet juridisch bindend’ zou zijn. Dan kan immers iedereen die het met die betrokken uitspraak van het Internationaal Gerechtshof niet eens is, met een dergelijk oordeel zonder meer zijn reet afvegen.

WAT ER MOET GEBEUREN? 

WE MOETEN DE NEDERLANDSE STAAT, ALSMEDE DIENS STAATSDIENAREN, STUK VOOR STUK, VOOR DE RECHTER, NAAR DE STROT VLIEGEN OM DE INTERNATIONALE RECHTSORDE VEILIG TE STELLEN.

DATZELFDE ZAL OVER DE HELE WERELD MOETEN GEBEUREN, IN ALLE STATEN VAN DE VERENIGDE NATIES.

OSPACA NIEUWSDIENST

INFO@KAPITALISMEOORZAAKOSPACA.ORG

662.

19 oktober 2024

Today's headlines

No, the U.S. is not ‘putting pressure’ on Israel to end its war

A letter from the Biden administration to Israel this week threatening to possibly withhold weapons raised hopes among some, but the delivery of a missile defense system and DEPLOYMENT OF U.S SOLDIERS IN ISRAEL ITSELF sent the real message!!

Read more

Samidoun’s coordinator speaks out on the U.S. and Canada’s targeting of the group

The US and Canada recently took joint action to target the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network over alleged "connections to terrorism." The group says the attack is an attempt to criminalize resistance to genocide.

Students and faculty encountering stricter anti-protest rules, fallout from spring Gaza encampments

"Despite the McCarthyite environment, the new anti-speech policies, the attempts to throw the book at students for minor violations of such policies, the student movement is still going strong," says Palestine Legal attorney Radhika Sainath.

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18 oktober 2024

Your Activist Scoop

BLOCK WEAPONS FOR GENOCIDE 

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18 oktober 2024

Today's headlines

Bombings, killer drones, and starvation: eyewitnesses describe Israel’s extermination campaign in northern Gaza

Qassam Muaddi

Testimonies from the brutal siege on the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza describe massive air and ground assaults, including killer quadcopter drones, that are destroying infrastructure and causing catastrophic humanitarian conditions.

Israel’s Genocide Day 377: Israel says it killed Yahya Sinwar as the extermination of Jabalia continues

Israel has committed a new massacre in Jabalia as it continues its siege on northern Gaza.

Israel says it killed Yahya Sinwar as he was fighting the Israeli army

The Israeli army said on Thursday that Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar had been killed in combat during an armed confrontation with an Israeli army patrol in Rafah.

‘No one else is going to deliver the truth from Gaza’: An interview with the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate

New York War Crimes

Israel’s slaughter of media workers in Gaza has been the most systemic attack on the press in world history. Shuruq As’ad of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate shares the conditions Palestinian reporters are facing while reporting on the genocide.

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18 oktober 2024

Op dinsdag 15 oktober vond bij de Palestijnse missie (ambassade) in Den Haag een bijeenkomst plaats ter nagedachtenis van de 17 duizend Palestijnse kinderen die sinds 7 oktober 2023 door Israël in de Gazastrook zijn gedood. Zij betaalden de hoogste prijs voor de onverschilligheid van de internationale gemeenschap.

Die heeft de plicht om de levens en rechten van kinderen te beschermen, maar laat dat na. Zo kan het dat circa een miljoen kinderen in Gaza al ruim een jaar zijn blootgesteld aan gruwelijk geweld. Dit onvoorstelbare aantal vraagt om zowel betrokkenheid, als om initiatief om verder bloedvergieten te voorkomen.

Op het gazon van de Palestijnse missie in Den Haag werden tijdens de herdenking foto's tentoongesteld van Palestijnse kinderen uit Gaza die het afgelopen jaar door Israëlisch geweld zijn omgekomen. © The Rights Forum

Waar was het kabinet?
Het kabinet was bij de herdenkingsbijeenkomst bij de Palestijnse missie uitgenodigd, maar liet het compleet afweten. Die afwezigheid illustreert hoezeer het Palestijnse levens als minderwaardig beschouwt.

Op 7 oktober was premier Dick Schoof, samen met ministers en fractievoorzitters, namelijk wél aanwezig bij een herdenking in de synagoge van Amsterdam van de slachtoffers van de Hamas-aanval van een jaar eerder. Daar werd door de aanwezigen plechtig de gelofte van ‘nooit meer’ afgelegd. Acht dagen later kon die de prullenbak in toen hetzelfde kabinet niet eens de moeite nam om de Palestijnse slachtoffers te herdenken.

Nederlandse medeplichtigheid
Bij de Palestijnse missie sprak directeur van The Rights Forum Gerard Jonkman als Nederlandse burger zijn schaamte uit over de houding van het kabinet: ‘Wanneer stopt de medeplichtigheid van onze overheid? Wanneer zullen Palestijnse levens er écht toe doen?’ De afwezigheid van het kabinet maakte deze vragen des te schrijnender, en benadrukte het ontbreken van een moreel kompas.

Dit te meer daar de herdenking zich specifiek richtte op de gedode kinderen. Hun lijden is geen politiek spel, maar vraagt om onmiddellijke actie. Erken het leed van de Palestijnse kinderen; erken hun bestaan.

Wij strijden tegen oorlogsmisdaden, annexatie, bezetting en onderdrukking. Helpt u mee?

Bekijk | Ramsey Nasr en Raoul Heertje over Gaza: ‘Er moet nu worden ingegrepen’

In de talkshow Bar Laat spraken de Palestijns-Nederlandse schrijver/acteur Ramsey Nasr en de Joodse cabaretier Raoul Heertje over ‘één jaar Gaza’. Het leverde fascinerende en leerzame tv op.

Nasr stelt dat gasten in talkshows de verplichting zouden moeten krijgen om met concrete oplossingen te komen, en geeft in de uitzending zelf het goede voorbeeld. Waarbij aangetekend dat het voor de kijker een verademing is om eens personen met kennis van zaken aan tafel te zien, die bovendien de tijd – bijna een half uur – krijgen om zich uit te spreken.

De uitzending biedt volop context – over de bezetting van Oost-Jeruzalem en de Westelijke Jordaanoever; het geweld van gewapende Joodse kolonisten tegen Palestijnse burgers; de ‘administratieve hechtenis’ die het Israël mogelijk maakt om Palestijnen zonder aanklacht of proces onbeperkt op te sluiten, door Nasr ‘gijzeling’ genoemd; over de tweestatenoplossing en over de Nederlandse politiek.

Tweede Kamer minacht opnieuw internationaal recht door afwijzen UNIFIL-motie

Kamerleden Jan Paternotte (D66) en Jesse Klaver (GroenLinks-PvdA) willen dat het kabinet tijdens de Europese Raad pleit voor het treffen van maatregelen als opnieuw aanvallen gericht worden op de UNIFIL-missie. Behalve D66 en GroenLinks/PvdA stemden alleen DENK, SP, PvdD, Volt en FVD voor, samen goed voor 50 stemmen.

Israëlische aanvallen
Sinds de Israëlische invasie van Libanon op 1 oktober heeft Israël de UNIFIL-missie verschillende keren aangevallen. Daarbij raakten enkele militairen in dienst van de VN-vredesmissie lichtgewond. Deze week reed een Israëlische tank op een wachtpost in, waarbij onder andere twee camera’s werden beschadigd. Experts zien dat als bewijs dat het Israël erom te doen is geen pottenkijkers te willen bij het geweld in Libanon.

Lees verder >

Aanval op ziekenhuis | Levend verbrande Palestijnen worden door media en politiek genegeerd

In de nacht van zondag 13 op maandag 14 oktober bombardeerde Israël een kampement voor ontheemde Palestijnen op het terrein van het Al-Aqsa-ziekenhuis in de stad Deir al-Balah in het midden van de Gazastrook. Op sociale media circuleren gruwelijke beelden van in brand staande mensen. Tot dusver zijn vier doden geteld, naast ten minste veertig gewonden.

Sha’aban Ahmad al-Dalo en zijn familie voor de oorlog in Gaza. Sha'aban en zijn moeder Ala’a kwamen in de nacht van 13 op 14 oktober om het leven door een Israëlisch bombardement. © Twitter / Abubaker Abed

De verbrande Palestijnen zijn geïdentificeerd als Sha’aban Ahmad al-Dalo (20), zijn moeder Ala’a Abd al-Nasir al-Dalo (37), Usama Sa’id Kallub en Siraj Aliwa. Hun namen zijn in de Nederlandse media niet terug te vinden, valt ons op, laat staan dat hun foto’s de voorpagina’s halen.

Harde kritiek
Op sociale media wordt de beperkte respons vanuit de westerse politiek en media breed bekritiseerd. In het bijzonder vanwege het enorme contrast met eerdere gevallen – met name de ongefundeerde claim over het verminken en verbranden van Israëlische baby’s door Hamas in oktober 2023. Die claim, die niet waar bleek te zijn, leidde onmiddellijk tot massale verontwaardiging. Media en politiek draaiden overuren om die aan te jagen.

Maar nu niet. Sta daar eens bij stil, is onze oproep.

Lees hier het hele artikel >

Verslag | Ambtenaren roepen voor 42e keer op tot staakt-het-vuren in Gaza

Vorige week openden wij onze nieuwsbrief met een verslag van het protest van ambtenaren op de stoep voor het ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, dat op 10 oktober plaatsvond. Inmiddels hebben we op onze website een uitgebreidere versie van dat verslag gepubliceerd. Daarin komen onder anderen twee aanwezige ambtenaren aan het woord.

Klik hier om het verslag te lezen.

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17 oktober 2024

Humanitarian Situation Update #230
West Bank

A Palestinian farmer standing amid olive trees that were cut off by settlers as the harvest season began, Qusra village (Nablus). Photo courtesy of the community

Key Highlights

• The number of Palestinians killed in the West Bank since 7 October 2023 rises to more than 700.
• Since 1 October, Israeli settlers injured 44 Palestinians and sawed off, burnt or otherwise vandalized about 600 mainly olive trees and saplings in about 15 communities across the West Bank.
• The World Food Programme warns that food insecurity in the West Bank could affect 600,000 people, up from 352,000 at the start of 2023.
• Diplomatic missions from twelve countries issued a joint statement urging Israel to ensure a successful olive harvest in the West Bank amid concerns of heightened settler violence and movement restrictions.

Latest Developments (after 14 October)

• According to initial information, on 17 October, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian woman while harvesting olives in Faqua’a (Jenin). On 15 October, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian man during an operation in the Jenin refugee camp, and on the same day a Palestinian man succumbed to wounds sustained during an operation by Israeli forces in Jenin city on 5 July.

Humanitarian Developments(8-14 October)

• During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed nine Palestinians, including one child`, in the West Bank. Additionally, 104 Palestinians, including nine children, were injured, with 94 injured by Israeli forces and 10 by settlers.
• The incidents resulting in fatalities during the reporting period are as follows:
  • On 8 October, under-cover Israeli forces killed a Palestinian man after surrounding his house in Aqqaba village (Tubas). During the operation, Israeli forces shot live ammunition, sound grenades, and a shoulder-fired explosive projectile at the main door. The family of the man wanted by the Israeli army and his brother’s family were inside the two-story house. The Israeli army subsequently allowed the man’s brother to evacuate the women and children and fatally shot the man with live ammunition. The grenades caused a fire in parts of the house. The man’s body was withheld by Israeli forces.
  • On 9 October, undercover Israeli forces killed four Palestinians and injured one by opening fire at them from close range while they were inside a vehicle in Nablus city. According to Israeli forces, the five targeted men were accused of involvement in attacks against Israelis.
  • On 10 October, an Israeli drone-fired missile struck a vehicle and killed two Palestinians during a six-hour operation in Nur Shams refugee camp (Tulkarm). During the operation, Israeli forces bulldozed infrastructure and damaged the area surrounding the camp’s main entrance, temporarily cutting off the water supply. Israeli forces withheld the bodies of the two fatalities, and no arrests were reported. According to the Israeli military, the fatalities were armed and one of them led a local armed group involved in attacking Israelis and Israeli forces operating in Tulkarm area.
  • On 14 October, Israeli forces killed two Palestinians, including a 14-year-old child, during a nine-hour operation in Jenin refugee camp that involved exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Palestinians. Israeli forces besieged and shelled a residential house within the camp and military bulldozers caused significant damage to roads, leading to temporary power outages. As the operation happened in the daytime, 145 children and teachers were stranded inside their schools and kindergarten for about two hours until the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) staff were able to evacuate them.
• On 9 October, the World Food Programme (WFP) expressed deep concern about the volatile situation in the West Bank, where large-scale Israeli operations, movement restrictions, and increasing settler violence are contributing to rising hunger levels. More than 160,000 people have lost their work permits in Israel, leaving families without income, and WFP estimates that the escalation of violence and spillover from the war in Gaza could push at least 600,000 people into food insecurity, compared with 352,000 at the start of 2023. In response, WFP’s voucher programme has expanded sixfold, and as of September, it reached nearly 215,000 Palestinians with cash-based transfers. These efforts include “cash top-ups in support of the national social safety net and one-off cash assistance for displaced civilians,” in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Development and UNRWA.
• During the reporting period, Israeli settlers perpetrated 32 attacks against Palestinians that resulted in casualties, property damage or both. The majority of incidents took place within the context of the olive harvest season and resulted in about 450 trees and saplings either sawed off, burnt, stolen or otherwise vandalized by Israeli settlers. Overall, during this period, 14 Palestinians were injured, including 10 by Israeli settlers and four by Israeli forces in settler-related incidents. Four of those injured were children, including three injured by Israeli forces and one by Israeli settlers.

• Key settler attacks affecting Palestinians during the reporting period include:
  • 11 October: A group of armed Israeli settlers believed to be from Giv'at Eitam settlement outpost physically assaulted six Palestinian farmers while working in their olive groves in Khalet al Louza (Bethlehem). Four of the farmers sustained injuries and were transported to hospital for treatment. The settlers vandalized three surveillance cameras, damaged an agricultural room, a fence, and a stone wall, and destroyed 18 olive and grape trees. Israeli forces subsequently arrived and evacuated the settlers.
  • 11 October: Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians from Burqa village (Ramallah) and injured a 17-year-old Palestinian child with live ammunition in the leg. Community sources stated that, after Friday prayers, Israeli settlers were touring the outskirts of the village, close to the houses, and intimidated Palestinians. Israeli forces subsequently arrived at the scene and fired live ammunition and tear gas cannisters toward Palestinians, but no injuries were reported by the forces.
  • On 14 October, Israeli settlers tried to force Palestinian farmers off their land, while harvesting their olive trees near Qusra village (Nablus), according to the village council and one of the affected farmers. When Palestinians refused to leave, masked settlers accompanied by Israeli forces attacked and threw stones at Palestinian houses and Israeli forces opened fire while Palestinians threw stones at them. Four Palestinians, including three children, were injured and, according to the village council, the homes of 14 families sustained damage.
• This olive harvest season, Palestinian farmers across the West Bank are facing heightened risks and challenges due to access restrictions and widespread settler attacks, severely undermining their livelihoods and exposing them to physical harm. Since the beginning of October 2024, OCHA documented 51 settler-related incidents, including 32 that led to casualties, property damage or both, which took place in 57 communities across the West Bank. The majority of the incidents were related to the olive harvest season whereby Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians or prevented them from gaining access to their lands and damaged trees, stole crops and harvesting tools. According to community sources, more than half of these incidents entailed prevention of access to lands where they had previously not faced similar access restrictions. Overall, since 1 October 2024, 54 Palestinians were injured within the context of settler attacks against Palestinians, including 44 by Israeli settlers and 10 by Israeli forces. Furthermore, about 600 (mainly olive) trees and saplings were burnt, sawed off, had their crops stolen, or otherwise vandalized since 1 October, affecting farmers in about 15 communities across the West Bank.
• On 14 October, diplomatic missions from twelve counties issued a joint statement calling on Israel to ensure a successful olive harvest in the West Bank. The missions expressed concern over ongoing Israeli settler violence and movement restrictions that hinder Palestinian access to their olive groves, particularly in areas adjacent to settlements and along the Barrier. They urged Israel to “ensure that all Palestinians in the West Bank can participate and benefit from their olive trees and the olive harvest…and facilitate continuous, unfettered, and predictable access for Palestinian farmers to their lands.” The missions emphasized that Israel, as the occupying power, is obligated under international law to protect Palestinian farmers and enable their economic development, calling for immediate accountability measures against settler violence and harassment.
• During the reporting period, Israeli authorities demolished or forced the demolition of 14 Palestinian-owned structures across the West Bank, all citing the lack of Israeli-issued building permits. As a result, 13 people, including four children, were displaced. All structures were demolished by the Israeli authorities and were recorded in Area C of the West Bank, including in Al ‘Arrub refugee camp (Hebron), Az Za'ayyem Bedouin (Jerusalem), Az Zawiya (Salfit), and Al Jalama (Jenin).

Key Figures, 7 October 2023 – 14 October 2024 

• In total, 728 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in addition to two who died of wounds sustained prior to 7 October 2023. These include 711 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces, 12 by Israeli settlers, and seven where it remains unknown whether the perpetrators were Israeli forces or settlers. During the same period, 23 Israelis, including 16 members of Israeli forces and six settlers, were killed by Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. In Israel, attacks by Palestinians from the West Bank resulted in the killing of 16 Israelis and eight Palestinian perpetrators.  
• OCHA documented about 1,492 attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians, of which 149 led to Palestinian casualties, 1,188 led to damage to Palestinian property, and 155 led to both casualties and property damage. Since 7 October 2023, 277 Palestinians households comprising 1,628 people, including 794 children, have been displaced from about 40 Bedouin and herding communities across the West Bank, primarily citing attacks by Israeli settlers and access restrictions.
• Israeli authorities destroyed, confiscated, sealed or forced the demolition of 1,799 Palestinian structures across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, displacing 4,588 Palestinians, including about 1,923 children. Demolished structures include 82 donor-funded structures that had been provided as humanitarian assistance. These include more than 2,800 Palestinians, including over 1,100 children, who were displaced due to the destruction of homes during operations by Israeli forces, the vast majority (89 per cent) in Jenin refugee camp and Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps, both in Tulkarm.   
• For additional breakdowns of casualties, displacement and settler violence between January 2023 and September 2024, please refer to the OCHA West Bank Snapshot. 

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17 oktober 2024

Quick Takes: US/Spyware

Videos: Gaza

656.

17 oktober 2024

Today's headlines

From Appalachia to Palestine, our future is connected

The devastation from Hurricane Helene and Israel’s escalation in the Middle East may not seem connected, but they are linked through the United States’s commitment to mass militarization and refusal to work toward a just global future.

I resigned from Canada’s largest broadcasting corporation over its complicity in Israel’s genocide

Arfa Rana

I resigned from CBC after voicing my concerns over their coverage of Palestine. I have since seen how the CBC's policy on impartiality helped manufacture consent for genocide.

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16 oktober 2024

AJP Action Demands the U.S. to End its Complicity in Israel's Genocide in Gaza

[WASHINGTON D.C., October 16, 2024] – Yesterday, it was reported that Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin sent a letter to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, threatening to halt arms transfers to Israel unless the Israeli government eases its blockade on northern Gaza and temporarily increases aid access to the Strip within 30 days.

Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action) strongly criticizes this delayed approach, calling it grossly inadequate. By sending the letter, the Biden Administration implicitly acknowledged that Israel is already violating U.S. law, so a 30-day grace period to continue committing the war crime of blocking life-saving aid makes no sense. This weak stance from the Biden administration ignores the urgency of the situation and the countless lives at risk.

Furthermore, humanitarian access is just one of many severe violations for which Israel is responsible. Its ongoing killing of civilians, illegal occupation, and apartheid policies also demand immediate consequences. AJP Action insists that the Biden Administration comply with U.S. law and immediately suspend all military aid to Israel—not only for its blockade of Gaza but for its broader pattern of human rights abuses and violations of international law. The Biden administration must take immediate action by halting all military aid now.

“The United States cannot limit its demands to humanitarian aid while Israel continues to indiscriminately kill innocent Palestinians, with virtually unlimited US support,” said Osama Abuarshid, Executive Director of AJP Action. “The killing of civilians, the illegal occupation, and the apartheid policies imposed on millions of Palestinians must also be addressed if the U.S. is serious about upholding international law.”

AJP Action urges the Biden administration to:

1. Enforce a full weapons embargo on Israel as it continues its human rights abuses—including the killing of civilians, illegal settlements, and apartheid policies.
2. Hold Israel accountable for violations of international law and ensure U.S. tax dollars are not being used to fund war crimes.
3. Demand a permanent end to the blockade of Gaza and the apartheid regime that subjugates millions of Palestinians across the occupied territories.
    

Signed,
Americans for Justice in Palestine Action

Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action) is a nonprofit organization advocating for legislation supporting the human rights of the Palestinian people and endorsing candidates for office who support those rights.

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16 oktober 2024

Our Elected Officials must hear our demands until action is taken - continue calling for the end of military aid to the Apartheid State

Today, Wednesday, October 16th, marks the one-year anniversary, introducing the Ceasefire Now Resolution. This resolution gave our movement a concrete legislative path to demand a ceasefire and called on the public to push their Senators and Representatives to act.

Rally your community and mobilize on social media to demand that your Senators co-sponsor and vote for Senator Bernie Sanders’ Joint Resolutions of Disapproval, which seek to block the sale of over $20 billion in U.S. weapons to Israel.

Senator Sanders committed to forcing a Senate vote once Congress is back in session. This will be the first time in U.S. history that Congress votes to block weapons sales to Israel. We must double down on our pressure and leverage our power as constituents. Congress and the Biden administration (and whoever comes next) must understand we will not relent until the U.S. upholds international and domestic laws by holding Israel accountable for its war crimes. 

No more weapons to Israel. Join us in continuing to take action for Palestine and help us spread the word.

In solidarity,
AJP Action

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16 oktober 2024

today's headlines

What is the ‘Generals’ Plan’? Israel’s ongoing ethnic cleansing of northern Gaza, explained

The ethnic cleansing of northern Gaza as part of the so-called "Generals' Plan" isn't new, but the only thing standing in its way is the will of 200,000 Palestinians to stay in the north and refuse

How Israel is exploiting Lebanese sectarian rifts in its assault on Beirut and southern Lebanon

Israel is deepening Lebanese social rifts by bombing areas that have been considered historically "safe" from Israeli attacks, dissuading the residents of those areas from sheltering displaced people from the south.

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16 oktober 2024

Gaza Humanitarian Response Update

A child receives treatment at Kamal Adwan Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit in North Gaza. Photo by OCHA

Health

Response

• On 12 October, two WHO-led missions, together with the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), Cadus, the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and OCHA, successfully transferred 19 critical patients from North Gaza to Al Shifa Hospital, in Gaza city, and delivered 20,000 litres of fuel to Kamal Adwan (15,000) and Al Awda (5,000) hospitals, in North Gaza, following three previous attempts. Only five out of 15 medical points in North Gaza that were functioning in the last few months are now considered functional.
• On 12 October, a mission was approved to deliver 23,000 litres of fuel, medical supplies and 800 units of blood to As Sahaba Hospital in Gaza governorate, after being denied access five times. In Gaza governorate, there are 41 health service points supported by 13 partners that provide basic healthcare.
• As of 13 October 2024, Al-Awda, Indonesian, and Kamal Adwan hospitals in North Gaza are operating at minimal capacity, with all fuel supplies depleted and more than ten trauma-related fatalities reported on hospitals’ grounds since the military operation in northern Gaza began on 6 October. The three hospitals currently have 285 patients, including eight children and five adults on ventilators in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and 161 patients in the emergency department. Many of the patients urgently require advanced surgeries, such as neurosurgery and vascular surgery. At Al-Awda, there are also two pregnant women and six new mothers who have been unable to return home and remain hospitalized.  
• Preparations are underway for the second round of the Polio Vaccination Campaign, which includes vitamin A supplements, between 14 and 25 October. 
• Over the last year, Health Cluster partners have carried out:  
  • Some nine million primary healthcare consultations.
  • Some 476,000 trauma and emergency-related interventions.
  • A total of 245,000 children immunized against diseases.
  • Some 185,000 ante-natal consultations.
  • Some 297,000 post-natal consultations.
  • Some 1.7 million consultations for the management of non-communicable diseases.
  • Some 75,100 multi-disciplinary rehabilitation consultations.
  • Some 1.4 million basic psychosocial support and psychological first-aid consultations.
  • A total of $114 million worth of health supplies and equipment procured, with nearly $80.3 million worth of supplies delivered.

Challenges

• Increased insecurity and persistent limitations on access to northern Gaza continue to pose significant challenges to the delivery of essential health services and vital life-saving supplies, such as fuel and medicine. For example, in Gaza governorate, health service points are near closure due to limited access to the area and resultant fuel shortages.
• Escalating hostilities are contributing to an increased bed occupancy rate at the few remaining partially functional hospitals across the Gaza Strip and straining their capacities. 
• Insecurity continues to severely restrict the transportation of humanitarian aid and medical supplies from crossing points.
• A substantial backlog of over 12,000 patients await urgent medical evacuation outside the Gaza Strip.

Nutrition

Response

• Efforts are underway to re-open a medical point in Gaza governorate, after mass evacuation orders and escalating hostilities forced three medical points that offer outpatient nutrition services to close in North Gaza (one) and Gaza (two) governorates and compromised the treatment of about 2,000 acutely malnourished children in northern Gaza. 
• The blanket supplementary feeding programme through the distribution of small-quantity and medium-quantity Lipid-based Nutrient Supplements (LNS-SQ and LNS-MQ) and High-Energy Biscuits (HEB) – specialized products that provide energy and micronutrients – continues to target all children under the age of five and pregnant and breastfeeding women (PBW). As of September, more than 85 per cent of children are estimated to face severe food poverty and consume less than two types of food per day, indicating almost non-existent levels of child dietary diversity. 
• Since January 2024, nutrition cluster partners have: 
  • Distributed 585,750 one-month supplements, reaching 31 per cent of children (90,800 out of 297,000) targeted with LNS-MQ per month at best (e.g. July) and 34 per cent of children targeted with LNS-SQ. An additional 147,000 children received HEB. Distributions also reached 25 per cent (200,000) of PBW targeted with LNS-MQ and 10 per cent of PBW targeted with LNS-SQ and HEB.
  • Established 18 mother-baby-friendly spaces and 392 mother support groups.
  • Reached at best 77 per cent (123,000) of caregivers and PBW (e.g. April) targeted with Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) counselling per month. 
  • Supported the treatment of acute malnutrition cases: Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) admissions met 52 per cent of the target, with 5,214 cases admitted, 55 per cent of them in the last three months; and Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) admissions met 46 per cent of the target, with 18,874 admissions, including 10,734 between July and September.
  • Reported carrying out 350,400 screenings of children, including a monthly maximum of 78,000 children (e.g. July), and 54,000 screenings of PBW.

Challenges

• Since January, and despite several attempts to scale up the nutrition programme, recurrent displacement, including of nutrition partners, shrinking humanitarian space, and continued supply chain complications, have not allowed for the full coverage of the needs, despite the prepositioning of adequate quantities of supplies outside the Gaza Strip.
• At the same time, the reduction of access in health services due to the massive evacuation orders and hostilities, especially in northern Gaza, will further delay the detection and start of the treatment of children in need and compromise the follow up of children already under treatment.
• The situation is expected to deteriorate due to a sharp reduction in the number of commercial trucks entering the Strip, which has further jeopardized the nutrition status of already vulnerable children who have suffered for months from very poor access to adequate diet, water and hygiene products. . This is also raising commodity prices beyond the sharp increases already registered since the escalation of the hostilities in October 2023 and threatening the market's stability, which could have severe consequences for malnutrition.

Food Security

Response

• As of 13 October, seven out of 19 bakeries supported by humanitarian partners remain operational in the Strip -- three in Deir al Balah and four in Gaza City -- but they all struggle daily to overcome supply shortages and maintain operations. In the North Gaza governorate, the only functioning bakery supported by WFP caught fire after being hit by an explosive munition. In Deir al Balah and Khan Younis, five bakeries were forced to close on 12 and 13 October due to flour shortages. Meanwhile, the five bakeries in Rafah remain closed due to ongoing hostilities. 
• As of early October, about 550,000 cooked meals prepared in more than 150 kitchens were distributed daily to families across the Strip. The level of meal production is expected to further decrease this month due to dwindling supplies in central and southern Gaza and the closure of some kitchens in the northern governorates due to escalating hostilities and evacuation orders.  
• No humanitarian food assistance has been entering northern Gaza since 2 October as the two northern crossings have been closed. The Food Security Sector (FSS) is extremely concerned about the rapid deterioration of food security in the northern part of the Strip, where at least three quarters of the population present have been relying on food aid to survive, according to analyses conducted by FSS. Essential goods are also missing from markets and the prices of what remains available are exorbitantly high. Left with no other coping mechanisms, families have resorted to selling any belongings they have and searching through the rubble for money or food.  
• Since the beginning of the Israeli military operation in northern Gaza on 6 October, FSS partners have been endeavoring, while often risking their lives, to distribute aid supplies that are available and accessible, including limited amounts of food parcels, read-to-eat meals and wheat flour.  
  • Between 11 and 13 October, partners distributed more than 1,500 food parcels and 1,500 25-kilogram bags of wheat flour to IDPs trapped or sheltering in and near schools in Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahia in North Gaza. 
  • In Gaza city, over 110,000 meals are being distributed daily by at least 10 kitchens, including a new kitchen set up on 9 October in the Ash Shati’ (Beach) refugee camp to support the influx of IDPs from North Gaza. 
  • On 10 October, WFP managed to cross from southern to northern Gaza to deliver fuel to the five remaining bakeries in the area, thereby allowing free bread to be distributed alongside cooked meals at most of the kitchens as well as in some shelters. 
• FSS is supporting the Shelter Cluster in conducting an energy needs assessment to better understand energy challenges and potential solutions within Gaza’s emergency context. The significant increase in firewood prices continues to push an increasing number of people into energy poverty, exacerbated by the limited availability of gas and the ongoing electricity cuts. It is anticipated that the energy crisis will further worsen as the rainy winter season approaches. 
• FSS continues to advocate for all land entry points into Gaza to be opened for all types of cargo. In addition, FSS continues to advocate for the sustained, at-scale entry of commercial goods into Gaza to complement humanitarian efforts, increase dietary diversity and stimulate the local economy by increasing goods affordability and availability, as well as improving cash liquidity. 

Challenges

• In northern Gaza, most resources have been utilized and there is barely any food parcels left to distribute. Bakeries will have to shut down again within the span of a few days if no additional fuel is delivered. Even cooked meal supplies, which prior to the latest evacuation orders were deemed sufficient for the entire population caseload in Gaza city for three to four weeks, will likely run out much faster than anticipated due to the new influx of displaced populations from North Gaza and given that all other planned streams of assistance are no longer available.
• In central and southern Gaza, due to extreme insecurity and access impediments, very limited aid supplies have been entering through the southern crossings. As a result, most partners are unable to start monthly food parcel distribution for October, and bakeries are at risk of shutting down every day. 
• Aid entering Gaza is at its lowest level in months. The dramatic drop in humanitarian supplies is coupled with a critical shortage of commercial goods. As the winter months and rainy season approach, most people in Gaza find themselves without adequate shelter, no fuel and little aid. 
• Already in September, about 1.4 million people – or 70 per cent of the Gaza population – did not receive their monthly food rations across the Strip. If the flow of assistance does not immediately resume, almost two million people will lose the assistance they rely on in October. People have run out of ways to cope, food systems have collapsed, and the risk of famine persists. 
• As of mid-October, at least 100,000 metric tons of food commodities -- equivalent to food rations for the entire Gaza population for more than two months – remain waiting outside of the Strip and must urgently be brought in through various corridors. There are also great concerns over the increasing risk of spoilage and infestation of stranded food supplies, some of which are nearing their expiry dates.
• While the olive harvest season in Gaza has started, there is sharp decrease in olive production due to mass destruction of olive orchards, with more than one million olive trees uprooted since the escalation of hostilities in October 2023. Only four out of 37 olive presses remain functional throughout the Strip, but challenging access to fuel represents a key obstacle, hampering the use of the remaining equipment.
• The fishing sector, which used to be a primary source of livelihoods in Gaza, has similarly not been spared by the impact of 12 months of escalating hostilities. According to a recent report by the Palestinian NGO Network, since October 2023, 87 per cent of fishing boats have been damaged or destroyed, and Gaza’s port and other key fishing infrastructure have also been destroyed, with indirect losses estimated at about $7 million per month. This, compounded by ongoing fishing restrictions as well as lack of equipment and fuel, has resulted in thousands of fishermen losing their livelihood sources.
• The latest satellite-based agricultural damage assessment published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and UNOSAT shows that, as of 1 September 2024, 68 percent of cropland had been damaged, almost 95 per cent (about 15,000 heads) of cattle had died, and nearly all calves had been slaughtered. Only about 43 per cent of sheep (less than 25,000 heads) and 37 per cent of goats (about 3,000 heads) remain alive. Dramatic losses have been reported in the poultry sector, with only 1 per cent (about 34,000 heads) alive. Commercial poultry production has largely ceased, with most operations now limited to household-level production for self-consumption.

Logistics

Response

• The Logistics Cluster continued operations at the Erez entry point, albeit intermittently and without personnel presence on the ground due to mission denials. Up until 1 October (inclusive), a total of 5,422 metric tonnes of cargo have been uplifted and transported from the northern crossing points of Erez West and Erez to partners’ warehouses in the north. 
• On 9 October, a direct convoy with 30 trucks carrying 418 metric tonnes of food was dispatched from Amman to Kerem Shalom (Karm Abu Salem) entry point, the first convoy to undergo the new Declaration Form and customs clearance process. All convoy information is available on the interactive dashboard. 
• In Jordan, to augment the JHCO storage capacity, the Logistics Cluster provided a warehouse facility until December 2024. 
• In Egypt, at the request of the Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC), the Logistics Cluster installed nine Mobile Storage Units (MSUs), four of which were provided by the Logistics Cluster. 
• As of 13 October, 1,033 UN and International NGO trucks are in Al Arish ready to be dispatched to Gaza. 

Challenges

• Continued access and security constraints remain a significant impediment to common logistics service facilitation by the Logistics Cluster, both at the entry points and throughout the Gaza Strip.
• Operations to collect supplies from Kerem Shalom (Karem Abu Salem) platform remain heavily constrained and insecure. On 8 October, a 100-truck convoy was organized to pick up aid, which resulted in looting of significant portion of the humanitarian supplies.
• Following the 1 October Iranian missile attack on Israel, all crossing points into Gaza were closed. On 8 October, only Kerem Shalom (Karm Abu Salem) and Gate 96 entry points were re-opened, while the northern crossing points of Erez and Erez West have been closed, rendering unattainable the entry of aid to the north of the Gaza Strip.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)

Response

• Between 28 September and 11 October, the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) and Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU) reported that the average water supply for safe drinking and domestic purposes was about 92,517 cubic metres per day across the Gaza Strip, compared with about 116,000 cubic metres in the preceding two weeks and less than a quarter of water supply provided prior to October 2023. This includes 53,900 cubic metres of water produced by municipal water wells. 
• Between 28 September and 11 October, WASH Cluster partners received a total of 269,324 litres of fuel, or an average of 19,237 litres per day, which represents only 27.5 per cent of the minimum daily requirement of 70,000 litres to meet critical WASH and public health needs. This delivery marks a two per cent increase compared to the quantity received between 21 and 27 September. 
• As of 11 October, WASH Cluster partners reported the daily distribution of 1,777 cubic metres of water across Gaza, including 3,397 cubic metres in Khan Younis, 3,667 in Deir al Balah, 638 in North Gaza and less than 10 in Rafah. 
• WASH Cluster partners have initiated winterization preparedness activities. These include the rehabilitation of wastewater pumping stations in Deir al Balah, solid waste removal and cleaning of stormwater channels in An Nuseirat, rehabilitation of drainage systems, and procurement of dewatering pumps. Partners also continue to identify flood-prone areas and develop communication and community engagement key messages to raise flood risk awareness. Beyond the WASH Winterization Response and Preparedness Plan, which outlines proactive measures to mitigate flood risks, the WASH Cluster has also produced a Mapping of Stormwater Basins and Flood-Prone Areas to guide efforts by response actors to address flood challenges. 
• In August 2024, a household-level WASH Needs Assessment was carried out across the Gaza Strip to comprehensively evaluate WASH needs through an evidence-based approach that encompassed key informant interviews and a sample of more than 2,400 households. Key findings include: 
  • About 1.4 million people face a shortage of drinking water, with nearly two-thirds of assessed households (62.4 per cent) having less than the recommended six litres per person per day for drinking and cooking. Nearly 68 per cent of assessed households are purchasing drinking water to meet their basic needs, spending an average of 46 Shekels weekly. Additionally, 24.5 per cent of households purchase domestic water, costing them 55 Shekels per week. The primary challenges related to drinking water include limited availability (43.7 per cent), insufficient storage containers (38.2 per cent), high costs (36.9 per cent), and the distance to distribution points (30.6 per cent).
  • Approximately 1.4 million people face unsafe conditions when accessing sanitation facilities. Key reported issues include a lack of perceived safety (66.3 per cent), widespread hygiene deficiencies (48.3 per cent), and broken or non-functional facilities (35.4 per cent).
  • One million people are at risk of sanitation-related threats in or near their locations, with over half of the population reporting exposure to environmental health threats within 10 metres of their shelters. These threats include rodents and pests, trash and solid waste, sewage from broken sewer lines, outlets and toilets, and the presence of human waste/faeces. Immediate measures are necessary to enhance sanitation and solid waste management efforts at both the community and infrastructural levels.
  • A total of 1.5 million people lacked access to soap at home at the time of the assessment, making it difficult for them to protect themselves from communicable diseases.

Challenges

• Evacuation orders, intense military operations and loss of access to numerus WASH facilities in North Gaza have rendered many water producing and wastewater collection facilities inoperable; water production from municipal water wells in Jabalya and Beit Lahya are currently at zero level.
• There is an urgent need for generators, submersible pumps and other critical supplies for water wells and pumping stations as they remain largely unavailable on the local market.
• The lack of access to soap and other basic hygiene items is severely hindering families’ ability to protect themselves from communicable diseases, especially in overcrowded shelters, disproportionately affecting children, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems. Key products like shampoo, detergent, and dishwashing liquid are no longer available, making it impossible for households to maintain cleanliness, prepare food safely, or wash clothes. Healthcare facilities are also struggling to maintain proper sanitation, increasing the risk of infections for patients and staff. 
• The flow of water from the main transmission line running from Israel to northern Gaza remains at only 80 per cent of capacity, with several critical water facilities damaged and rendered inaccessible in recent weeks. Water supply through the middle and southern connection points must be urgently increased to full capacity.

Shelter and Non-Food Items (NFI)

Response

• Between 30 September and 13 October, Cluster partners distributed at least 350 family tents to households in need across northern Gaza, as well as other items in response to the new evacuation orders.
• In the South, partners continue to provide shelter assistance to families affected by the targeting of schools or other sites being used as shelters for displaced people. As part of winterization preparedness efforts, the Cluster has started distributing sealing-off kits/tarpaulin to people living in substandard shelters. To date, 8,000 families have received sealing-off materials. Additionally, around 200 families in southern Gaza were provided with tents. During the reporting period, 40,000 new winter clothing kits were also added to the pipeline.

Challenges

• In northern Gaza, Shelter Cluster partners are facing a distinct shortage of items to support households affected by recent evacuation orders. Partners have either already distributed or earmarked items, or they are inaccessible. 
• Due to consistent challenges in importing shelter materials into Gaza, the Cluster has been forced to prioritise the bare minimum of shelter items, such as sealing off kits, tarpaulins, plastic sheets, ropes and duct tapes, which can only enhance existing, makeshift shelters, instead of providing full, dignified shelter solution to people in need. Even if these minimum supplies are brought in, affected households will not be adequately protected in the winter. 
• While shelter items are being prioritized on the Fence Road, the number of trucks carrying shelter items through this channel is insufficient to cover the needs.
• Extreme weather will exacerbate the risk of collapse of damaged buildings in which many families are sheltering. Without access to undertake assessments, capacity to conduct repairs, or ability to provide alternatives, the cluster is limited to providing awareness raising services related to the risks of sheltering in damaged buildings.

Site Management Working Group (SMWG)

Response

• During the reporting period, SMWG partners monitored 60 sites hosting approximately 172,365 people in the Khan Younis, Deir al Balah, and North Gaza governorates. Identified needs and response gaps were shared with partners to guide response efforts. 
• On 9 October, an inter-cluster operational plan for the establishment of reception points was presented to the Inter-Cluster Coordination Group (ICCG). The aim of these reception points is to provide people forced to relocate from North Gaza with the needed information and support and gather information so that supplementary services can be set up. 
• On 9 October, the SMWG conducted an orientation session on soon-to-be launched site management and assessment tools for Project Managers, Area Managers and Information Management focal points at partner organizations.

Challenges

• SMWG partners lack sufficient human resources to carry out all needed assessments at IDP sites. 
• Constant population movements caused by evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military and rapid changes in developments on the ground due to hostilities continue to hinder the implementation of an effective site management response.

Protection

Response

• In northern Gaza, the Cluster has been able to establish contact with 16 partners, while seven remain unreachable. Of the total, only eight partners are currently operational according to available information, with most having suspended their activities due to evacuation orders and escalating hostilities. Provided services include psychological first aid and psychosocial support. Some partners remain blocked in Jabalya. 
• Gender-Based Violence (GBV) responders continue, where possible, to provide services to persons at risk of GBV, amidst an increasing trend of cases of domestic violence, sexual violence, abuse and exploitation, which are exacerbated by the scarcity of basic goods, such as food and water, and recent evacuation orders and continued displacement. 
• UNRWA’s protection teams continue to identify and respond to protection risks and the needs of displaced people in Khan Younis and Deir al Balah, including Al Mawasi. They are visiting shelters and IDP sites, providing awareness sessions on EORE, GBV and the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), undertaking focus group discussions and key informant interviews with IDPs, monitoring aid distribution, and following up on previously identified vulnerable cases.
• Together with the Education Cluster, Protection Monitors continue to closely monitor learning activities in shelters to ensure that the safety, dignity, and wellbeing of children are prioritised, and any protection issue or concern is addressed in a timely manner. 
• In anticipation of further displacement from northern Gaza, the Protection Cluster has been supporting UNRWA and the Site Management Working Group (SMWG) in setting up reception points and preparing community messages on available services that can be distributed in person, as well as through radio, SMS and internet. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will also set up a station for telephone calls at the reception points.
• Mine Action partners continue to use SMS, radio, and social media to disseminate messages on explosive ordnance risk education and conflict preparedness and protection (EORE-CPP). During the reporting period, partners completed 13 explosive hazard assessments (EHAs) and took part in five inter-agency missions. Five other EHAs and 12 inter-agency missions were denied.
• During the third quarter of 2024, an average of 913 child protection cases have been addressed each month through the case management approach. Between April and September, child protection partners had reached 225,667 children and 117,487 caregivers with activities to support their mental health and well-being. 

Challenges

• New evacuation orders and intensified military operations in the North Gaza governorate have driven a new wave of displacement to Gaza city, with more families at risk of separation. Insecurity, bombardments and ensuing displacement continue to constrain community outreach and protection activities, including proper management of GBV and child protection cases.  Two child protection service providers in northern Gaza were forced to evacuate their locations, further reducing care options for unaccompanied children. The attack on the Al Amal Orphanage, west of Gaza city, on 2 October, which killed 11 people, including three children, is yet another example of how nowhere is safe in Gaza. 
• Due to insecurity, overcrowding and lack of privacy in shelters, women and girls continue to face challenges in accessing confidential GBV services. Coupled with new evacuation orders and escalating hostilities, these developments have also hindered the ability of GBV partners to provide assistance, as many have themselves become displaced and are now unreachable
• The acute lack of tents, tarpaulins, cleaning materials and other NFIs continues to negatively affect displaced households at UNRWA shelters and other IDP sites. Advocacy at the highest levels is urgently needed to increase the entry of such supplies into Gaza, prioritizing winter clothing kits and other shelter items necessary for displaced households facing the cold and rainy weather.  The limited availability of Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) and dignity kits on the local market also continues to disproportionately affect women and girls and increase their vulnerability to diseases. During the reporting period, only a handful of dignity kits were available across the Gaza Strip for distribution to the most vulnerable cases. 
• The limited availability of humanitarian assistance is contributing to rising tensions among displaced communities and increased insecurity in and around distribution points. UNRWA reports an increased number of violent inter-family disputes, sometimes with the use of firearms, both in UNRWA shelters and other IDP sites. Protection partners are being forced to operate with fewer resources, while being exposed to multiple safety and security risks and being increasingly targeted as frustration over the lack of material assistance continues to spiral. These challenges are particularly affecting female humanitarian workers supporting the GBV response.  The shortage of tents continues to affect the ability to expand group-based psycho-social support (PSS) and provide safe spaces or temporary accommodation for unaccompanied children. PSS needs remain vast, and it is critical that more PSS kits be approved for entry into the Strip. 
• Lack of funding and impeded access by Israeli authorities for specialized personnel and equipment for the clearance and disposal of deep-buried bombs (DBB) hamper people’s protection from explosive remnants of war (ERW) and the safe and sustainable delivery of humanitarian aid. Mine Action partners emphasize the need to obtain meaningful data from the Israeli authorities regarding the geographical location of ERW and hazardous areas.   
• Cash shortages continue to hinder the use of Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) by some recipients, negatively affecting living conditions, increasing the risk of exposure to violence or exploitation for women and girls, and undermining the ability of partners to pay local service providers and staff salaries. Meanwhile, the price of most basic commodities available in local markets has more than quadrupled. 

Education

Response

• During the reporting period, the Education Cluster established 44 new Temporary Learning Spaces (TLSs), primarily in and around Khan Younis, benefiting approximately 13,500 students. Additionally, 71 new teachers have been identified to support students in these learning spaces. As of 30 September, 259 TLSs have been set up across the Gaza Strip, benefiting about 47,000 students with the support of 1,253 teachers. With nearly 98 per cent of school infrastructure damaged and over 87 per cent requiring significant reconstruction, demand for TLSs has intensified. TLSs provide multi-channel, informal learning opportunities for school-aged children focused on essential literacy and numeracy skills as well as life-saving education, including on explosive ordnance and other protection-related risks. 
• With support from WASH Cluster partners, 50 teachers received training as trainers on good hygiene practices and conducted awareness-raising sessions for 4,600 children in Asdaa camp and six Palestinian Authority schools in eastern Khan Younis. Hygiene messages were shared with children and key practices were displayed in learning spaces to promote further dissemination from children to their families. These initiatives are especially critical given the predicted impact of floods, including the associated increased risk of communicable disease outbreaks.
• Communities continue to endeavor to create learning opportunities for children, with over 400 such initiatives mapped by the Cluster that are currently ongoing, serving more than 62,000 learners. This rise reflects the communities’ strong demand for and prioritization of education. Despite resource constraints, Education Cluster partners are trying to extend support to these initiatives, to improve the quality of services offered.

Challenges

• Established TLSs currently reach only seven per cent of school-aged children, and there is an urgent need to establish new spaces and improve existing ones ahead of the winter season. The Cluster estimates that 43 TLSs have been affected and had to shut down their activities due to the Israeli military evacuation orders issued in October; as a result, 5,898 children supported by 176 teachers have lost learning opportunities. 
• The continued targeting of schools is severely hampering the scale-up of the emergency education response throughout Gaza. In October alone, the Education Cluster documented 26 incidents in which schools were attacked, 13 of them in North Gaza and 10 affecting UN-run schools. These attacks are further destroying educational infrastructure, resulting in loss of life and instilling fear among parents and children. There is an urgent need for increased advocacy to ensure that all conflict parties uphold their responsibilities to protect educational infrastructure under International Humanitarian Law. According to a new satellite-derived Damage Verification Assessment published by the Cluster on 1 October, at least 87 per cent of school buildings in the Gaza Strip (493 out of 564) have been directly hit or damaged and are currently estimated to require either full reconstruction or major rehabilitation work to be functional again, up from 84.6 per cent in July 2024.

Emergency Telecommunications (ETC)

Response

• On 29 September, the ETC Cluster facilitated the installation of 15 “Track24” satellite-based devices in World Food Programme (WFP) armored vehicles (AVs) in Deir al Balah, and coordination is ongoing to enable the monitoring and tracking of mission movements in Gaza. 
• A security communications trainer is scheduled to arrive in Gaza on 20 October to conduct familiarization sessions for UN personnel on Security Communications Systems (SCS) and the use of satellite-based tracking devices (Garmin and Track24) to enhance staff safety and security.
• The ETC Cluster continues to advocate for the need to import more telecommunications equipment into Gaza to set up common communications services. 
• More information on ETC activities can be accessed here.

Challenges

• Due to increased restrictions on the movement of commodities, damaged infrastructure and lack of fuel and spare parts, local Mobile Network Operators and Internet Service Providers in the Gaza Strip continue to experience network outages and are unable to conduct the necessary repairs. Current conditions render it difficult to maintain the functionality of the remaining network and have resulted in the loss of connectivity in Rafah. 
• Severely limited availability of telecommunications equipment is hampering the delivery of ETC services. A significant amount of equipment has been damaged or destroyed, and the import of new equipment is lengthy and challenging. Only 20 satellite phones, 25 Track24 devices, 30 VHF digital radios, and four solar power solutions have been imported into Gaza since 7 October 2023, following coordination with Israeli authorities. 
• Increasing insecurity, displacement, and relocation of staff from Rafah to Deir al Balah have rendered it difficult to deploy shared ETC communications services or provide face-to-face technical support for humanitarian responders. 
• The lack of funding has limited the ETC Cluster’s capacity to address immediate communications needs for humanitarian responders in Gaza. Thus far, only 45.8 per cent of funding requested by the Cluster ($1.8 million) under the updated OPT Flash Appeal has been received.

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In today's Daily Brief:

• Israel’s Unlawful Blockade of Gaza

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As Israel continues its deadly attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, speculation grows about how it would respond to an Iranian missile attack earlier this month.

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Humanitarian Situation Update #229
Gaza Strip

A UN official in northern Gaza on 10 October 2024. Photo by OCHA

Key Highlights

• The Israeli military has intensified, with few exceptions, a siege on northern Gaza, while areas in central Gaza have seen at least two mass casualty incidents on Sunday and Monday.
• The only three hospitals in North Gaza are operating at minimum capacity and no primary health-care centres remain operational, reports the Health Cluster.
• No food aid entered northern Gaza for 12 days, people have run out of ways to cope, food systems have collapsed, and the risk of famine is real, the World Food Programme warns.
• Preparations by the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Cluster for the rainy season have been limited due to fuel shortages, access impediments, lack of supplies and resources, and widespread damage.

Humanitarian Developments

• Israeli bombardment from the air, land and sea continues to be reported across the Gaza Strip, resulting in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of civilian infrastructure. On 6 October, the Israeli military announced that a military operation commenced the night before in Jabalya and, since 1 October, has tightened a siege on northern Gaza. Heavy fighting in and around Jabaliya continues to be reported, so is rocket fire by Palestinian armed groups toward Israel.
• “In the past two weeks, over 50,000 people have been displaced from the Jabalya area, which is cut off, while others remain stranded in their homes amid increased bombardment and fighting. A military siege that deprives civilians of essential means of survival is unacceptable,” stressed the Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), Muhannad Hadi, on 13 October. Warning that “civilians must not be forced to choose between displacement and starvation” and must have “a safe place to go, with shelter, food, medicine and water,” Mr. Hadi urged the opening of multiple entry routes for critical supplies and safe humanitarian response efforts to immediately reach people in need as well as emphasized that civilians must be protected and their basic needs met.
• Between the afternoons of 8 and 15 October, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, 379 Palestinians were killed and 1,423 were injured. Between 7 October 2023 and 15 October 2024, at least 42,344 Palestinians were killed and 99,013 were injured, according to MoH in Gaza.
• On 13 and 14 October, at least two mass casualty incidents took place in Deir al Balah governorate. On 13 October, at about 21:30, 22 Palestinians, including 15 children, were killed and 80 others injured, according to the Government Media Office, when Al Mufti UNRWA school sheltering over 6,200 IDPs was shelled in An Nuseirat refugee camp. According to UNRWA, this school was going to be used as a Polio vaccination site the following day. On 14 October, at about 1:20, an Israeli airstrike hit the courtyard of Al Aqsa hospital, in Deir al Balah, where internally displaced people (IDPs) took shelter. At least four people were burned to death and at least 40 others were injured, including women and children, according to MoH. Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) reported that Al Aqsa hospital treated 40 patients, including 10 children and eight women, many of whom with severe burns, and another 25 patients had to be referred to other health facilities due to the lack of capacity at Al Aqsa, which a few hours earlier had already received dozens of people injured in the strike on Al Mufti school. According to an assessment by UN agencies, out of the hundreds of displaced families sheltering in the courtyard, some 40 families were affected, half of whom lost their shelter and other belongings in the fire. Referring to these incidents, Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Ms. Joyce Msuya, stated: “There seems to be no end to the horrors that Palestinians in Gaza are forced to endure… There really is no safe place in Gaza for people to go. Fighting is intensifying in the north and essential supplies for survival are running out… These atrocities must end. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must always be protected.”
• The following are some of the other deadly incidents reported between 6 and 14 October:
  • On 6 October, according to MSF, after strikes hit a mosque and a school in Deir al Balah, Al Aqsa hospital received 53 wounded patients and 22 fatalities. Many patients had injuries to the head, thorax and abdomen and several had to be treated on the floor due to the shortage of beds.
  • On 7 October, at about 15:00, 13 Palestinians were reportedly killed and others injured when a group of people was hit near Abu Qamar petrol station, in Jabalya refugee camp, in North Gaza.
  • On 7 October, at about 22:10, 19 Palestinians, including nine women and an unknown number of children, were reportedly killed when a house was hit in Block 10 in Al Bureij refugee camp, in Deir al Balah.
  • On 7 October, at about 14:50, 10 Palestinians, including four women and three children, were reportedly killed when a house was hit in Al Atatrah neighbourhood in An Naser area in northeastern Rafah.
  • On 9 October, at about 1:40, nine Palestinians were reportedly killed and others injured when a house was hit in Ash Shujai’yeh neighbourhood in eastern Gaza city.
  • On 9 October, according to the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), a strike on Al Yaman As Saeed Hospital, where IDPs were sheltering, reportedly killed 17 people.
  • On 10 October, around noon, eight Palestinians were reportedly killed and others injured when people attempting to evacuate from Jabalya refugee camp through Abu Sharakh roundabout were shot at from the air.
  • On 10 October, at about 11:20, 28 Palestinians, including women and children, were reportedly killed and more than 54 were injured, including five severely injured children, when Rufaydah school sheltering IDPs was hit west of Deir Al Balah.
  • On 11 October, at about 21:00, 22 Palestinians, including women and children, were reportedly killed and 90 others injured when several houses in a residential block were hit in Jabalya Al Balad, in North Gaza.
  • On 12 October, at about 16:00, nine Palestinians were reportedly killed and others injured when a house was hit in Al Yafawi Street, in Jabalya refugee camp, in North Gaza.
  • On 12 October, at about 22:30, eight Palestinians were reportedly killed and others injured when a house was hit in An Nuseirat refugee camp, in Deir al Balah.
  • On 13 October, at about 16:30, five Palestinian children were reportedly killed and others injured when a group of Palestinian children was hit while playing in front of a kindergarten in As Shati’ (Beach) camp, west of Gaza city.
  • On 14 October, at about 10:00, ten Palestinians were reportedly killed and around 40 others were injured when a group of people was hit outside the UNRWA distribution centre in Jabalya refugee camp. According to UNRWA, this happened while people were trying to collect food and flour from the centre.

• Between the afternoons of 8 and 15 October, five Israeli soldiers were reportedly killed in Gaza, according to the Israeli military. Between 7 October 2023 and 15 October 2024, according to the Israeli military and official Israeli sources cited in the media, more than 1,553 Israelis and foreign nationals were killed, the majority on 7 October 2023 and its immediate aftermath. The figure includes 353 soldiers killed in Gaza or along the border in Israel since the beginning of the ground operation. In addition, 2,345 Israeli soldiers were reported injured since the beginning of the ground operation.
• During the first half October, two journalists were killed and three others were injured in Gaza, according to Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). On 6 October, a Palestinian journalist and freelance photographer was killed by a missile fired from an Israeli drone, and on 9 October another journalist was killed and one injured when an Israeli drone fired close to a TV crew covering Israeli forces operations in Jabalya refugee camp in North Gaza, CPJ reported. According to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS), between 7 October 2023 and 10 October 2024, 168 Palestinian journalists and media workers were killed in the Gaza Strip, including 17 women, 360 were injured, and 60 were detained.
• Evacuation orders continue to severely affect hundreds of thousands of people across Gaza, trigger recurrent waves of displacement, and restrict access to essential services. Since 7 October 2023, the Israeli military has issued over 65 evacuation orders, including five since 1 October 2024. As a result, about 84 per cent of the Gaza Strip are currently under evacuation orders, excluding those that had been revoked. This month’s orders cover about 70 square kilometres, or 19 per cent of the Strip, and include areas that were previously ordered to evacuate. According to initial estimates by the UN and its partners, at least 75,000 people have been displaced over the past 10 days, mostly within the north; about 100 people have crossed from northern Gaza southward via Salah Ad Din or Al Rashid roads; and the orders issued this month applied to tens of critical service facilities, including 16 health facilities, tens of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities, 28 schools sheltering IDPs, and one bakery.
• All three hospitals in the North Gaza governorate – Kamal Adwan, Al Awda and the Indonesian Hospital – are operating at minimum capacity amid dire shortages of fuel, blood units, trauma disposables, medications for patients with non-communicable diseases, and the ongoing military activities nearby, reports the Health Cluster. In total, 285 patients remain in these facilities, including eight children and five adults receiving mechanical ventilation in Intensive Care Units and 161 patients in emergency departments. Many patients urgently need advanced procedures, such as neurosurgery and vascular surgery, which cannot be conducted under current conditions. Following three consecutive failed attempts to reach these hospitals on 8, 9 and 10 October, which were impeded by long delays at Israeli military checkpoints and intense fighting in the area of Jabalya, on 12 October, two missions led by the World Health Organization (WHO), together with OCHA, UNMAS and other partners, finally managed to transfer 19 critical patients from Kamal Adwan to Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza city and to deliver 15,000 litres of fuel to Kamal Adwan and 5,000 to Al Awda.
• While the recent evacuation of patients from Kamal Adwan hospital aimed at alleviating the pressure on the hospital’s limited resources, the facility remains overwhelmed, receiving at least 50-70 newly injured patients daily, reports WHO. While emergency obstetric care continues to be provided at Kamal Adwan and Al Awda, “the lives of newborns in incubators and women with pregnancy complications are hanging by a thread,” highlights the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), stressing that over 9,000 pregnant women have been forced to move yet again due to the latest evacuation orders. Meanwhile, none of the 25 primary health-care centres (PHCs) in the North Gaza governorate are functional, and only five out of 15 medical points that had been operational in recent months continue to provide basic services, according to the Health Cluster.
• In Gaza governorate, the situation is also deeply concerning. On 12 October, WHO managed to deliver 800 blood units, essential medicines and supplies, and 23,000 litres of fuel to Al Sahaba Hospital after several failed attempts. While currently seven hospitals, 10 PHCs and 23 medical points remain operational in the governorate, they are all near closure due to severe fuel shortages, warns the Health Cluster. Stressing that “one-off missions are not enough,” as there is a continuous need to resupply health facilities to keep them functional, the WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, reiterated on 14 October his plea for the “sustained facilitation of humanitarian missions.”
• On 14 October, the second round of the emergency polio vaccination campaign was kickstarted in central Gaza and is expected to move to the south on 19 October and then to the north of the Strip. As with the first round, which was implemented between 1 and 12 September, this second round is taking place in three phases, each lasting up to four days in each area. On the first day, 92,821 children received the vaccine and 76,394 received vitamin A supplements, based on initial reports from WHO. The target is to administer a second dose of the Novel Oral Polio Vaccine Type 2 (nOPV2) to an estimated 591,700 children under 10 years of age, in addition to administering Vitamin A supplements to boost the overall immunity of children aged between two and nine years. WHO and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have been appealing to all parties to the conflict to implement the necessary humanitarian pauses to ensure the safety of children and their families, vaccination teams and health facilities. This is particularly critical in the north, where evacuation orders “are threatening access to hospitals and protection of health facilities and health and community workers,” stressed the two UN agencies.

• As of 12 October, no humanitarian food assistance has entered northern Gaza since 2 October as all crossings have been closed, and entire kitchens, bakeries and food distribution points in the North Gaza governorate have been forced to shut down due to airstrikes, military ground operations and evacuation orders, warned the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food Security Cluster (FSS). The escalating violence and the severing of all critical food aid lifelines is having a disastrous impact on food security in the northern part of the Strip, where at least three quarters of the population have been relying on food aid to survive. Essential goods are also largely unavailable on the market and the prices of what remains available are exorbitantly high. Left with no other coping mechanisms, families have resorted to selling their remaining belongings and searching through the rubble for money or food, highlights FSS.
• FSS partners have been endeavouring, while often risking their lives, to alleviate suffering by distributing all aid supplies that are available. Between 11 and 13 October, partners distributed more than 1,500 food parcels and 1,500 bags of wheat flour to IDPs trapped or sheltering in and near schools in Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahya, in North Gaza. In Gaza city, 10 kitchens are distributing over 110,000 meals daily, including a new kitchen set up on 9 October in Ash Shati’ (Beach) refugee camp to support the influx of IDPs from North Gaza. On 10 October, WFP crossed from southern to northern Gaza to deliver fuel to the four remaining bakeries in the Gaza governorate, which has allowed for the free distribution of bread alongside cooked meals at most kitchens as well as in some shelters. There are now barely any food parcels left to distribute, and bakeries will be forced to shut down again within the span of a few days if no additional fuel is delivered, reports FSS.
• The rapid deterioration in food security conditions in the north comes as overall food aid entering Gaza is at its lowest level in months, and commercial goods are barely trickling in. In central and southern Gaza, the situation is also at a breaking point due to insecurity, looting, access impediments, and supply shortages. On 13 October, five bakeries in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis were forced to close due to the shortage of flour. Already in September, about 1.4 million people – nearly 70 per cent of the total population – did not receive their monthly food rations, which comprised pasta, rice, oil and canned meat, and represented a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of families. If the flow of assistance does not immediately resume, almost two million people will lose this vital life-saving aid in October. While access to basic food commodities had somewhat stabilized in the Strip in June and July, all progress has now been reversed, according to WFP, and “people have run out of ways to cope, food systems have collapsed, and the risk of famine is real.”
• According to the WASH Cluster, coordination for the winterization strategy, which involves preparations for the rainy season, is ongoing despite significant operational challenges. Inter-cluster assessments have been completed in key flood-prone areas, such as Amal Basin, Al Amal Overflow, Al Berka, Sheikh Radwan and Abu Rasheed, in collaboration with the Coastal Municipal Water Utility (CMWU), Palestinian Water Authority (PWA), Oxfam, and UNICEF. Planned activities include: the removal of accumulated soil and stones; solid waste management initiatives, such as the removal of waste from streams; procurement of flood mitigation equipment, including vacuum trucks, generators and desludging pumps; and maintenance work to enhance the sewage network through desludging, removing sewage overflows, and inspecting and maintaining deep manholes, stormwater drainage systems and road gullies to prevent blockages. However, progress to implement these activities has been limited, with only a few completed in specific locations (e.g. Wadi As Salqa in Deir Al Balah; Sheikh Radwan in Gaza city) due to ongoing fuel shortages, the year-long power cut from both Israel and Gaza’s sole power plant, access impediments, lack of essential supplies and resources, and widespread damage of WASH facilities. PWA reports that up to 85 per cent of water and sanitation facilities are currently out of service, which has resulted in a drastic reduction in water supply, the discharge of untreated wastewater into the sea, and sewage leakage into populated areas.
• Between 1 and 14 October, out of 285 humanitarian movements coordinated with the Israeli authorities throughout Gaza, 49 per cent (141) were denied access, 30 per cent (85) were facilitated, 17 per cent (49) faced impediments (thus often implemented partially or aborted), and four per cent (10) were cancelled due to logistical and security issues. These include 54 coordinated movements to the north through Al Rashid checkpoint, of which only one was facilitated, 85 per cent (46) were denied, nine per cent (five) impeded and four per cent (two) were cancelled. In comparison, during September, of the 667 planned humanitarian movements within Gaza that required coordination with Israeli authorities, 46 per cent (305) were facilitated, 21 per cent (138) were denied, 27 per cent (179) were impeded, and seven per cent (45) were cancelled. These include 91 planned humanitarian movements between northern and southern Gaza through Israeli military-controlled checkpoints that were coordinated with the Israeli authorities in September, of which 82 per cent (75 movements) were either impeded or denied.
• Humanitarian partners in Gaza have conducted a revision exercise of the Gaza population per governorate, using data from the first round of Polio vaccination campaign conducted in September. As of 1 October, it was assessed that 175,000 people are staying in the North Gaza governorate, 256,000 people in Gaza governorate, 749,000 people in Deir al Balah governorate, 916,000 people in Khan Younis governorate, and 44,000 people in Rafah governorate.

Funding

• As of 15 October, Member States have disbursed about US$1.89 billion out of the $3.42 billion (55 per cent) requested to meet the most critical needs of 2.3 million* people in Gaza and 800,000 people in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, between January and December 2024. For funding analysis, please see the Flash Appeal Financial Tracking dashboard. (*2.3 million reflects the projected population of the Gaza Strip upon issuance of the Flash Appeal in April 2024. As of July 2024, the UN estimates that about 2.1 million people remain in the Gaza Strip, and this updated number is now used for programmatic purposes.)
• During September 2024, the occupied Palestinian territory Humanitarian Fund (oPt HF) managed 87 ongoing projects, totalling $77.5 million. These projects aimed to address urgent needs in the Gaza Strip (90 per cent) and the West Bank (10 per cent). They were strategically focused on education, food security, health, protection, emergency shelter and non-food items, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), coordination and support services, multi-purpose cash assistance and nutrition. Of these projects, 48 projects are being implemented by international non-governmental organizations, 27 by national NGOs and 12 by UN agencies. Notably, 31 out of the 60 projects implemented by INGOs or the UN are being implemented in collaboration with national NGOs. Monthly updates, annual reports, and a list of all funded projects per year, are available on the oPt Humanitarian Fund webpage, under the financing section.

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Gaza burns, and Wall Street booms.

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Israel’s Genocide Day 374: Israeli airstrike on Gaza hospital burns patients alive

Israel bombed displacement shelters across Gaza and aid distribution points in Jabalia, while Hezbollah intensified its fire on Haifa and Tel Aviv amid Israel’s continued bombardment of southern Lebanese towns.

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OSPACA NIEUWSDIENST 4.

15 oktober 2024

HET SPEL IS OP DE WAGEN – HET SPEKKEN VAN DE ISRAËLISCHE OORLOGSKAS MET NEDERLANDSE HULPGELDEN IS DOOR GOOSSENS IN GANG GEZET.

Het ondenkbare is toch denkbaar geworden! Israël krijgt rechtstreeks spaarcenten van de Nederlandse bevolking in handen gestopt. Zogenaamd voor humanitaire doeleinden. Maar die kent Israël niet. Alles staat en valt in Israël maar voor één doel: het lenigen van de oorlogskosten die genocidaal Israël op zo langzamerhand het ene vernietigingsfront na het andere maakt. Per slot van zaken moeten die oorlogskosten nu eenmaal voldaan worden, nietwaar? Van het geld dat genocidaal Israël nu hier bij ons, Nederlandse burgers, in de wacht gaat slepen, kunnen ze dan in elk geval hun on-voor-stel-ba-re vernietigingsarsenalen nog even extra op poetsen. Voordat hiermee weer verdere genocide op de Palestijnse en Libanese burgers wordt bewerkstelligd. Een mooi doel in de ogen van talrijke Nederlandse burgers, die hijgend van bewondering de overmacht en het overwicht van Israëlische Djengis Kahn-hordes in- en uitademen. En dus met graagte  aan Israël zullen doneren. Maar waarom loven Harm Goossens - de zogenoemde ‘actievoorzitter’ van Giro555 - met zijn kornuiten, niet al meteen gewoon een flinke premie uit aan Israël voor iedere door het Israëlische uitvaagsel tot slachtoffer gemaakte Palestijnse of Libanese burger. Dat zou pas goed aantikken! Zeker als er voor genocidaal Israël ook nog een extra bonus in de wacht valt te slepen voor iedere tot slachtoffer gemaakte Palestijnse/Libanese vrouw of kind.

Intussen verdient deze Harm Goossens een paar enorme puinbrokken naar zijn harses. Dat wordt dan op tijd bukken, Harm!  Zulke puinbrokken liggen daar, in Gaza, blindelings direct voor het oprapen. Even door de knieën zakken is genoeg om er meteen een paar voor het grijpen te hebben. Een paar zeg je? Nee, honderden, zelfs vele duizenden; ja, vele miljoenen- miljarden zelfs! Inmiddels is vastgesteld dat de hoeveelheid puin, waartoe Gaza – als gevolg van een jaar lange totale genocidale Amerikaans-Israëlische verwoesting is wedergekeerd, ruim voldoende zou zijn om er vier Pyramides van Cheops uit op te bouwen. Nog een paar puinbrokken naar zijn kop en die Harm Goossens leert zijn gefleem en geflikflooi wel af. Want ach – aldus dit stuk ongedierte op www punt Cordaid punt org/nl/help-mee van 10 oktober 2024:

“Het leed van de mensen die getroffen zijn door dit geweld in Gaza is onbeschrijfelijk, zo vindt ook Harm Goossens, actievoorzitter van Giro555.”

En meteen daar vervolgens overheen, het citaat:

“Collega´s ter plaatse vertellen hoe groot de ellende en het verdriet is. Mensen weten niet meer waar ze nog veilig zijn”, legt hij uit. “Ambulances rijden continu af en aan, ziekenhuizen zitten overvol en mensen ontvluchten het geweld – vaak meerdere keren – halsoverkop. Afgelopen week hielpen onze hulpverleners bijvoorbeeld een zwangere vrouw die beviel tijdens haar vlucht bij de grensovergang tussen Libanon en Syrië. Onvoorstelbaar.”

Wat hier in dit verband nu precies zo “Onvoorstelbaar” zou zijn, in de ogen van die Harm Goossens blijft daarbij een raadsel. En deze ‘actievoorzitter’ besluit dan aldus:

“Hulpverleners doen wat zij kunnen, maar er is veel meer hulp nodig dan we nu kunnen bieden”.

Met andere woorden: op voorhand weet actievoorzitter Goossens al dat er onvoldoende hulpcapaciteit is. Het is dan een ethische kwestie om de meest ernstige gevallen ook de hoogste prioriteit te bieden. Maar deze Goossens is dat geenszins van plan, want hij schrijft hier als slot van zijn betoog:

“Als Giro555 slaan we de handen ineen voor iedereen die ons nodig heeft, ongeacht wie je bent en waar je vandaan komt.”

Kijk eens aan, hier heeft Goossens plotseling een toverbal ingeslikt! Eerst luidt het scenario dus nog: “Als Giro555 slaan we de handen ineen voor iedereen die ons nodig heeft”. En dan geldt daar echter opeens het parool: “..maar er is veel meer hulp nodig dan wij nu kunnen bieden.” Wat een schaamteloos gewauwel, wat een koudbloedig gezwets! Allemaal leugen en bedrog. Het enige wat hier, in Goossens naam telt, is de voltrekking van de Israëlisch-Amerikaanse genocide jegens de Palestijnen, en nu ook jegens de Libanese bevolking. Waarbij een aantal Nederlandse pure geldinzamelaarsbedrijven – een veelvoudig verdienmodel dus – en wel Care Nederland, Cordaid, Kerk in Actie, Oxfam, Novib, Plan Internationaal, Stichting Vluchteling, Terre des Hommes en het Amerikaanse World Vision -  inmiddels in een rij staan te trappelen om het Israëlische-Amerikaanse genocidale en terroristische geteisem hun reet te kunnen likken.

In “de Kanttekening” van 11 oktober gaat het krankzinnige Giro555-verhaal dan als volgt verder:

"Wij hopen dat de Nederlanders solidariteit willen tonen aan iedereen die slachtoffer is van het geweld in het Midden-Oosten, aldus zegt actievoorzitter Harm Goossens’. Deze ventemans is dus helaas klaarblijkelijk helemaal dolzinnig geworden. Want waar slaat dergelijke krankjorume praat op? Kennelijk heeft ventemans dus toch ook al een keer zo´n puinbrok op zijn knar gehad. En is hij daarom niet langer compos mentis. Want vele miljoenen Palestijnen zijn inmiddels het slachtoffer geworden van het Amerikaans-Israëlische terrorisme. En nu ook al, in een paar weken tijds,  zijn inmiddels tienduizenden Libanese burgers het slachtoffer geworden van moord of verminking. Als prooi van de Israëlisch-Amerikaanse barbaren. Waar zouden wij, Nederlanders, “solidariteit aan willen tonen”? Wat voor “solidariteit”? Waarmee “solidariteit”? Er zijn inmiddels, in één jaar tijd, miljoenen slachtoffers gemaakt onder de Palestijnen – vermoord, verminkt, ontheemd, ontmenselijkt, vermorzeld, bestolen, verpulverd, vertrapt, gemarteld en ga zo maar door. In Gaza. In de Westbank. En nu ook als slachtoffers van de Israëlisch-Amerikaanse pestbuilen bij nieuwe genocidale vernietiging in Libanon. “Aan wie” of “aan wat” zouden wij Nederlanders ”solidariteit” moeten “tonen”? Wat deze lul de behanger Goossens doet is niets anders klinkklare onzin verkopen. Opzettelijk en doelgericht. Om complete verwarring te zaaien.

Het Goossens-gelul sleept zich dan vervolgens, al reutelend, voort. Hij debiteert hier verder:

“Wij zien allemaal de verdeeldheid en voelen de spanningen, ook hier in Nederland”. En dan, aansluitend: “Tegelijkertijd is het belangrijk om er nú met z´n allen te zijn voor mensen in nood. Ongeacht waar deze mensen vandaan komen, zij hebben onze ondersteuning keihard nodig om simpelweg te overleven. Laten we hen samen helpen.”

Met andere woorden, de steun die Goossens en co hier aan het daglicht willen brengen is: “keihard nodige ondersteuning om simpelweg te overleven.” De inmiddels meer dan 60 duizend vermoorde slachtoffers van Amerikaans-Israëlische beestmensen in Gaza maken duidelijk dat het, met dergelijke Israëlisch-Amerikaanse hellehonden, die niet langer aangelijnd zijn met het oog op het verspreiden van genocidaal verderf, niet zomaar even doenlijk zou zijn om “simpelweg te overleven”. Hier komt de klootzak-Goossens met de zoveelste misleiding, namelijk dat het Israëlisch-Amerikaanse uitvaagsel zonder meer zou willen meedoen met het vergunnen van ‘simpelweg te overleven’. Daar is het afgelopen jaar nog geen enkel spoor van te bekennen geweest. Integendeel! De  Amerikaans-Israëlische  Djengis Kahn-horde is nu al een jaar lang met niets anders bezig dan het totaal uitmoorden van de Palestijnen. En thans ook het zo veel mogelijk vernietigen van de Libanese bevolking. Goossens weet dat allemaal heel erg goed. Dat de vork zo in de steel zit. Dat hij niks anders doet dan liegen en bedriegen. Maar zijn eigen schofterigheid, daar heeft hij simpelweg geen vat op.

Onder het chapiter “Onbegrip over hulp aan Israël” kom ‘de Kanttekening’ vervolgens met de volgende stellingname:

“Op sociale media uiten mensen felle kritiek op de gezamenlijke actie. Aan de ene kant is er onbegrip over de hulp aan Israël. Geld inzamelen voor de slachtoffers van een etnische zuivering die tienduizenden mensen het leven heeft gekost. Oh ja, en ook voor het land dat daarvoor verantwoordelijk is en al maanden bommen gooit en noodhulp blokkeert. We willen natuurlijk niet polariseren”, reageert journalist Marieke Kuypers cynisch op X.

“Iman Abrontan, werkzaam op een asielzoekerscentrum, vindt het ‘onbegrijpelijk’ dat ook Israëlische  slachtoffers door Giro555 worden geholpen. ‘De noodhulp is nu keihard nodig vanwege de onmenselijkheden die door Israël zelf worden veroorzaakt’, zegt hij tegen de Kanttekening. ‘Het is hopelijk voor steeds meer mensen duidelijk dat Israël zich niet verdedigt, maar vooral bezig is met het vernietigen van Palestijns land en de annexatie van nog meer Palestijnse gebieden. En wie weet ook gebieden in Libanon. Israël heeft bovendien geen financiële hulp nodig, dat weet iedereen, inclusief Giro555”.

En:

‘Laat duidelijk zijn: de mensen met dringende behoefte aan opvang, medische zorg en voedsel bevinden zich in Palestina en Libanon, niet in Israël’, zegt activist Sabine Scharwachter. ‘Giro 555 had een paar jaar geleden al in actie mogen komen.’

En dan tenslotte nog dit.

Op 5 september 2024 luidde de boodschap van Giro555 nog:

WAAROM IS ER GEEN GIRO555 ACTIE VOOR GAZA? Met als tekst:

“Het aanhoudende geweld in Gaza zorgt ervoor dat meer dan 1,9 miljoen Palestijnen op de vlucht sloegen voor het conflict met Israël. Ze kunnen geen kant op, want nergens in de Gazastrook is het veilig. Inmiddels raakten al meer dan 93.000 mensen gewond, en kwamen ruim 40.000 Palestijnen om het leven door geweld. Meer dan 60% van de woningen raakte beschadigd of zijn compleet verwoest. Ongeveer 96 procent van de bevolking in de Gazastrook (2,15 miljoen mensen) wordt geconfronteerd met ernstige voedselonzekerheid. Miljoenen mensen hebben dringend hulp nodig, maar de toegang tot Gaza is helaas zeer beperkt. Dit heeft grote effecten op de hulpverlening.”

ALLEMAAL TE DANKEN AAN ISRAEL !!

14 oktober 2024

Demand an End To U.S. Complicity: Urge President Biden to End Material Support to Israel and Secure a Ceasefire in Gaza

Yesterday, new footage surfaced showing Israeli airstrikes hitting Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in central Gaza, burning Palestinian patients alive in their hospital beds. These horrifying images will haunt our humanity forever.

Tragically, even amidst this horrific event—just one of many in the ongoing genocide—the Biden administration has doubled down on its efforts to support and protect Israel. A recent report from Brown University estimates that the U.S. has spent or given Israel more than $22 billion in the past 12 months as Israel carries out these atrocities. Over the same weekend as Israel’s bombing of Palestinians, the President announced the deployment of the United States’ Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system and 100 U.S. troops to Israel. This military support, coinciding with Israel’s heinous actions of burning Palestinians alive, demonstrates that the United States is not merely a bystander, but a primary enabler of Israel’s genocide and war crimes.

These actions are not simply military aid—it’s intentional and conscious financial and political enablement of war crimes. Under both U.S. and international law, the U.S. government is legally obligated to hold Israel accountable and stop funding Israel’s human rights violations, including its apartheid system against Palestinians​​. The U.S. is facilitating these atrocities with our taxpayer dollars, risking the United States being implicated in genocide until our demands of ending this unjust support are acted upon.

In solidarity,
AJP Action

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Israel’s unspeakable horrors against Palestinians in Gaza continue unabated, emboldened by the complicity of international organizations such as FIFA.

During the night, Israel firebombed dozens of tents of forcibly displaced Palestinians precariously sheltering on the grounds of Al Aqsa Hospital, killing at least four and injuring at least 70 - many of them critically.

Yesterday, an Israeli drone targeted children playing football in the Al-Shati refugee camp in central Gaza, killing five.

The day before, Israeli attacks on the Nuseirat Camp killed two more young footballers, both named Ibrahim Al-Jamel.

For ten days now, Israel has laid siege to northern Gaza, conducting an extermination campaign against 400,000 Palestinian survivors trapped there with no food or water, under heavy bombing, and no place to go. Israel is firing on Palestinians who try to leave, who shelter in tents, who try to rescue the injured.

Israel’s Gaza genocide has killed at least 42,000 Palestinians.

Israel’s massacres in Lebanon have killed at least 2,300.

FIFA is enabling Israel’s genocide and massacres by continuing to shield it from accountability.

Today, thousands will protest the Italy v Israel Nations League match in the northern city of Udine.

Join them on social media to call for FIFA to #BanIsrael.

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Take action: We won’t stop shaming genocide enabler FIFA!

Sports media are reporting that ticket sales for today’s match have plummeted, with only about 40% being sold. There is no place for genocide in the beautiful game!
 

FIFA has blood on its hands. Last week it proposed more useless “investigations” into Israel’s crimes against Palestinians, allowing genocidal apartheid Israel to continue to play in its matches. As if the ICJ rulings are not good enough!

We need peaceful disruptions of FIFA matches until FIFA does the right thing and kicks apartheid Israel out of world football, as it did to apartheid South Africa. FIFA won’t do it unless we make it.

Join us as we pledge No Rest for Genocide Enabler FIFA! And stay tuned for the France v Israel Nations league match in Paris on November 14.

In solidarity,
 
The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel

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Asia

Undercounting Deaths in Gaza While Claiming It’s the Worst War Ever

Israel, Un Estado Genocida Dentro De Un Sistema Internacional En Crisis

The Environmental Costs of the Escalating Middle East Crisis

How to Get Aid to Victims of a Genocide

Biden’s Israel Policy Has Led Us to the Brink of War on Iran 

The Israeli Government Must Be Stopped

North America

Promoting Peace in Illinois

U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Applies for Conscientious Objector Status

80 Organizations Tell Biden: No War on Iran

In Madison, Wisconsin, Pressuring Congress to End Wars

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We're excited to share that our Executive Director Issa Amro just won the Right Livelihood Award, often referred to as the "alternative Nobel Prize." Issa and our group Youth Against Settlements won the award “for their steadfast nonviolent resistance to Israel’s illegal occupation, promoting Palestinian civic action through peaceful means.” We have all just marked a whole year of living through severe oppression and genocide. For Issa and our volunteers on the ground, this has meant torture, assassination attempts and persecution, and this Award gives them hope in the darkness.

Receiving the award now is particularly meaningful after Issa was violently assaulted in June. Three local men attacked him with iron pipes and tried to beat him to death. By sheer chance, he managed to escape but suffered trauma to his head and body. He was hospitalized and underwent several operations. He got 17 stitches and 12-13 screws inserted in his shoulder. Issa's hospital stay is financed by Friends of Hebron – help make a contribution now!

For months, the Palestinian Authority refused to make any arrests despite the men's identities being known. After private pressure from UN officials, the culprits were arrested – yet released again after a mere one week in jail. The criminals are now allowed to roam free, and Issa's life remains in danger. For years, Issa has been persecuted for leveling criticisms of corruption and human rights violations at the Palestinian authorities.

Help us put pressure on the Palestinian authorities to get Issa justice!

Donate now!

It is almost olive season! Stay tuned for our upcoming Olive Harvest Campaign of 2024, starting October 25th!

Every year, we invite international volunteers to come join us on the ground for olive picking for local farmers.  Last year, the war prevented the Palestinian farmers from picking their olives when Israeli soldiers disrupted the harvest and prevented families from even stepping outside. This year, let us make sure that families can carry out this ancient tradition in peace and safety.

If you cannot join us on the ground, consider making a contribution by donating! Read more here.

Donate!

Friends of Hebron has a U.S.-registered IRS 501(c)3 charity status. Donations are tax-deductible.

You may have noticed that we have changed the main website URL from and friendsofhebron.com or friendsofhebron.org to hebronfriends.org. Similarly, our previous email broadcaster was info@friendsofhebron.com. This has now been moved to info@hebronfriends.org. More changes are underway and we will update you accordingly!

During these tense times, please consider supporting our work on the ground in Hebron by donating.

With peace,

Friends of Hebron

Working for Peace and Justice

www.hebronfriends.org/

Friends of Hebron has a U.S.-registered IRS 501(c)3 charity status. Donations are tax-deductible.

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Today's headlines

Life on October 6, 2023

A vision for freedom is more important than ever

We must focus on the present as conditions in Gaza worsen daily, but a clear strategy and political vision are crucial to inspire people around the world as to what is possible.

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Looking back at a year of Israeli genocide

Palestinians take control of an Israeli tank after crossing the border fence with Israel from Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023. (Photo: Stringer/ APA Images)

I’ve been thinking about last year. I woke up on October 7 to constant phone alerts as our staff posted updates to our internal communication service about what was happening around Gaza. Bleary-eyed, I turned on Al Jazeera and, like many of you reading this, I suspect, couldn’t believe what I was watching unfold. Armed Palestinian resistance fighters were launching a large, multi-front attack on Israeli military installations and settlements surrounding Gaza. Our staff was already working on news articles while we tried to sort out what was going on and what this meant.

It was clear to us early on that the details of what occurred during the October 7 attacks were being manipulated by the Israeli government. Israel and its supporters here in the United States were eagerly accusing Palestinians of committing barbaric acts during the attack. Stories like beheaded babies and systematic rape are often deployed as justifications for war. The United States used similar fabricated stories to drum up support for the first invasion of Iraq and to justify brutal campaigns during the second invasion years later. In the days after October 7, some of these stories were repeated at the highest levels of government around the world. We were one of the first news outlets to publish articles questioning these accounts, many of which turned out to be invented out of thin air. Our reporting played a critical role in the efforts to debunk these lies.

As bad as the Israeli occupation and apartheid are, the truth is I never imagined we would see Israel launch a full genocide like the one being carried out over the last year. Israel has slaughtered over 42,000 Palestinians in Gaza. That number is the official count published by Gaza’s beleaguered Ministry of Health. Human rights groups and public health experts estimate the death toll to be much higher, possibly over 200,000 people. Entire family lines have been wiped out. Officially, just under 100,000 Gazans have been injured, but the real number there is likely many times higher.

The beginning of the end of Israel

Craig Mokhiber is an international human rights lawyer and former senior United Nations Official. We are thrilled to feature him as a new regular contributing writer. In this piece, Craig writes,

The political capital expended by the U.S. empire and the broader West in defense of the slaughter [in Gaza], as well as their global standing and reputation, will never be recouped.

And, almost certainly, this year of cruelty and lawlessness will mark the beginning of the end for the Zionist project in Palestine and, therefore, of the state of Israel as we know it.

A photo released by the Israeli military on Dec. 3, 2023 shows Israeli troops conducting military operations in the Gaza Strip. (Photo: © Xin Hua/Xinhua via ZUMA Press APA Images)

Don’t miss these important stories

 Tareq Hajjaj filed a story on the Israeli siege of Jabalia and Beit Lahia in northern Gaza. "Jabalia residents who spoke to Mondoweiss say that they have noticed the resistance regroup in the wake of every Israeli invasion of Jabalia. One resident, Raneem Mousa, told Mondoweiss that people know Hamas is rebuilding itself in Jabalia. 'We see their work above ground, and we hear their work below ground as well.'"

 Qassam Muaddi reports on the resurgent resistance in the West Bank village of Beita. “Following a year of rising settler attacks on the people of Beita and the death of Turkish-American activist Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, the West Bank village is keeping civil resistance alive in the face of the threat of Israeli colonial land grabs.”

 Mitchell Plitnick looks at developments among Arab nations trying to avert a regional war. “In a welcome, but under-reported, development last week, Arab states from the Gulf Cooperation Council reportedly “sought to reassure Iran of their neutrality” in the brewing conflict between Iran and Israel.”

 Michael Arria speaks to the BDS National Committee’s Olivia Katbi about the movement’s boycott campaign against Chevron. “Chevron has been the main international actor extracting fossil gas claimed by Israel in the Eastern Mediterranean since it acquired Noble Energy in 2020. With its extracting activities, Chevron is implicated in Israel’s policy and practice of depriving the Palestinian people of their right to sovereignty over their natural resources.”

 In an exclusive interview with Mondoweiss, senior Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzouk discusses Operation Al-Aqsa Flood’s goals and accomplishments, international Palestine solidarity, and what comes next after a year of Israeli genocide in Gaza.

 Qassam Muaddi looks back at a year of Israeli war on the West Bank. “While the genocidal assault on Gaza has claimed the lives of tens of thousands, and according to some estimates, hundreds of thousands, the onslaught in the West Bank has ramped up in the form of displacement, the unprecedented expansion of settlements, rampant settler violence and pogroms, economic warfare, mass incarceration, and the launching of a military offensive on centers of resistance across the West Bank.”

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Support Gaza War Refusers

130 Israeli soldiers and reservists signed onto the open letter that came out just this week. Addressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, they are boldly conditioning their continued service on the signing of a deal for the release of hostages and an end to the war, the first mass wave of Israeli soldiers refusing service in protest of war and occupation seen in recent years.

We, reserve and regular servicemen and servicewomen, officers and soldiers, hereby declare that we cannot continue under these circumstances. The war in Gaza is sentencing our kidnapped brothers and sisters to death.

On that cursed day, October 7th, we awoke to a terrible and indiscriminate massacre, in which more than a thousand were killed and hundreds were kidnapped. We immediately enlisted to fight in our country’s defense and to rescue the hostages held in Gaza.

It is now clear that the continuation of the war in Gaza not only delays the return of the hostages but also endangers their lives: many hostages have been killed by IDF bombings, many more than those who have been rescued in military operations.

We, who have served and continue to serve with dedication, risking our lives, hereby announce that if the government does not change course immediately and work towards securing a deal to bring the hostages home, we will not be able to continue serving.

For some of us, the red line has already been crossed, and for others, it is rapidly approaching: the day when, with broken hearts, we will stop reporting for service.

We call on the government: Sign a deal now to save the living hostages!

Support Gaza War Refusers

The letter makes the choice faced by Israeli society very clear: it’s either the hostages or the war, a recognition of the value of life or an insatiable hunger for more destruction. Faced with such a clear choice, this new refuser wave will only serve to mobilize more people to refuse in order to bring a stop to the mass slaughter in Gaza. It is important to remember that this letter is directed at the Israeli public, using language that resonates within contemporary Israeli discourse with the power to end the war now and force a ceasefire deal. The letter poses fundamental questions for Israelis: Who are we dying for? Are war and death more valuable than our own lives? Is any of this in our interest? How much longer are we willing to sacrifice our own lives and those of our children on the altar of Jewish supremacy? We cannot pretend that the price of war, occupation and the ongoing Nakba borne by Palestinians and Israelis is symmetrical, quite the opposite. But we also know that overcoming the regime of ethnic supremacy in Israel/Palestine requires that Israelis also grapple with the price paid by a society which exists at the expense of another.

In solidarity,

Mattan Helman
Executive Director
Refuser Solidarity Network

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Now more than ever, it’s important to support Palestinians’ efforts to save lives and offer communal care.

Millions of people around the world are demanding an end to genocide and calling for true safety for Palestinians, which starts with the bare minimum of a ceasefire and U.S. weapons embargo. We see people doing all that they can, from solidarity protests to contributions to international aid organizations. There are many ways to be in solidarity with Palestinians in this critical moment

Rawa is a Palestinian initiative working toward liberatory grassroots-led organizing across historic Palestine. Since the Israeli genocide erupted, Rawa has been supporting Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank through dozens of grassroots initiatives working to overcome the catastrophic challenges and provide vital support with dignity and resilience, including via securing shelters, drinking water, food, and medical stations.

Since 2018, Rawa has supported over 60 grassroots initiatives chosen by the community itself, moving critical resources to frontline organizers in agriculture, education, arts, media and social activism. They focus on resourcing long-term, sustainable community-led efforts, especially during crisis moments when self-determination can fall by the wayside.

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Today's headlines

‘I’m betting on Gaza. It is unbreakable.’

Randa Abdel-Fattah

October 7 showed that Palestinians and Arabs remain the rightful heirs of our story. We remain the primary witnesses to testify to our past, present and future. We remain the owners of our narrative.

All those unsounded vows and immoral oaths . . . are null and void

Ariella Aïsha Azoulay

Kol Nidrei on Yom Kippur is one of the unruliest, most liberating, and anarchic Jewish texts. It is our heritage of refusal. We need it today, more than ever, to liberate ourselves from the curse of Zionism that colonized our diverse Jewish worlds.

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Today's headlines

Beita’s resurgent civil resistance after a year of settler attacks

Qassam Muaddi

Following a year of rising settler attacks on the people of Beita and the death of Turkish-American activist Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, the West Bank village is keeping civil resistance alive in the face of the threat of Israeli colonial land grabs.

Arab states are coming together to prevent a regional war

As Israel expands its war to Lebanon and is threatening Iran as well, there are important signs that Arab states in the region are finally stepping in to prevent a broader regional war. Will the Biden administration listen?

A ‘dark period’ of repression: Jordanian authorities arrest thousands in year since October 7

ordan has witnessed increasing popular protests expressing solidarity with Gaza and demanding an end to normalization with Israel. The Jordanian government has responded with an unprecedented crackdown on protests and free expression.

Read more

October 7 created a new world, but there is so much left to be done

We live in an entirely different world from a year ago. The ugly, racist, violent logic dominating our lives has been irrevocably exposed. Will we allow that logic to prevail?

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AMP Extends Condolences to Zarefah Baroud for the Loss of Her Aunt, Dr. Soma Baroud, as UN Report Exposes Systematic Targeting of Gaza’s Health Sector

[WASHINGTON D.C., October 11, 2024] - We are deeply saddened to announce the tragic news that on Wednesday, October 9th, Israeli forces targeted and killed Dr. Soma Baroud while she was in a taxi in Khan Younis, Gaza. Dr. Baroud was the sister of renowned author and journalist Dr. Ramzy Baroud and the aunt of our colleague, Digital Media Associate Zarefah Baroud.

Dr. Baroud was a prominent Obstetrician-Gynecologist in Gaza who dedicated herself to serving women and those in need across the Strip. Dr. Baroud worked at the now-destroyed Al-Shifa and Nasser Hospitals and ran her own medical clinic in Al-Qarara prior to the genocide. Even prior to the genocide, Dr. Baroud was compelled by her urge to help others and did not charge the poor, doing what she could to heal those victimized by occupation and genocide.

Dr. Baroud now joins her husband, Dr. Hamdi Baroud, who was killed by Israeli forces in January of this year while in Khan Younis. Prior to her passing, Dr. Baroud found herself displaced, like 1.9 million other Palestinians in Gaza, in the last months of her life before she was killed by a US-backed Israeli airstrike on her taxi.

Israel’s targeting of Dr. Baroud came one day before the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry announced an investigative report accusing Israel of “committing war crimes and the crime against humanity of extermination with relentless and deliberate attacks on medical personnel and facilities.” The report provides evidence of Israel engaging in a concerted effort to undermine, attack, and destroy the healthcare infrastructure of Palestinians in Gaza. Such crimes are severe violations of international human rights, United States law, and basic human morality.

We use this moment to reflect on the service of Dr. Baroud and the 165 other doctors murdered by Israel in the midst of this ongoing genocide and call on the Biden administration to cease providing weapons to Israel and stop this senseless violence. We honor the lives of all Palestinian martyrs taken by the Israeli apartheid regime—those who perished in the last year and over the past 76 years—whose courage and sacrifice endure as a testament to the relentless pursuit of justice and freedom for Palestine.

Sincerely,
American Muslims for Palestine

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In the midst of its genocide against 2.3 million Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip, Israel is intensifying its massacres in northern Gaza to forcibly displace the surviving Palestinian population–some 400,000 people. For seven days, Israeli forces have blocked the only three entrances and imposed a siege that has included heavy airstrikes and shelling, particularly targeting what is left of the Jabalia refugee camp.
 

As the death toll rises, the bodies of many massacred Palestinians lie in the streets, inaccessible due to the ongoing blockade. Israeli forces are firing on Palestinians attempting to rescue the injured. Israel has ordered hospitals in the north of Gaza to evacuate all staff and patients, threatening bombardment if they fail to comply. In parallel, it is escalating its bloody aggression in the occupied West Bank, its rolling massacres in Lebanon, even bombing a UN peacekeepers’ position, and its bombing campaigns in Syria, Iraq and Yemen.

Israel’s unprecedented criminality is a direct result of its unprecedented impunity, made possible through the arming, funding and full partnership of the colonial West, led by the US.

Only our people power can build the pressure needed to stop Israel’s carnage and help dismantle its 76-year-old regime of settler-colonialism and apartheid.
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Share our urgent action alert!

TAKE ACTION:

1. PRESSURE YOUR GOVERNMENT TO IMPOSE SANCTIONS ON ISRAEL, INCLUDING A COMPREHENSIVE MILITARY EMBARGO.
2. TAKE TO THE STREETS TO PRESSURE GOVERNMENTS TO END COMPLICITY.

3. SUPPORT THE BDS MOVEMENT.

4. DEMAND THE IMMEDIATE SUSPENSION OF APARTHEID ISRAEL FROM THE UN.

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Sinds de meedogenloze Israëlische aanvallen in Gaza een jaar geleden begonnen, protesteren ambtenaren elke week tegen de medeplichtigheid van de Nederlandse regering. De wekelijkse sit-in werd gister aangegrepen om een hele dag te herdenken en actie te voeren.

De eerste toespraken vonden vanaf 9 uur in de ochtend plaats. Om klokslag 12 uur begon de sit-in, waaraan zeker 200 ambtenaren en sympathisanten meededen. De half uur durende stilte, begeleid door een zachte harteklop die door de speakers klonk, was indrukwekkend. Achter de ambtenaren een enorm knalrood spandoek, gericht aan minister Caspar Veldkamp (NSC) van Buitenlandse Zaken en Reinette Klever (PVV) van Buitenlandse Handel en Ontwikkelingshulp: 'Caspar en Reinette, maak ons niet medeplichtig aan genocide'.

Veldkamp slaat uitnodiging af
Na het verbreken van de stilte met een lang, luid applaus, was het podium voor Jan Pronk, voormalig minister van Ontwikkelingssamenwerking en lid van de Raad van Advies van The Rights Forum. Het was de bedoeling dat hij een boek met speeches die sinds de eerste sit-in in december vorig jaar zijn gehouden, aan zou bieden aan minister Veldkamp. Maar die sloeg de uitnodiging af en liet zich niet zien. En dus zette Pronk de punten op een rijtje waar hij bij Veldkamp op had willen aandringen. Voormalig diplomaat Berber van der Woude, bestuurslid van The Rights Forum, sprak 's ochtends. Ze las het gedicht ‘Ode aan het verdriet’ voor, van de Palestijnse dichter Ghayath Almadhoun. Wij spraken tijdens de sit-in met verschillende ambtenaren, en tekenden de gesprekken gedeeltelijk op. Eén van hen zei: 'Ik geloof dat dit de geschiedenisboeken ingaat, en dan heb ik toch gewerkt voor een regering die medeplichtig is aan genocide. Kan ik mezelf nog in de spiegel aankijken? Is blijven waardevoller dan vertrekken?' 

Wij strijden tegen oorlogsmisdaden, annexatie, bezetting en onderdrukking. Helpt u mee?

Gaza Manifestatie: Stop het Geweld!

Aanstaande zondag 13 oktober tussen 14:00 – 15:00 organiseren PAX, Amnesty, The Rights Forum, Save the Children, Terres des Hommes, Oxfam Novib, SOMO en Stichting Kifaia een manifestatie op de Dam in Amsterdam. De manifestatie staat in het teken van een jaar nietsontziend geweld in Gaza.

Rechtszaak | Aanklacht tegen Nederlandse staat vanwege het niet voorkomen van genocide in Gaza

De belangrijkste eisen van de coalitie aan de Nederlandse civiele rechter zijn een verbod op de export en doorvoer van wapens, wapenonderdelen en dual-use-goederen naar Israël; én een verbod op alle Nederlandse handels- en investeringsrelaties die Israëls illegale bezetting van-, en nederzettingen in Palestijns gebied in stand helpen houden.

Lydia de Leeuw (SOMO, één van de acht organisaties) vat de motivering als volgt samen:

'Er kan geen sprake zijn van ‘business as usual’ met Israël. [...] Nederland, gastheer van het Internationaal Strafhof en het Internationaal Gerechtshof, moet zich houden aan diens eigen verplichtingen onder internationaal recht en maatregelen nemen om de misdrijven te stoppen. Nu.'

Interview | ‘De eerste stap tot mentaal herstel in Gaza is een staakt-het-vuren’

Mentale gezondheidszorg in Gaza: wat als trauma zich op trauma stapelt, en er geen normaal leven is om naar terug te keren? The Rights Forum interviewt de Gazaanse psychiater Yasser Abu Jamei: ‘Een staakt-het-vuren is het absolute minimum.’

Een medewerker van het Gaza Community Mental Health Program aan het werk in Gaza. ©GCMHP

Er is in Gaza geen normaal leven, is de rode draad van het verhaal dat Yasser Abu Jamei, psychiater en algemeen directeur van het Gaza Community Mental Health Program, te vertellen heeft. De belangrijkste stap om dat normale leven op gang te brengen, is een onmiddellijk staakt-het-vuren en een einde aan de genocide. Tot die tijd focust hij met zijn organisatie op kleine stappen. Jamei: ‘Als een kind naar school gaat, gebéurt er iets.’

Onderzoek | Israëlische misdaden door de ogen van de daders

Vorige week berichtten wij over een nieuwe documentaire van Al-Jazeera die Israëlische oorlogsmisdaden in Gaza documenteert, vastgelegd door militairen op hun eigen sociale media. Deze week publiceerden wij een begeleidend artikel op onze website, dat hier te vinden is. De film biedt een zeldzame schat aan informatie ‘waar aanklagers hun lippen bij zullen aflikken’, aldus een deskundige.

Uit onze agenda

zaterdag 12 oktober t/m zaterdag 19 oktober

Neem deel aan wakes/demonstraties
• Demonstratie en mars ‘free Palestine’, zaterdag 12.10 in Nijmegen, Plein 1944 (14.00 uur)
• Wake van Vrouwen in het Zwart, zaterdag 12.10 in Groningen, Waagplein (13.00 uur)
• Landelijke manifestatie ‘Stop het geweld in Gaza’, zondag 13.10 in Amsterdam, Dam (14.00 uur)

Verdiep je in de Palestijnse realiteit:
• Lezing – Judicial Responses to Mass Violence: The Case of Israel and Palestine, dinsdag 15.10 in Utrecht, Utrecht University Library (12.45 uur)

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Today's headlines

Photo Essay: An autobiography of uprising

Documenting one year of revolt from the occupied West Bank to the East Coast.

Inside Israel’s ongoing invasion of Jabalia in northern Gaza

Israel laid siege to Jabalia in northern Gaza on the anniversary of October 7. Residents tell Mondoweiss that the Israeli army is forcibly conscripting civilians as human shields and shooting residents who attempt to evacuate.

After a year of extermination, Palestine is still alive

Palestinians have endured 76 years of the Nakba and now the 2024 genocide. Despite Israel and the West's desire to erase our existence, we continue to declare, "We won’t leave."

‘Chevron fuels apartheid and environmental devastation’: the BDS movement renews its campaign against Chevron

The Palestinian BDS National Committee has called for a renewed campaign targeting Chevron over its connection to Israeli apartheid.

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Corrupt FIFA was forced, thanks to you and many around the world, to finally hold its vote on banning genocidal apartheid Israel last week.

FIFA first hijacked the General Assembly vote last May in order to restrict the vote to the FIFA Council. It then postponed the Council vote, not once but twice!

However, being corrupt to the core, FIFA concocted a vote for more “investigations” that will only give more time to Israel to continue its genocide against 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza, massacres in Lebanon, and violent assaults on the occupied Palestinian West Bank. 

This also allows apartheid Israel to continue to participate in Nations League matches, including today’s match against France.

The same day that FIFA voted to continue to shield apartheid Israel from accountability, Israel conducted an unprecedented attack on the occupied West Bank city of Tulkarem, killing 18, including 20-year-old footballer Majdy Salem.

We won’t stop shaming corrupt FIFA until it bans apartheid Israel! Take action now, for Majdy and the hundreds of Palestinian footballers killed by Israel in the past year.

Stay tuned for actions on the ground during the Italy v Israel match on October 14 in the city of Udine and the France v Israel match in Paris on November 14.

No rest for FIFA!

In solidarity,
 
The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel

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Biden Administration Must Clarify If Blinken Approved Bombing Aid Trucks in Gaza

Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action) urgently demands clarification from the U.S. State Department regarding recent reports implicating Secretary of State Antony Blinken in approving the Israeli military's targeting of humanitarian aid trucks in Gaza. If confirmed, these actions, which led to the deaths of civilians and humanitarian workers, would constitute war crimes under international law, and Blinken must be held accountable.

TAKE ACTION: Demand an investigation into Secretary Blinken’s alleged role in authorizing the bombing of aid convoys in Gaza

According to media reports, Blinken's personal approval during secret meetings in late 2023 set the groundwork for Israel's attacks on convoys delivering vital supplies to Gaza’s besieged population. This approval extended sweeping authority to bomb trucks under the guise that “Hamas may seize or destroy aid entering Gaza or otherwise prevent it from reaching the people who need it,” though no independent verification was provided. AJP Action calls for full transparency from the Biden administration and demands immediate clarification on the authenticity of these reports.

The leaks coincide with mounting criticism of U.S. complicity in the war crimes perpetrated in Gaza, where over 1.9 million Palestinians face starvation under Israel's blockade, as highlighted by the United Nations and international organizations. Despite repeated warnings, the Biden administration continued to fund Israel’s military campaign.

Blinken’s alleged role in these policies has facilitated what international bodies, including the International Court of Justice (ICJ), described as “an imminent risk of genocide” in Gaza. The continued targeting of humanitarian convoys has not only intensified the humanitarian disaster but also further emboldened Israel to perpetuate its blockade and systematic destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure, deepening food insecurity for over 1.9 million residents.

The U.S. government cannot claim neutrality while greenlighting such acts, if the reporting is true and accurate, Secretary Blinken must be held accountable and be forced to resign.

AJP Action demands that the Biden administration provide an immediate explanation for Blinken’s involvement in these decisions. If these allegations are verified, AJP Action joins other human rights groups in calling for Secretary Blinken’s resignation and an investigation into the role of U.S. officials in exacerbating the crisis in Gaza. You can read more from the investigative report here. 

In solidarity,
AJP Action

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Divest from death. Invest in life.

No more weapons for genocide.

What we're reading.

What we're writing

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Humanitarian Situation Update #228
West Bank

Diplomatic visit to Kifl Haris (Salfit) upon the start of the 2024 olive harvest, highlighting access challenges and mitigation efforts. Photo by OCHA

Key Highlights

• Israeli forces kill 24 Palestinians across the West Bank, including 18 in an airstrike on Tulkarm refugee camp that marked the single, deadliest incident in the West Bank since OCHA began systematically documenting casualties in 2005.
• Access of nearly 92,000 people to clean water, wastewater management and solid waste disposal has been compromised due to infrastructural damage during operations by Israeli forces since 7 October 2023; limited response capacity could heighten the risk of flooding in winter and pose severe public health risks, the WASH Cluster reports.
• So far in 2024, three Palestinians have been killed after being severely assaulted by Israeli forces, including a 66-year-old man during the reporting period, compared with five such cases in the last two decades.
• The Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory led a diplomatic visit to Kifl Haris (Salfit) on the occasion of the start of the 2024 olive harvest season to highlight access challenges and mitigation efforts.

Latest Developments (after 7 October)

• On 8 and 9 October, five Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank, one in Aqqaba village (Tubas) and four in an undercover operation in Nablus city.

Humanitarian Developments (1-7 October)

• During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed 24 Palestinians, including four children, across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. In addition, 130 Palestinians, including at least 16 children and six paramedics, were injured: 93 by Israeli forces and 37 by Israeli settlers. In Israel, six Israelis and one foreign national were killed by two Palestinians from the West Bank, one of whom was also killed. Of note, 37 per cent of injuries during the reporting period were due to physical assault by Israeli forces. Injuries due to physical assaults that required medical intervention, and include severe cases such as broken bones, rose four-fold after 7 October to nearly 800 cases to date compared with about 200 cases in the preceding year.
• The incidents resulting in fatalities during the reporting period are as follows:
  • On 1 October, undercover Israeli forces raided Balata refugee camp (Nablus), where an exchange of fire ensued between Israeli forces and Palestinians. Israel forces shot and killed a 24-year-old man and injured six paramedics by live ammunition. According to the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), one ambulance sustained damage, its crews were fired on, and they were prevented from evacuating the injured for more than one hour. At least 3,500 pupils and over 50 UNRWA staff members were trapped for two hours inside their schools, clinics, and offices during the operation.
  • On 1 October, six Israelis and one foreign national, including a 17-year-old girl and two women, were killed and 16 others were injured in a stabbing and shooting attack carried out by two Palestinian men from Hebron city, one of whom was killed and the other was injured and arrested. Israeli forces subsequently closed the entry and exit points of Hebron city for three days.
  • Two Palestinians were pronounced dead while in Israeli custody, after being critically injured and, subsequently, arrested by Israeli forces. One was injured in an exchange of fire with Israeli forces in the Old City of Nablus on 1 October, and one was injured by Israeli forces after they surrounded his home in Wadi al Far’a (Tubas) on 5 October. In the Old City of Nablus, according to PRCS, their paramedics were not permitted to provide emergency care to the wounded man when he was arrested.
  • On 3 October, 18 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in the densely populated Tulkarm refugee camp (Tulkarm). Fatalities included a family of four, including two children, who lived in the targeted building, another child, and three women. The airstrike caused significant destruction as at least one missile penetrated the rooftop of a multi-storey building and exploded in a crowded ground-floor café. Four refugee households comprising 18 people, including nine children, were displaced. According to the Israeli military, fighter jets targeted the head of an armed group in Tulkarm, killing him and six other key operatives. This was the deadliest single incident in the West Bank since OCHA began systematically documenting casualties in 2005, with the second deadliest incident taking place also in 2024, when 14 Palestinians were killed during a 55-hour operation in Nur Sham refugee camp (Tulkarm). On 4 October, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) noted that this “strike is part of a highly concerning pattern of unlawful use of force by… [Israeli forces] during military-like operations in the West Bank that have caused widespread harm to Palestinians and significant damage to buildings and infrastructure,” adding that “[such] incidents cannot become normalized as an acceptable method of law enforcement.”
  • On 7 October, a 66-year-old Palestinian man was killed after he was physically assaulted by Israeli forces inside his home during a search-and-arrest operation in Dura (Hebron). So far in 2024, three Palestinians have been killed after being severely assaulted by Israeli forces compared with five such cases in the last two decades.

• • On 7 October, Israeli forces killed a 13-year-old Palestinian boy and injured 18 others, including at least nine children, during a 13-hour operation in Qalandia refugee camp (Jerusalem). During the operation, Israeli forces positioned snipers on rooftops, physically assaulted and detained 24 Palestinians, raided and caused damage to several homes, and engaged in an exchange of fire with Palestinians.
  • On 3 October, Israeli forces shot and killed a 23-year-old Palestinian man, allegedly for carrying a knife near an army base south of Hebron city. At the scene, Israeli forces reportedly detained three Palestinian journalists and deleted their footage before releasing them.
• In addition to becoming a leading cause of displacement in the West Bank (please see below), recurrent operations by Israeli forces since 7 October 2023, particularly in refugee camps in the northern West Bank, have caused massive infrastructural damage. According to the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) cluster, operations by Israeli forces have entailed frequent bulldozing that caused damage to water connections, manholes, water tanks and hygiene facilities, led to sewage flooding in public spaces, and interrupted solid waste collection. Overall, these operations have resulted in the destruction of more than 20,000 metres of water pipelines, sewer networks and stormwater drainage systems, straining the response capacity of UNRWA, local service providers and WASH cluster partners. As a result, the access of nearly 92,000 people to clean drinking water, wastewater management and solid waste disposal has been compromised, including thousands who have been left with no reliable access to water and sanitation services. Emergency interventions by WASH cluster partners, such as water trucking and distributions of hygiene kits, storage tanks and temporary water points, have addressed immediate needs, but significant gaps remain particularly vis-à-vis repairing the extensive damage to water and wastewater systems. With winter approaching, the WASH Cluster and UNRWA are calling for immediate support to protect infrastructure and restore civilians’ access to essential services. The WASH cluster has prepared water, sanitation, solid waste and flood response emergency plans that require an estimated US$1.8 million, warning that limited response capacity could heighten the risk of flooding and stormwater contamination and pose severe public health risks, including increased exposure to waterborne diseases.
• During the reporting period, Israeli settlers perpetrated 23 attacks against Palestinians, resulting in the injury of 37 Palestinians, including two children, and damage to property. About 12 of these incidents took place within the context of the olive harvest season, which resulted in the injury of 32 Palestinians and vandalism of at least 80 olive trees. Key incidents during this period include:
  • On 5 October, some 40 Israeli settlers, believed to be from "Avichai Farm" settlement outpost, carrying guns, metal sticks, knives and pepper spray, attacked about 15 Palestinian families while they were picking olives in different locations on the outskirts of Al Lubban al Gharbi village (Ramallah). As a result, 20 Palestinians, including a child, two women, a man with a disability and two elderly people, sustained bruises and limb fractures. Settlers also damaged at least five Palestinian-owned vehicles, stole agricultural tools and a mobile phone. Israeli forces intervened and shot sound grenades and live bullets. According to the Israeli media, three settlers were reportedly injured in unclear circumstances during the incident.
  • On 5 October, Israeli settlers raided a Palestinian house in Burqa village (Ramallah) and stole a donkey. When the family tried to retrieve the donkey, Israeli settlers shot live ammunition at them, injuring one man in the leg.
  • On 7 October, eight Palestinians, including two women and a child, sustained injuries in the head, with one of them remains in critical condition with a life-threatening head injury, when they were attacked by settlers with guns, hands, legs, and sticks, while they were harvesting olive trees in Jamma'in village, south of Nablus. According to one of the injured, settlers launched a sudden attack while they were harvesting their olives, and started to physically assault his mother, injuring her in the head, before severely beating his father, who sustained a skull fracture. When he attempted to help his parents and his 11-year-old brother, he was also beaten, and one of the settlers sprayed pepper spray into his eyes.
• During the reporting period, Israeli authorities demolished or forced the demolition of nine Palestinian-owned structures across the West Bank, including one within the context of an airstrike on Tulkarm refugee camp (see above). As a result, 19 people, including nine children, were displaced. In one of the incidents, Israeli forces demolished a 500-metre paved road due to the lack of an Israeli-issued building permit, hindering the access of about 20 families (approximately 100 people, including 43 children) in Wadi al Amayer herding community to services in As Samu’ town (Hebron).

2024 Olive Harvest Season

• Since October 2023, Israeli authorities have almost completely blocked Palestinian access to their farmlands behind the Barrier and near Israeli settlements. In September, HaMoked, an Israeli NGO, petitioned the High Court of Justice to revoke these sweeping restrictions, but the State’s response indicated that limited gate openings may occur only after 23 October, subject to security assessments, and permits will only be issued on an individual basis. This is anticipated to further complicate the access of thousands of Palestinians to their land, potentially causing significant economic losses. In 2021, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, the agricultural sector produced approximately 108,000 tons of olives and 23,000 tons of olive oil. For the 2024 season, the MoA forecasts a decline in olive and olive oil production, to 81,200 tons and 17,700 tons, respectively.
• On 9 October, the Humanitarian Coordinator, Muhannad Hadi, together with humanitarian and development partners, led a field visit to Kifl Haris (Salfit) with diplomats from eight member states to hear first-hand from Palestinian farmers about their challenges in accessing farmlands, especially during the olive harvest season. This advocacy initiative is part of the Humanitarian Country Team’s (HCT) coordinated campaign around the season, where the ability of farmers to harvest is compromised, mainly due to Israeli-imposed access restrictions, and attacks by Israeli settlers and Israeli forces.

Key Figures, 7 October 2023 – 7 October 2024

• In total, 719 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in addition to two who died of wounds sustained prior to 7 October. These include 702 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces, 12 by Israeli settlers, and seven where it remains unknown whether the perpetrators were Israeli forces or settlers. During the same period, 23 Israelis, including 16 members of Israeli forces and six settlers, were killed by Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. In Israel, attacks by Palestinians from the West Bank resulted in the killing of 16 Israelis and eight Palestinian perpetrators.
• OCHA documented about 1,454 attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians, of which 144 led to Palestinian casualties, 1,158 led to damage to Palestinian property, and 152 led to both casualties and property damage. Since 7 October 2023, 277 Palestinians households comprising 1,628 people, including 794 children, have been displaced in Bedouin and herding communities across the West Bank, primarily citing attacks by Israeli settlers and impeded access to grazing lands by settlers.
• Israeli authorities destroyed, confiscated, sealed or forced the demolition of 1,777 Palestinian structures across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, displacing more than 4,574 Palestinians, including about 1,919 children. These include more than 2,800 Palestinians, including over 1,100 children, who were displaced due to the destruction of homes during operations by Israeli forces.
• For additional breakdowns of casualties, displacement and settler violence between January 2023 and September 2024, please refer to the OCHA West Bank snapshot.

Funding

• As of 10 October, Member States have disbursed about $1.73 billion out of $3.42 billion (51 per cent) requested to meet the most critical needs of 2.3 million* people in Gaza and 800,000 people in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, between January and December 2024. For funding analysis, please see the Flash Appeal Financial Tracking dashboard. (*2.3 million reflects the projected population of the Gaza Strip upon issuance of the Flash Appeal in April 2024. As of July 2024, the UN estimates that about 2.1 million people remain in the Gaza Strip, and this updated number is now used for programmatic purposes.)
• During September 2024, the Occupied Palestinian Territory Humanitarian Fund (OPT HF) managed 87 ongoing projects, totaling $77.5 million. These projects aimed to address urgent needs in the Gaza Strip (90 per cent) and the West Bank (10 per cent). They were strategically focused on education, food security, health, protection, emergency shelter and non-food items, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), coordination and support services, multi-purpose cash assistance and nutrition. Of these projects, 48 projects are being implemented by international non-governmental organizations, 27 by national NGOs and 12 by UN agencies. Notably, 31 out of the 60 projects implemented by INGOs or the UN are being implemented in collaboration with national NGOs. Monthly updates, annual reports, and a list of all funded projects per year, are available on the oPt Humanitarian Fund webpage, under the financing section.

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In today's Daily Brief:

• Videos: Israel-Palestine

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Today's headlines

The beginning of the end of Israel

Craig Mokhiber

One year later the flames of genocide still burn, but after decades of persecution and bloodshed we may well be seeing the beginning of the end of the settler-colonial project in Palestine.

Read more

The true lesson of October 7 is that Israel cannot be reformed

Ghada Karmi

The year since October 7 has shown us that Israel can neither be accommodated nor reformed. It must be dismantled, and Zionism must be brought to an end. Only this will finally alleviate the Palestinians' terrible ordeal over the past 76 years.

Read more

‘I can’t feel anything anymore’: women in a West Bank refugee camp reflect on a year of Israeli military raids on their homes

Qassam Muaddi

After a year of near-constant Israeli military raids on their homes and private spaces, women are some of the most affected among the Palestinian residents of Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarem.

Read more

Gaza remains our compass

Jehad Abusalim

Gaza has become a battlefield in the war over the fate and collective dignity of the people of the region, including beyond Palestine. But amid all this, Gaza remains the compass.

Read more

Five things we’ve learned since October 7

Noura Erakat

Noura Erakat shares five lessons the Israeli genocide in Gaza has taught us.

Read more

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It has been one year since Israel began its genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, claiming it was retaliating for a Hamas-led attack on Israel.

The bombing campaign and land invasion Israel began have continued the devastation of an enclave it had under siege since 2007.

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OSPACA NIEUWSDIENST 3.

7 oktober 2024.

Ook in Turkije werd vandaag, op 7 oktober 2024, op talloze plaatsten gedemonstreerd tegen de genocide van de Amerikaans-Israëlische terroristen op de Palestijnen. En nu dus ook tegen de aangrenzende volkerenmoord op de Libanese burgers – zonder onderscheid van burgers, vrouwen en kinderen. Inmiddels zijn, bij dit alles in luttele dagen tijds, meer dan 2000 Libanezen door deze bendes Amerikaans-Israëlische oorlogscriminelen vermoord. En is hun behuizingen en verder alles wat nodig is, om te leven en te overleven, totaal vernietigd. Op X kwam in dit verband de president van Turkije met de volgende verklaring:

“WAT ER IN GAZA GEBEURD; PALESTINA STERFT. EN NU OOK IN LIBANON. HET ZIJN NIET ALLEEN VROUWEN, KINDEREN, BABY´S, ONSCHULDIGE BURGERS. HET IS MENSELIJKHEID EN HET INTERNATIONALE SYSTEEM DAT WORDT GEACHT DE MENSHEID TE DIENEN.“   

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Humanitarian Situation Update #227
Gaza Strip

Displaced Palestinians in Gaza. Photo by UNRWA

Key Highlights

• Hundreds of thousands of people and dozens of humanitarian facilities have been affected by four new evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military; at least 70,000 people have been displaced and there are growing risks that humanitarian access will be further constrained, particularly between southern and northern Gaza.
• The Israeli military launches a military operation in northern Gaza and the area is becoming increasingly cut off.
• September saw the lowest volume of commercial and humanitarian supplies entering Gaza since at least March 2024, with a drop in dietary diversity of children aged 6-23 months and pregnant and breastfeeding women across Gaza, reports UNICEF.
• Nearly 68 per cent of Gaza’s cropland has been damaged, increasing the imminent risk of famine and jeopardizing current and future potential food production, warns FAO.

Humanitarian Developments

• Israeli bombardment from the air, land and sea continues to be reported across the Gaza Strip, resulting in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of civilian infrastructure. Between 5 and 7 October, Israeli forces issued several evacuation orders for areas in northern Deir al Balah, North Gaza and Gaza governorates, reminding residents that these areas are still considered active combat zones, as well as areas in Khan Younis (additional information available below). On 6 October, the Israeli military announced that a military operation commenced the night before in Jabalya, with heavy fighting in the area reported. Rocket fire by Palestinian armed groups toward Israel was also reported. On 7 October, the UN Human Rights Office stated that the “attacks in northern Gaza, combined with mass evacuation orders, which are inconsistent with international humanitarian law, raise serious concerns about the forced displacement and forced transfer of Palestinian residents of Gaza.”

• In a statement marking one year since the 7 October attack in Israel and the escalation of hostilities in Gaza, Ms. Joyce Msuya, Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator said that no “statistics or words can fully convey the extent of the physical, mental and societal devastation that has taken place," stressing that “we know what must happen: Civilians must be protected and their essential needs met. Palestinians arbitrarily detained must be released. Humanitarian workers must be safeguarded and their work facilitated. Perpetrators must be held accountable for any serious violations of international humanitarian law. And the assault on Gaza must stop.”
• Between the afternoons of 4 and 7 October, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, 163 Palestinians were killed and 737 were injured. Between 7 October 2023 and 8 October 2024, at least 41,965 Palestinians were killed and 97,590 were injured, according to MoH in Gaza.
• The following are some of the deadly incidents reported between 4 and 6 October:
  • On 4 October, at about 14:10, five female Palestinians were reportedly killed and others injured when a house was hit in Al Bureij refugee camp, in Deir al Balah.
  • On 4 October, at about 16:00, seven Palestinians were reportedly killed and others injured when a house was hit, in Ash Shati’ (Beach) camp, in Gaza city.
  • On 4 October, at about 23:30, six Palestinians were reportedly killed and others injured when a house was hit northeast of An Nuseirat refugee camp, in Deir al Balah.
  • On 5 October, at about 8:30, six Palestinians were reportedly killed and others injured when a group of people was hit in east Beit Hanoun, in North Gaza.
  • On 5 October, at about 20:00, ten Palestinians were reportedly killed and others injured when a house was hit, in Jabaliya town, in North Gaza.
  • On 5 October, at about 22:00, nine Palestinians were reportedly killed and others injured when a house was hit west of Jabalya refugee camp, in North Gaza.
  • On 5 October, at about 22:00, five Palestinians, including two children and two women, were reportedly killed and others injured when a house was hit in Beit Lahiya, in North Gaza.
  • On 6 October, at about 2:10, 21 Palestinians were reportedly killed and others injured when Al Aqsa Martyrs Mosque in front of Al Aqsa Hospital was hit in Deir al Balah.
  • On 6 October, at about 14:10, five Palestinians, including one girl, were reportedly killed and others injured when a house was hit in Ash Shati' refugee camp west of Gaza city. The Palestinian Civil Defense reported that others remained under rubble.
• Between the afternoons of 4 and 8 October, one Israeli soldier was reportedly killed in Gaza and one soldier died of wounds sustained in Gaza in June 2024, according to the Israeli military. Between 7 October 2023 and 8 October 2024, according to the Israeli military and official Israeli sources cited in the media, more than 1,548 Israelis and foreign nationals were killed, the majority on 7 October 2023 and its immediate aftermath. The figure includes 348 soldiers killed in Gaza or along the border in Israel since the beginning of the ground operation. In addition, 2,299 Israeli soldiers were reported injured since the beginning of the ground operation.
• Between 5 and 7 October, the Israeli military issued four new evacuation orders for: 11 blocks in Al Bureij and An Nuseirat refugee camps in northern Deir Al Balah; Gaza and North Gaza governorates; 31 neighbourhoods in North Gaza including Beit Hanoun, Jabalya and Beit Lahiya; and eight neighbourhoods in Khan Younis. Residents were ordered to relocate immediately to Al Mawasi area west of Khan Younis, in southern Gaza. According to the same announcements by the Israeli military, the area designated for civilians to stay (Al Mawasi) initially expanded by 10.71 square kilometres and was subsequently reduced by 1.4 square kilometres. As of 7 October, the Israeli-designated area for civilians to relocate is estimated to span 57 square kilometres or some 15 per cent of the Gaza Strip. At present, the total area covered by evacuation orders in the Gaza Strip, excluding those that have been revoked, constitutes about 84 per cent of the Gaza Strip.

• These orders affect hundreds of thousands of people, particularly in northern Gaza where more than 400,000 people are under pressure to move southward to Al Mawasi, which is already overcrowded and lacks basic services. Humanitarian access also risks becoming further constrained, particularly between southern and northern Gaza, and so are the accessibility and functionality of key humanitarian facilities within areas slated for evacuation. Initial estimates from the Site Management Working Group (SMWG) indicate that about 50,000 people have already moved from North Gaza toward Gaza city and more than 20,000 have moved from An Nuseirat and Al Bureij refugee camps toward southern Deir al Balah and Khan Younis. The SMWG additionally reports that 12 sites for internally displaced persons (IDPs) are in areas newly affected by these orders in northern Deir al Balah, and so are more than 300 patients in the Indonesian, Kamal Adwan and Al Awda hospitals in North Gaza according to the Health Cluster, and dozens of facilities that offer critical health, water, hygiene, sanitation, and education services.
• Overall, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 10 hospitals with a cumulative capacity of 730 beds, 19 primary health-care centres and 32 medical points in the North Gaza and Gaza governorates risk being affected by the unfolding situation. Should WHO and its partners be unable to maintain these facilities fuelled, critical health services in Intensive Care Units, operation theatres, maternity wards, haemodialysis units and emergency departments might have to be abruptly stopped. Additionally, essential health supplies and medications must be immediately delivered to these facilities, including trauma disposables and medications for patients with non-communicable diseases. In light of the dire shortage of blood units, on 7 October, the Ministry of Health appealed to people in northern Gaza to urgently donate blood, either at the Emergency Department of Al Shifa Hospital or at As Sahaba Medical Complex.
• The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reports that, in September, the volume of supplies entering Gaza – both commercial and humanitarian – has been the lowest since at least March 2024, noting that the situation is expected to further deteriorate. A survey conducted by UNICEF in mid-September of over 2,500 recipients of humanitarian cash assistance shows that both the availability of goods and the dietary diversity of children aged 6-23 months and pregnant and breastfeeding women decreased across all areas of Gaza compared with July. According to survey responses, over 35 per cent of children and 40 per cent of pregnant and breastfeeding women had only eaten one food type the day prior to the survey and 30 per cent in both groups had only consumed two food types. Moreover, only five per cent of pregnant and breastfeeding women had consumed dairy products, and six per cent of children had eaten some meat, with these percentages plummeting to one and three per cent in northern Gaza, respectively. Moreover, the survey, complemented by in-person visits to markets, showed further price increases of basic food items in northern Gaza. For example, rice and vegetable oil in northern Gaza now cost more than US$5 per kilogramme (kg) or litre (l), while remaining more affordable in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis (below $2/kg and 2.5/l, respectively).
• According to the World Food Programme (WFP), in the northern governorates, wheat flour and canned food are the only food items readily available on the market. Dairy products are unavailable, while vegetables, fruits, eggs, and vegetable oil are in severe shortage and priced very high. Other food items, such as pulses and rice, are moderately available. In Deir al Balah and Khan Younis, wheat flour, canned food, rice, pulses, and vegetable oil remain available. However, there is a moderate shortage of vegetables and eggs, while dairy products are in severe shortage. Media reports suggest that the spike in the price of market commodities is partly due to extremely high increases in costs of bringing in commercial supplies, including hefty import permits, transportation costs, and fees paid to private security companies to secure the trucks due to looting driven by the breakdown of law and order. These costs are then passed on to consumers. An analysis conducted by Chistian Aid in late August in northern Gaza shows that, while the price of some staples like bread and flour has decreased since March, others have continued to soar, with onions for instance costing 700 per cent more compared to five months prior, and some products such as chicken, dates or bottled water being unavailable, forcing people to buy drinking water from mobile tanks.
• No cooking gas has entered northern Gaza for twelve consecutive months, according to the Food Security Sector (FSS), while the price of firewood on the market is making it inaccessible to most households. Firewood found in markets is sourced from the remains of demolished homes, furniture and electricity poles, WFP reports, and its relatively high prices, combined with severe gas shortages “is pushing more people into energy poverty.” This continues to force displaced families, who are among the most vulnerable people, to cook by burning wood and plastic from waste, which hinders proper food preparation, exacerbates health risks and causes environmental hazards, including the risk of fires in severely overcrowded tent sites.
• The latest satellite-based agricultural damage assessment conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and UNOSAT shows that 67.6 per cent of Gaza’s cropland had been damaged, as of 1 September, up from 57.3 per cent in May and 42.6 per cent in February 2024, with North Gaza currently having the highest proportion of damage among all governorates (78.2 per cent). Additionally, over 71 per cent of orchards and other trees, 67 per cent of field crops, and 58.5 per cent of vegetables have been damaged. Heavy vehicle tracks, razing, shelling, and other conflict-related pressures have also significantly damaged Gaza’s agricultural infrastructure, with a total of 1,188 out of 2,261 agricultural wells (52.5 per cent) and over 44 per cent of greenhouses damaged. Furthermore, most of the Gaza city port infrastructure and vessels were destroyed in October 2023 and remain non-functional, with severe repercussions on trade and livelihoods.

• The extremely limited entry of fertilizers and other livestock and crop production inputs into the Strip continues to be a key obstacle hampering the restoration of local food production in Gaza, with agricultural activities – including small-scale gardening that is critical to enhance dietary diversity – remaining largely suspended, highlights FSS. Coupled with the “unprecedented levels” of agricultural damage in Gaza, FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol, stressed that this “raises serious concerns about the potential for food production now and in the future” and “compounds the imminent risk of famine in the whole Gaza Strip.”
• The Gaza Strip has faced a year of humanitarian crisis, with frontline civil defense, health, and aid workers enduring immense challenges. Over 300 aid workers have lost their lives in Gaza, the majority being UNRWA staff, making Gaza the most dangerous place for aid workers globally. The situation is equally dire for health workers; MoH reported that a total of 986 health workers have been killed, including some who are counted as aid workers. Furthermore, the Palestinian Civil Defense (PCD), which is currently operating at 20 per cent of its capacity, reported that 85 of its staff have been killed, and another 292 injured, with 14 instances of staff being hit while on duty. Additionally, 52 PCD vehicles have been destroyed or damaged, and a lack of fuel and spare parts, alongside access constraints, have resulted in over 15,600 unaddressed appeals for assistance, PCD reported.

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Today marks one year since Israel began its current ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people, unleashing the most horrific forms of violence to eliminate Palestinian life. And it marks one year of worldwide resistance to stop the genocide.

At least tens of thousands—and more likely according to latest estimates, hundreds of thousands—of Palestinian people have been killed by Israel, whether through direct massacres or through deliberate genocidal conditions such as starvation and healthcare destruction. Israel has completely wiped out over 900 Palestinian bloodlines, murdering every last family member.

Our martyrs are not numbers. Every Palestinian life is precious.

We grieve each person stolen from us, ripped away from their loved ones by Israel’s genocidal violence.

Six-year-old Hind Rajab, who was killed by Israeli soldiers while trapped in a car with her murdered family, and the paramedics who went to rescue her, Yousef Zeino and Ahmed al-Madhoun. Palestinian professor, journalist, and poet Refaat Alareer, who Israel assassinated along with his brother, sister, and sister’s children.

And thousands upon thousands more whose stories we do not know due to Israel’s communications blackout and total destruction.

Today we mourn and we resist in solidarity with the steadfast Palestinian people, who refuse to submit or die quietly.

Take action now, newly updated with the latest action steps and resources on our USCPR website.

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"If you could send a message to anyone in the world, who would it be and what would you say?"  Mohamad Qassas in Gaza asked the children.

“If I could send a message to anyone in the world, it would be to my mother. I miss you and I wish I could see you one more time."  Malik Yasser  

This tragedy did not begin on October 7. Today marks one year since the start of the genocide in Gaza. Today, we mark one year since the profound impact of this genocide that has affected countless lives. Families have been torn apart, infrastructure diminished, and communities devastated. 902 Palestinian families have been erased from the civil registry in Gaza. 

Over the past year, Gazans have endured unimaginable hardships. Access to essential resources—food, clean water, and medical care—has been critically compromised. The psychological toll on the population, especially children, has been devastating, many grappling with trauma and loss.

Live on camera, we have witnessed horrific war crimes unfold through the eyes of journalists like Bissan Odeh, Motaz Azaiza, Hind Khoudary, Plestia Alaqad, Saleh Al Jafarawi, and as young as Lama Jamous (just 9 years old). The world has seen the atrocities committed by Israel; yet, these acts have gone all un-condemned.

Israel has bombed schools where civilians sought shelter, targeted people simply trying to obtain food from UN trucks, and inflicted unimaginable suffering. Hind Rajab, a name that will forever be etched in history, was tragically shot 355 times by an IDF tank while hiding inside a car next to her murdered family members.

As we reflect on this painful tragedy in Palestine, we must not remain silent. It is crucial that we amplify the voices of those affected and advocate for justice. We call on the international community to hold those responsible accountable and to support humanitarian efforts that provide aid to those affected on the ground. Together, let us work towards a future where justice and dignity prevail for all oppressed peoples.

THE GREAT MARCH OF RETURN

In 2018, 234 Palestinians in Gaza, including 46 children, were killed, and over 33,000 were injured by Israeli snipers and military whilst taking part in a peaceful protest entitled the "Great March of Return".  It symbolized a collective expression of the longing for freedom and the right to return to ancestral homes. Two-thirds of Gaza’s population are refugees as a result of the 1948 Nakba, along with their descendants, many of whom come from villages and towns surrounding Gaza. For decades, the Palestinians have used nonviolent means to draw attention to their plight. However, the Israeli military has consistently used violence to shut down any means Palestinians have employed to shed light on their suffering. 

The Israeli military has perpetrated horrific acts against the Palestinian population in Gaza that constitutes genocide. Reports indicate the use of illegal weapons like white phosphorus which burns flesh to the bone and long-term effects from the slightest exposure causing cancer. Civilians have faced unimaginable horrors, including the kidnapping and beating of individuals, burning families alive, bulldozing over bodies to the point that human flesh was mixed in asphalt, and the gang raping of Palestinian men.  

This systematic violence not only inflicts physical pain but also aims to obliterate the very essence of the Gaza strip, raising an urgent question: Israel has evaporated bodies, decapitated babies, burnt Palestinians beyond recognition, while Israeli soldiers document and happily post their war crimes on social media, as the world sits idly by- what more do we honestly need to witness that will be enough for the international community to call for an end the genocide? 

76 Years and a Genocide later Webinar

MORE ABOUT GAZA

 If you want to learn more about Gaza, check out the following resources and individuals recommended by Eyewitness Palestine staff.

LEARN MORE ABOUT GAZA

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7 oktober is vandaag precies een jaar geleden. Een jaar van ongekend geweld en immens lijden. En er is geen zicht op verbetering, integendeel. Israel, gesteund door het koloniale Westen, lijkt uit te zijn op een regionale oorlog. Nederland speelt in het geheel een problematische rol en doet dat in feite al sinds de oprichting van de staat Israel. En dat is nauw verbonden met ons koloniale verleden. Het is hoog tijd om die rol eens goed onder de loep te nemen en er lessen uit te trekken.

Wij moeten opstaan voor de bevrijding van Palestina en wij moeten al onze overheden, instituties en bedrijven bevrijden van medeplichtigheid. Wij moeten meer BDS-en dan ooit!

Met strijdbare groet!

Het BDS-team

Tijd voor zelfreflectie: onze toxische relatie met Israel

Er is een jaar verstreken sinds 7 oktober. Een jaar van ongekend geweld en immens lijden. Het gaat onverminderd door en breidt alleen maar uit. Tegelijkertijd wordt de positie van Nederland steeds meer een minderheidspositie, zelfs binnen Europa. Het aantal landen dat nog steeds de woorden genocide en oorlogsmisdaden, of zelfs disproportioneel geweld niet in de mond durft te nemen, is nog maar op een paar handen te tellen. Het is hoog tijd voor zelfreflectie. Hoe zit het nu werkelijk met onze relatie met Israël? En in wiens belang is dat?

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On November 2, 2023, a group of twenty Palestinian children stood in front of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City to hold a press conference to demand the world intervene to secure a ceasefire. A young boy, perhaps twelve years old, read in English from a handwritten yellow paper, his voice full of defiance. "We want to live, we want peace, we want to judge the killers of children. We want medicine, food, and education. We want to live as the other children live."

It’s one year into this genocide.

What happened to these children?

Were they killed in the massacre Israel unleashed on the hospital in March?

Did their families move their tired and injured souls out of North Gaza to Rafah or Deir al-Balah? Did they survive Israel’s massacres there?

Are they still hungry and thirsty?

Will they ever forgive us? These questions haunt us.

We write this on a day too many will commemorate while we wrestle with our broken hearts and our endless thoughts. How do we honor the dead while the killing continues?

We have no good answers. We are in the midst of a tragedy that has changed us at an anatomical level. It’s impossible to believe that just a year ago, we were campaigning to push the world to end Israel's apartheid and occupation. Now, we are battling against another depth of evil: stopping the U.S. government from funding Israel's full-blown genocide against our people.

Today, the world feels impossible to comprehend. What is our purpose when we can’t even protect the children?

We lean now on our partners in struggle who have survived for decades and, in some instances, centuries under the ravages of colonialism and violence. They promise us that our freedom day will come.

We believe in a world where Palestinians are embraced as fully human, not as merely victims or perpetrators. We believe in a world where children do not have to plead to live in safety. We believe in a world where no one has to petition for enough water, food, and shelter. We believe in a world where the taxes we pay to our government aren't used to fund the killing of families at home and abroad.

Now more than ever, we must lean on each other. Our Palestinian values teach us that we prioritize the most vulnerable among us. Our Palestinian values teach us that our dreams of return, justice, and dignity are a moral compass.

You have a role to play. We all do. We must recommit ourselves to doing everything within our power to save the lives of the children who have survived 365 days of genocide. We must continue to stand up and act not only for the sake of our people in Palestine, but for the sake of our shared humanity.

We remain hopeful despite the world’s attempts to crush our minds, bodies, and spirits. We remain undefeated and ready to rise up for Palestine. 
 

With heavy hearts and unwavering hope,

The Adalah Justice Project team

Adalah Justice Project is a Palestinian-led advocacy organization based in the U.S.

Our mailing address is:
Adalah Justice Project

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In today's Daily Brief:

• Responding to Horrors with Horrors in Israel-Palestine

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West Bank
Violence, destruction and displacement

*Disclaimer:

• This report reflects information available as of the time of publication. The most updated data and more breakdowns are available at ochaopt.org/data.
• In Israel, 13 Israelis were killed by Palestinians from the West Bank in attacks that also resulted in the killing of 11 Palestinians between January 2023 and September 2024. These are counted separately, as this report covers incidents that took place in the West Bank.
• Palestinians or Israelis whose immediate cause of death or the perpetrator’s identity remain disputed, unclear, or unknown, are counted separately, so are casualties as a result of friendly fire and Palestinian prisoners from the West Bank who have died in Israeli custody. Figures also do not include UXOs, mishandling of weapons, hit-and-run incidents, and incidents where the perpetrator's nationality is disputed.

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5 oktober 2024

AJP Action Commemorates Palestinian’s Will To Live, Despite One Year of Genocide and Hell

[WASHINGTON D.C., October 5, 2024] – As the bloodshed in Gaza continues, Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action) solemnly takes this moment to commemorate the lives lost in what is now being recognized as one of the gravest humanitarian disasters of the 21st century. Over the past year, Israeli forces have executed a campaign of devastation, with estimates from The Lancet placing the death toll of Palestinians at approximately 186,000. In just the last few days, medical professionals on the ground in Gaza reported more than 118,000 Palestinians killed since October 7th, 2023—an unimaginable 5.6% of Gaza's pre-war population. Among the most heart-wrenching figures is the death of 16,500 children—a staggering loss that far exceeds the toll inflicted on children by any conflict in modern history, including 30x the children killed in the Russia-Ukraine war. We take this moment to remember them.

But more than those killed by Israel, those who remain alive struggle every day to survive. According to estimates, 1.9 million Palestinians out of a population of 2.3 million, are displaced in Gaza, forced to migrate to a sand-ghetto in the south of the Strip or risk execution by airstrike. And even for those lucky to be alive, the IPC estimates that 96% of Gazans face high levels of acute food insecurity, of those, over 495,000 people (22% of the population) are  facing catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity, experiencing an extreme lack of food, starvation, and exhaustion of coping capacities. To add further injury, 86% of Palestinians in Gaza remain under Israeli-issued evacuation orders being forced to travel kilometers, mostly on foot, while facing famine. Simply put, while Israel has killed tens, if not hundreds of thousands, it continues to make the lives of those who survive hell on earth.

While we commemorate the last year of genocide in Gaza, we do not forget that Israel’s decades-long settler-colonial project—built on the denial of Palestinian existence and a foundation of ethnic cleansing—continues with impunity. These atrocities are not isolated but are part of a broader historical pattern of displacement and massacre, rooted in the very creation of the Israeli state in 1948. Palestinians have faced systematic dehumanization, denied their right to return to their ancestral homes, and have been subjected to continuous military occupation, apartheid policies, and unrelenting violence ever since.

The deliberate targeting of civilians is a flagrant violation of international law. The destruction of hospitals, schools, and homes constitutes war crimes under the Geneva Conventions. Yet, Israel acts without fear of accountability, emboldened by unconditional U.S. military support and diplomatic cover. The Biden administration’s unwavering support for Israel, including the continuous flow of billions in military aid, directly implicates the United States in this genocide.

We cannot let these atrocities continue. We reiterate our demand for Congress and the President to halt military aid to Israel and impose sanctions until Israel complies with international human rights standards and ends its illegal occupation of Palestinian land.

AJP Action remains steadfast in its commitment to advocating for the people of Palestine in the halls of Congress and in communities across the United States. We stand in solidarity with all those affected by Israel’s genocidal assault and reaffirm our dedication to fighting for justice, dignity, and freedom for the Palestinian people.

In solidarity,Americans for Justice in Palestine Action

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Your Activist Scoop

• Last week, the Biden-Harris administration signed off on sending another $8.7 BILLION in weapons to Israel, which Israel plans to use to mass murder Palestinian and Lebanese families and escalate regional war.
• Israel has killed over 2,000 people in Lebanon right now!

KEEP PUSHING TO STOP ARMING ISRAEL 

Find an action near you.

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1.5 Million Eyes on Our Message

4 oktober 2024

This weekend marks one year since the U.S.-funded Israeli genocide in Gaza began — a year of unimaginable loss, with over 186,000 people killed, most of them women and children, and the destruction of more than 66% of Gaza's infrastructure. For too long, the Palestinian narrative has been overshadowed by biased media coverage and political silence. This week, AMP is bringing the truth directly to the streets of Washington, D.C., with a powerful mobile billboard campaign highlighting the genocide in Gaza and American complicity.

In front of the Capitol Building, Washington, DC

Our Mobile Billboards campaign will amplify the Palestinian story where it matters most: in the heart of U.S. political power. For decades, U.S. taxpayer dollars have funded the Israeli occupation, silencing the voices of those suffering under apartheid. This year alone, billions of our tax dollars have been used to support and expand this genocide in the region. This campaign is an opportunity to challenge this narrative and ensure that the call for Palestinian freedom is heard by policymakers and the public alike.

In front of the Israeli Embassy, Washington, DC

We understand that shifting the narrative is crucial to changing U.S. policy. That's why this campaign is so essential. It aims to highlight the extreme human and material cost of Israeli military actions in Gaza, emphasizing the role of U.S. funding in enabling these actions. This campaign calls for an end to U.S. military aid to Israel and remind lawmakers that they cannot continue to ignore the plight of the Palestinian people.

Multiple locations in Washington, DC

Over 1.5 million people are in D.C. this weekend and will witness this campaign firsthand. Together, we can ensure our voices are heard where it matters most.

In solidarity,

Mohamad Habehh

Development Director

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4 oktober 2024

Humanitarian Situation Update #226
Gaza Strip

Destruction in northern Gaza. Photo by OHCHR/Olga Cherevko.

Key Highlights

• At least six schools and one orphanage serving as shelters for internally displaced persons were hit in the last four days, the UN Human Rights Office reports, calling on the Israeli military to immediately end the pattern of strikes in Gaza on buildings serving as shelters for displaced people.
• At least 87 per cent of schools in Gaza have been directly hit or damaged since October 2023, including one-third of UNRWA schools, a new assessment by the Education Cluster finds.
• Only 229 critical patients, along with 316 companions, have been exceptionally medically evacuated from Gaza since the closure of the Rafah Crossing in early May. This includes eight patients, including seven children, evacuated to Romania on 30 September.

Humanitarian Developments

• Israeli bombardment from the air, land and sea continues to be reported across the Gaza Strip, resulting in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of civilian infrastructure. Ground operations, particularly in Beit Hanoun and west of Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, south of Gaza city, east of Al Bureij and Al Maghazi refugee camps in Deir al Balah, southeast Khan Younis and east and south Rafah also continue to be reported.
• Between the afternoons of 30 September and 4 October, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, 187 Palestinians were killed and 485 were injured. Between 7 October 2023 and 4 October 2024, at least 41,802 Palestinians were killed and 96,844 were injured, according to MoH in Gaza.
• On 3 October, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) called on “the Israeli military to immediately end the pattern of strikes in Gaza on buildings” serving as shelters for internally displaced persons (IDPs). According to OHCHR, in the early hours of 2 October, at least six Palestinians were killed when the Israeli military reportedly hit Al Amal Institute for Orphans that was also serving as an IDP shelter. Furthermore, in the preceding 72 hours, at least six schools serving as IDP shelters had been hit, resulting in tens of fatalities, including children and women. In September, OHCHR documented at least 14 strikes on schools and at least one strike on schools every other day in August, noting that these “attacks have become an almost daily event.” OHCHR emphasized: “Irrespective of whether Palestinian armed groups were present in these facilities, the resulting high rate of civilian casualties makes it difficult to conceive that such strikes are proportionate according to the principles of international humanitarian law. These attacks have long-term impacts on the civilian population, destroying the only viable shelters remaining for the more than one million Palestinians who have been forcibly displaced into an unsafe, unilaterally declared ‘humanitarian zone’ where there is little or no access to life-saving essential humanitarian assistance.” In its statement, OHCHR also reminded Palestinian armed groups that “using the presence of civilians to shield themselves from attack constitutes a violation of IHL”, calling on them to “cease and refrain from any such use.”
• The following are other deadly incidents reported between 30 September and 3 October:
  • On 30 September, at about 23:10, 11 Palestinians, including three children and four women, were reportedly killed and others injured when a house was hit in southwestern An Nuseirat refugee camp in northern Deir al Balah.
  • On 1 October, at about 22:30, eight Palestinians were reportedly killed and others injured when a house was hit in Ash Shuja’iyeh neighbourhood, east of Gaza city.
  • On 1 October, at about 21:25, at least 10 Palestinians, including a woman and a toddler, were reportedly killed when a house was hit in Maan area east of Khan Younis city. Nine additional family members reportedly remained under rubble. Ambulances were unable to reach the area and evacuate the injured for several hours due to the ongoing incursion and shelling.
  • On 1 October, at about 13:10, 12 Palestinians, including at least a woman and a girl, were reportedly killed and at least 26 others were injured when two IDP tents were hit in Mawasi area west of Khan Younis.
  • On 2 October, at about 00:30, 12 Palestinians, including four females, were reportedly killed when a house was hit in Al Manarah neighbourhood southeast of Khan Younis. Bodies stuck under rubble were only recovered hours later due to intensified shelling and shooting.
  • On 3 October, at about 1:30, five Palestinians, including two children, were reportedly killed and others injured when a house was hit in Ash Shati’ (Beach) refugee camp, west Gaza city.

• Between the afternoons of 30 September and 4 October, no Israeli soldiers were reportedly killed in Gaza, according to the Israeli military. Between 7 October 2023 and 4 October 2024, according to the Israeli military and official Israeli sources cited in the media, more than 1,546 Israelis and foreign nationals were killed, the majority on 7 October and its immediate aftermath. The figure includes 346 soldiers killed in Gaza or along the border in Israel since the beginning of the ground operation. In addition, 2,297 Israeli soldiers were reported injured since the beginning of the ground operation.
• According to a new assessment by the Education Cluster, which relies on satellite imagery collected on 6 September, at least 87 per cent of school buildings in the Gaza Strip (493 out of 564) have been directly hit or damaged and are currently estimated to require either full reconstruction or major rehabilitation work to be functional again, up from 84.6 per cent in July 2024. Fifty-five per cent of these schools (273) are government schools, a third (161) are UNRWA schools, and 12 per cent (59) are private schools. Since the last damage analysis on 6 July, 35 additional school buildings have been classified as directly hit, 11 of them in the Rafah governorate and another 11 in Gaza governorate. Additionally, the analysis finds that at least 71 schools were totally destroyed, up from 65 schools as of 6 July, and 48 additional schools lost at least half of their structures. Prior to the escalation, “directly hit” or “damaged” schools served about 541,227 students and had more than 20,222 teachers, who represent, respectively, about 86 and 87 per cent of the total student population and teaching staff in Gaza. The number of buildings requiring full reconstruction or rehabilitation highlights the severe impact of ongoing hostilities on school facilities. The situation jeopardizes the possibility of using the schools again for educational purposes, ultimately threatening children’s right to learn.
• Preparations are underway for the second round of the polio vaccination campaign, which is scheduled to take place in mid-October and will also include the distribution of Vitamin A supplements, reports WHO. This new vaccination drive will integrate lessons learnt from the first round and findings from the post-campaign assessments conducted in September. Concurrently, the Health Cluster is tackling several other health-related priorities. On 30 September, 3,000 blood units collected through a blood donation campaign in the West Bank were delivered to health facilities across Gaza to mitigate the shortage of blood units. On 19 and 23 September, WHO conducted two missions to the Kerem Shalom Crossing to facilitate the entry of eight trucks carrying urgently needed medications and supplies. Earlier on 20 September, WHO collected eight pallets donated by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Field Hospital from the field hospital in Rafah for distribution to other Emergency Medical Teams in northern and southern Gaza. Moreover, as part of efforts to enhance Infection Prevention and Control, the Trauma Working Group is also standardizing wound management protocols to enhance the quality of wound care and reduce the rate of infections at both primary healthcare centers and hospitals.
• A dedicated working group under the Health Cluster is currently mapping all Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) service providers across the Strip to ensure a coordinated response to the vast scale of mental health needs and trauma. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reports that young patients from Gaza receiving treatment at the MSF Reconstructive Surgery Hospital in Amman, Jordan, are experiencing a combination of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and acute stress syndrome, and will require psychotherapy for years to learn how to live with the traumatic events they experienced. Meanwhile, in Gaza, attacks impacting healthcare have continued, with 516 such attacks recorded by WHO as of 25 September. WHO informs that on 21 September, an MoH warehouse in northern Rafah was hit, resulting in the reported killing of four MoH employees and the injury of six others MoH also confirmed the death of three healthcare workers who were reportedly detained by Israeli army while on duty between December 2023 and March 2024; in total five health workers have died in detention since 7 October.
• In a positive development, on 30 September, eight patients, including seven children, were evacuated from Gaza to receive specialized medical treatment in Romania. Four patients have cancer, two have blood diseases, one requires a kidney transplant, and one has a severe injury; they travelled to Bucharest accompanied by 24 family members. The operation was coordinated by the EU directly from Gaza under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and was undertaken jointly with Romania, WHO and the Israeli authorities. Since the closure of Rafah Crossing in early May, 229 patients, along with 316 companions, have been exceptionally evacuated outside Gaza through the Kerem Shalom Crossing, while an estimated 12,000 patients in need of urgent treatment remain inside the Strip. WHO continues to reiterate its appeal for the urgent establishment of evacuation corridors and “for all possible routes to be used for safe and timely passage of all patients who need specialised care.”

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Israel is waging war on the entire region.

Israel is waging a campaign of terror and destruction that has brought the entire region ever closer to a state of all-out war.

A year of impunity for Israel's genocide of Palestinians has landed us here...

Stop arming Israel.

Take action 

What we're reading.

 Read more 

JVP is hiring.

See all JVP openings 

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4 oktober 2024

De Tweede Kamer heeft deze week een motie aangenomen waarin wordt opgeroepen te onderzoeken of de Europese regels voor wapenexport omzeild kunnen worden. Zo zouden onderdelen voor F-35 gevechtsvliegtuigen tóch naar Israël gestuurd kunnen worden, ondanks de oorlogsmisdaden die hiermee door Israël worden gepleegd.

Nationaal Gaza-protest op 29 september 2024 op de Dam in Amsterdam. © Hanneke Vollbehr @ohbeautifulworld

Rechtszaak
De motie werd ingediend door Don Ceder (ChristenUnie) en Roelien Kamminga (VVD), tijdens een debat over de rechterlijke uitspraak dat Nederland de export van F-35-onderdelen naar Israël moet stoppen. Die uitspraak was het resultaat van een door Oxfam Novib, Pax en The Rights Forum aangespannen rechtszaak.

Momenteel buigt de Hoge Raad zich over de kwestie, nadat de Staat in beroep ging tegen de uitspraak - een beslissing wordt op zijn vroegst aan het einde van het jaar verwacht. Als die luidt dat Nederland inderdaad geen F-35-onderdelen meer aan Israël mag leveren, hopen de indieners van de motie die uitspraak op deze manier te omzeilen.

Politieke overwegingen
Ceder voerde aan dat er in geval van ‘geopolitieke ontwikkelingen’ ruimte moet zijn voor het kabinet om een ‘eigen afweging’ te maken. De rechter zou dan slechts een ‘marginale toetsing’ kunnen doen, dus alleen mogen kijken of de juiste procedure is gevolgd. Daarmee zou de rechter in feite buitenspel gezet worden. En daarmee ook het internationaal recht waaraan Nederland zich te houden heeft.

Met andere woorden: politieke overwegingen boven mensenrechten.

Gaza Manifestatie: Stop het Geweld!

Op zondag 13 oktober tussen 14:00 – 15:00 organiseren PAX, Amnesty, The Rights Forum, Save the Children, Terres des Hommes, Oxfam Novib, SOMO en Stichting Kifaia een manifestatie op de Dam in Amsterdam. De manifestatie staat in het teken van een jaar nietsontziend geweld in Gaza.

De aanval van Hamas op 7 oktober is inmiddels een jaar geleden. Ondertussen blijft Israëls nietsontziende geweld in Gaza doorgaan. Het afgelopen jaar zijn meer dan 40.000 Palestijnen gedood, onder wie ruim 15.000 kinderen. Er zijn tal van oorlogsmisdaden en mensenrechtenschendingen gepleegd. Zelfs de hoogste rechter van de wereld, het Internationaal Gerechtshof, geeft aan dat het plausibel is dat er sprake is van genocide. Dit moet nu afgelopen zijn.

Steun jij onze oproep ook? Kom dan op 13 oktober naar de Dam in Amsterdam. Hoe meer mensen, hoe harder onze boodschap zal klinken:

 #StophetGeweld!

Onderzoek | Hoe Amerikaanse wapens dankzij een gefabriceerd rapport naar Israël blijven stromen

Dat onthult ProPublica in een nieuw rapport. Deze Amerikaanse onderzoeksorganisatie voor de publieke zaak legde de hand op onder meer e-mailverkeer van de overheid. Daaruit blijkt hoe de regering-Biden de levering van wapens aan Israël ten koste van alles doorzet. De publicatie van ProPublica voegt nieuwe informatie toe aan een explosieve kwestie, die ook in Nederland buitengewoon relevant is.

Herdenkingsprotest van rijksambtenaren

Op 10 oktober organiseren de rijksambtenaren die al een jaar elke week tegen het Nederlandse Gaza-beleid protesteren een bijzonder herdenkingsprotest. De hele dag zullen zij stilstaan bij het afgelopen jaar: een jaar lang grootschalige nietsontziende aanvallen op burgers, een humanitaire crisis, het negeren van het internationaal recht en het consistent uitblijven van de veroordeling hiervan door onze huidige en voorgaande regering. Ook staan ze stil bij een jaar lang (ambtelijke) tegenspraak en protest.

De ambtenaren roepen iedereen op om zich aan te sluiten bij hun sit-in protest om stil te staan bij de verwoestende aanvallen op burgers - voor mens en recht - en om solidariteit te tonen met de getroffen slachtoffers, gegijzelden, nabestaanden, ontheemden en wezen.

 Datum: 10 oktober 2024
 Tijd: gehele dag (exacte tijden volgen)
 Locatie: Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken

Klik hier voor meer informatie.

Escalatie op escalatie: Israël valt Libanon binnen

Intussen voert Israël al twee weken zware bombardementen uit op andere delen van Libanon, met name de buitenwijken rondom Beirut. Het Israëlische leger heeft gister inwoners van zuidelijke buitenwijken van de Libanese hoofdstad opgeroepen het gebied te verlaten. Gisteravond meldden Libanese media al Israëlische aanvallen op de Libanese hoofdstad, rapporteert de NOS. De aanvallen zouden hebben plaatsgevonden vlak bij het vliegveld van Beiroet.

Lees hier het artikel dat we direct na aanvang van de inval van Israëlische grondtroepen publiceerden. Daarin zijn ook de achtergrond en reacties van derde landen opgenomen, al is sommige informatie alweer achterhaald.

Een nieuwe documentaire van Al Jazeera’s onderzoeksjournalistieke team legt Israëlische oorlogsmisdaden in de Gazastrook bloot via foto’s en video’s die online zijn geplaatst door Israëlische soldaten zelf.

Het team bouwde het afgelopen jaar een database op met duizenden video’s, foto’s en berichten op sociale media. Het materiaal onthult een breed scala aan illegale activiteiten, van willekeurige vernieling en plundering tot de sloop van hele wijken en moord.

De film vertelt ook het verhaal van de oorlog door de ogen van Palestijnse journalisten, mensenrechtenactivisten en de inwoners van de Gazastrook, en legt de medeplichtigheid van westerse regeringen bloot.

Uit onze agenda

zaterdag 5 oktober t/m zaterdag 12 oktober

Kom naar de nationale demonstratie - one year of genocide

• Zaterdag 05.10 op De Dam in Amsterdam (14.00 uur)

Neem deel aan wakes
• Zaterdag 05.10 in Maastricht, Markt (16.00)
• Zondag 06.10 in Haarlem, Grote Markt (14.00 uur)
• Zondag 06.10 in Amsterdam, Dominicuskerk (14.30 uur)
• Zaterdag 12.10 in Groningen, Waagplein (13.00 uur)

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Vandaag een speciale nieuwsbrief om jullie op de hoogte te stellen van een geslaagde actie in het kader van de AH Apartheidvrij campagne. Afgelopen zaterdag is in Amsterdam, Utrecht, en elders een actie gehouden om AH personeel en klanten bewust te maken van het feit dat er besmette producten te koop zijn in die winkel.

In deze tijden van ongekende militaire agressie van Israel is het noodzakelijk nog meer druk op de ketel te zetten. Meld je daarom aan voor deelneming in de aktie!

Een strijdbare groet van het docP team; blijf BDS-en!

AH Apartheidvrij van start!

Afgelopen zaterdag betraden BDS activisten de Albert Heijn bij de Dam in Amsterdam en andere filialen in Nederland om de  medeplichtigheid van Ahold aan genocide bloot te leggen.

 We roepen de grootste supermarkt van Nederland op om te stoppen met het  inkopen van producten uit Israël, een land dat genocide pleegt en Palestina illegaal bezet.

 We roepen ook consumenten op om te stoppen met  het kopen van Israëlische producten zoals Garden Gourmet, Sodastream en groenten en fruit die de illegale Israëlische bezetting van het Palestijns grondgebied ondersteunen.

 We herhalen de drie punten in de oproep tot BDS van Palestijnse maatschappelijke organisaties van 9 juli 2005:

1. Eindig de bezetting (en het koloniseren) van Arabisch grondgebied dat in juni 1967 bezet werd (VN Resolutie 242) en breek de apartheid-muur af;
2. Erken de fundamentele rechten en de volledige gelijkheid van de Arabisch-Palestijnse burgers van Israël (VN Verdrag tegen Apartheid);
3. Respecteer, bescherm en bevorder de rechten van Palestijnse vluchtelingen om terug te keren naar hun huizen en bezittingen (VN Resolutie 194).

 Wil je meedoen? Meld je aan voor toekomstige acties, of ga naar onze linktree voor hulpmiddelen om je eigen acties te organiseren.

 Free Palestine

Meld je aan voor onze campagne

Meld je aan voor onze campagne tegen de medeplichtigheid van Albert Heijn aan genocide.