Preemie, fuel, humanitarian, and hospital updates, daily bombardment, hostage update, West Bank news, and more
Find previous daily casualty figures and daily news updates here. For more news, go here and here. Live broadcast news from the region is here.
Some people are led to be skeptical of the Al Jazeera news network. However, the network has won several Emmys, a Peabody and the Overseas Press Association’s Edward R. Murrow award, among many other honors. The New York Times reports that “its reporting hews to international journalistic standards and provides a unique view on events in the Middle East.” it’s important to remember that all news sources may potentially have bias. For example, CNN uses anchors who used to work for the Israel Lobby, who have lifelong attachment to Israel, and who often exhibit pro-Israel spin and omission in their broadcasts. Similarly, Fox News is strongly influenced by Rupert Murdoch, who has a similarly strong attachment to Israel, and who may have fired Tucker Carlson, the network’s most popular host, in part due to the host’s opposition to war and his pattern of failing to exhibit sufficient devotion to Israel).
Latest statistics:
Palestinian death toll: 12,744* (~12,529 in Gaza** (including at least 5,000 children and 3,300 women), and at least 215 in the West Bank). *IAK does not yet include 471 Gazans killed in the Al Ahli hospital blast since the source of the projectile is being disputed; although much evidence points to Israel as the culprit, experts are still looking into the incident. Israel is blocking an international investigation.
Palestinian injuries: 35,103** (including at least 32,300 in Gaza** and 2,803 in the West Bank). **NOTE: it is impossible to offer an accurate number of injuries in Gaza due to the ongoing bombardment and communication disruption.
It remains unknown how many Americans are among the casualties. About 1.7 million people have been displaced; 6,000 are missing (4,000 children) and presumed to be under rubble.
Israel has now killed more Palestinians in a little over a month than in all the previous 22 years combined.
Reported Israeli death toll has been reduced to ~1,200*** (The Israeli spokesman said the original figure of deaths on March 7 was an “initial estimate” – 4 killed in West Bank, 69 in Gaza), including 32 Americans, and ~5,400 injured). The names of the 1,214 identified (about 33 of them children) are here.
RECOMMENDED READING: Israel has lost control of the narrative – October 7 truths coming out
***NOTE: It is unknown at this time how many of the deaths and injuries in Israel may have been caused by Israeli soldiers; additionally, since Israel has a policy of universal conscription, it is unknown how many of those attending the outdoor rave a few miles from Gaza on stolen Palestinian land were Israeli soldiers.
Source: IsraelPalestineTimeline.org
TODAY IS WORLD CHILDREN’S DAY. Celebrated annually on November 20, it is a global initiative promoting children’s rights, safety, education, health and happiness. One out of every 200 children in Gaza has been killed by Israeli attacks in the past six weeks.
RECOMMENDED READING: World Children’s Day tragedy: Gaza’s 5,500 lives lost to Israel’s attacks
Preemie update: All 31 of the premature babies evacuated from al-Shifa Hospital are fighting serious infections, according to a WHO report. (05:01 GMT) 28 of them have now been evacuated to Egypt; 3 remain in the hospital. (12:40 GMT)
Another hospital under attack: A spokesperson for the Health Ministry in Gaza says that Israeli tanks are positioned around the Indonesian Hospital complex in northern Gaza. Israeli forces have been attacking the hospital since the middle of the night, wounding doctors and killing at least 12 civilians who were taking refuge. Israeli forces then targeted people who were leaving the hospital by shooting them near the hospital. Before the attack there were 15,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) around and inside the hospital.
The hospital is using a small power generator that runs on vegetable oil, manufactured by some creative individuals who sacrificed some of their food supply to run the generator. (10:55 GMT)
Fuel update: On 19 November, 69,000 liters of fuel entered Gaza from Egypt. The Israeli authorities have confirmed that they would start allowing the entry of a daily amount of approximately 70,000 liters of fuel, well below the minimum requirements for essential humanitarian operations. Fuel is set to be distributed by UNRWA to support food distribution, and the operation of generators at hospitals, water and sanitation facilities, shelters, and other critical services.
On 19 November, UNRWA and UNICEF distributed 19,500 liters of fuel to water and sanitation facilities in southern Gaza, enabling them to operate generators and resume their operation. This fuel is expected to last for about 24 hours.
Humanitarian aid update: Apart from fuel trucks, Israel permitted 30 humanitarian truckloads to enter Gaza on 18 November, and another 69 trucks on 19 November. Overall, between 21 October and 19 November at 18:00, 1,268 trucks of humanitarian supplies have entered Gaza (excluding fuel). Prior to the start of hostilities, an average of 500 truckloads entered Gaza every working day.
RECOMMENDED READING: Human rights reports on Israel-Palestine (regularly updated)
Jordan sends field hospital: Israel has apparently permitted a field hospital, sent by Jordan, to enter the Gaza Strip. It will be set up on Khan Younis in southern Gaza. (12:10 GMT)
Sites of recent Israeli bombardment and casualties include:
- A UN school in Bureij – unknown casualties
- Homes in Rafah, southern Gaza – at least 14 killed
- Residential area in Jabalia al-Balad – dozens killed
- A home in the Bishara neighborhood in Deir al-Balah – unknown casualties
Journalists at risk: Six journalists and media workers were killed in Gaza in the last 24 hours (in addition to 6 killed the previous day). The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has preliminarily documented the death of 48 journalists since 7 October, including 43 Palestinian, 4 Israelis and 1 Lebanese, making it the deadliest month for journalists since CPJ began gathering data in 1992.
RECOMMENDED READING: Israel floats program for ethnic cleansing disguised as humanitarianism
Expanded evacuation: “>What happened in northern Gaza is now happening in the south. >In eastern Khan Younis, southern Gaza, Israeli forces are dropping leaflets telling residents to leave for safer areas. (07:50 GMT)
Hostage update: Sources say that there has been progress in hostage negotiations to release some captive, but nothing has been closed yet. It is expected that women and children will be released in exchange for a ceasefire of several days and for the release of female and minor detainees from Israeli prisons. The release would take place in phases during the halt in hostilities. The length of the ceasefire would be determined by the number of captives to be released, the source added. (09:30 GMT)
West Bank news: A Palestinian was shot and killed Monday morning by Israeli soldiers near Arroub refugee camp in the south of the West Bank. Israeli soldiers opened fire at a car with two people in it near Arroub refugee camp. The soldiers prevented ambulances from approaching Sarahin; he was left bleeding until he died.
RECOMMENDED READING: More Palestinians killed in past 34 days than in the past 22 years combined
WB businesses suffering: 25 percent of industrial and commercial enterprises were closed in the occupied West Bank this past week due to restrictive Israeli military measures, the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Economy has said. Between 12-16 November, businesses were subject to either complete or partial closure because of Israeli military raids and movement restrictions on individuals and goods, the ministry said. Eight percent of economic establishments were subject to direct attacks by the Israeli army and/or settlers, causing damage to their products or premises. (13:40 GMT)
Death penalty for Palestinians under consideration: The Israeli National Security Committee has convened to discuss a bill for the introduction of the death penalty against Palestinian fighters. The proposal was advanced by the party of far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. “The death penalty law for terrorists is no longer a matter of left and right … [it’s] a moral and essential law for the State of Israel,” said Ben-Gvir on X. (10:45 GMT)
Israel news: The Israeli army says two more of its soldiers have been killed during fighting in northern Gaza.
Massive shelling on & around Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza. Injuries have been reported among people who’ve taken shelter in its courtyard.
This small hospital is the only remaining hospital in the entirety of northern Gaza, and takes in 100s of victims every day. pic.twitter.com/Kz9Ja2g4P6
— Mohammad Alsaafin (@malsaafin) November 20, 2023
What in heaven's name did I just watch?
1877-Kid4Genocide
Posted (then deleted) on the website of Israel's national public broadcast Kan!pic.twitter.com/6k2bKgT6ye
— Muhammad Shehada (@muhammadshehad2) November 19, 2023
