Israel has killed over 2,500 Palestinians every month since ICJ ruling

Gaza is one of the most densely populated places on the planet, where before the war 2.3 million people had been living on a 365-square-kilometre (140-square-mile) strip of land. According to satellite analyses by Scher and Jamon Van Den Hoek, an associate professor of geography at Oregon State University, 56.9 percent of Gaza buildings were damaged or destroyed as of April 21, making a total of 160,000. (photo)

ICJ genocide ruling apparently meaningless to Israel, as Palestinian deaths, torture continue apace; Gaza pier debacle comes to an end; water crisis for Palestinian residents of Jerusalem; Israel demolishes high number of West Bank structures; Netanyahu says No to October 7th investigation; Israeli gov’t continues racist, anti-free speech actions; US sanctions one Israeli soldier for years-old crime; more.

By IAK staff, from reports.

Israeli forces have killed over 2,500 Palestinians every month since ICJ ruling

Al Jazeera reports: On January 26, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) decided that Palestinians in Gaza had the “plausible” right to be protected from genocide and ordered Israel to refrain from acts that could fall under the Genocide Convention.

At the time, the casualties toll in Gaza stood at 26,083 people killed with more than 64,400 people wounded.

Since then, Israeli forces have killed another 12,630 people and wounded more than 24,600 others, meaning more than 2,500 Palestinians were killed every month over the past five months.

People mourn next to dead bodies of Palestinians, who lost their lives during the Israeli attacks as they take out the bodies from the Al-Najjar Hospital, to perform funeral prayers in Rafah, Gaza on October 17, 2023 — People mourn next to dead bodies of Palestinians, who lost their lives during the Israeli attacks as they take out the bodies from the Al-Najjar Hospital, to perform funeral prayers in Rafah, Gaza (photo)

Palestinians released from Israeli detention recount torture, humiliation

Al Jazeera reports: The Palestinian Red Crescent says its teams have treated 13 detainees, including an elderly woman, who were released this morning by the Israeli army at the Kissufim checkpoint in central Gaza.

Upon arrival at the Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir el-Balah, one of the prisoners – who declined to be named – said that a number of inmates inside Israeli prisons had lost their senses as a result of the torture and electric shocks they were subjected to.

Released prisoner Mustafa Fayyad recounted the difficult conditions of his detention due to lack of sleep and food, and being tortured more than once.

Nader Asaliya, who is blind, spoke about the conditions of his detention saying: “They treated us inhumanely inside prisons and called us dogs. We were subjected to all kinds of torture, hunger and humiliation.”

292 injured Gazans have died due to Israel’s closure of Rafah crossing, authorities say

Andalou Agency reports: At least 292 Palestinians lost their lives due to Israel’s closure of the Rafah crossing in the southern Gaza Strip, local authorities said on Wednesday.

“Among the victims were injured people who were supposed to receive treatment in hospitals outside Gaza, but died as they waited for the opening of the Rafah crossing,” Gaza’s government media office said.

The media office estimates that more than 3,500 patients and injured people have been denied exit via the crossing since Israel’s capture of the terminal last May.

Around 2,500 patients have also applied to leave Gaza via the Rafah crossing for medical attention abroad.

“Israel’s closure of the crossing prevents these people from traveling for treatment, which leaves them at risk of death,” the media office warned.

A view of the Rafah crossing, destroyed by Israeli forces this week. (screenshot)

US military to dismantle ill-fated Gaza aid pier, declaring ‘mission complete’

The Guardian reports: The US military-built pier for carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza will be dismantled and brought home, ending a mission that has been fraught with repeated weather and security problems that limited how much food and other supplies could get to starving Palestinians.

Vice Adm Brad Cooper, deputy commander at US Central Command, told reporters in a Pentagon briefing on Wednesday that the pier had achieved its intended effect in what he called an “unprecedented operation”.

“Having now delivered the largest volume of humanitarian assistance ever into the Middle East, we’re now mission complete and transitioning to a new phase,” said Cooper.

NOTE: The U.S. was forced to halt operations four times on the $230 million pier due to weather events. In fact, in the two months since the pier was up and running, it has been operational for only nineteen days.

In that time, about nineteen million pounds of food were brought ashore. If that sounds like a lot, it’s not – it’s about 9,700 tons (8,800 metric tons), which translates to about 646 truckloads, an average of less than fourteen trucks per day.

The pier was expected to handle ninety to one hundred fifty trucks per day.

Prior to the start of hostilities, an average of 500 truckloads entered Gaza every working day.

Food aid from Israel – like US pier – is not more than a trickle

According to OCHA records, the amount of aid reaching the people of Gaza has been trending low since May, when Israel destroyed the Rafah crossing, the main point of entrance for aid trucks.

NOTE: Hundreds of aid trucks are reportedly waiting and spoiling at the southern border of Gaza, where Israel has made it extremely difficult to pass, employing complicated and arbitrary procedures. Israel has on multiple occasions fired at individuals waiting for food aid (once killing over 100 at one time), at least once allegedly sending fake text messages to Gazans, telling them to assemble and then shooting at them when they did; Israel has also attacked food aid convoys and those who accompanied them several times.

Additionally, Israeli citizens have blocked a border crossing for weeks with no meaningful attempt by Israel to reopen it; they have also attacked trucks they believed were heading to Gaza, destroying their contents and in some cases starting them on fire.

In mid-March, Israel promised to “flood” Gaza with aid, but has failed to do so.

Palestinian residents of Jerusalem get 4-12 hours of running water per week

Al Jazeera reports: Ir Amim, a Jerusalem-focused Israeli rights group, says that in the midst of a record-breaking heatwave, there is an acute water crisis in Kufr Aqab, a large Palestinian neighbourhood located along the northern edge of occupied East Jerusalem.

Kufr Aqab is one of eight Palestinian neighbourhoods that are part of the Israeli-run Jerusalem municipality but are located beyond the Israeli separation barrier. It is home to 100,000 people, roughly 30 percent of East Jerusalem’s Palestinian population.

Given severe municipal neglect, which has led to substandard living conditions, “the extreme water scarcity in Kufr Aqab is only liable to further deteriorate conditions and make the area completely uninhabitable, forcing residents out of the city entirely,” Ir Amim said in a statement.

“Although the severe water shortage has continued for nearly two months, there has been little to no acknowledgment by the Jerusalem municipality, Israeli Water Authority, and/or other relevant Israeli bodies, much less attempts to mitigate this humanitarian emergency.”

OCHA weekly West Bank report highlights massive property demolition, damage

A sample of points from OCHA update on West Bank:

Between 7 October and 15 July, Israeli authorities demolished, confiscated or forced the demolition of 1,179 Palestinian structures across the West Bank, of which 40 per cent (474 structures) were inhabited homes. As a result, 2,756 people, including 1,113 children, were displaced. Almost half of those displaced (1,410) had their homes destroyed during military operations, particularly in Jenin and Tulkarm cities and the surrounding refugee camps; 43 per cent (1,176 people) were displaced due to the lack of Israeli-issued building permits; and six per cent (170) were displaced by punitive demolitions.
Between 7 October 2023 and 15 July 2024, OCHA recorded 1,122 attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians, of which 105 led to Palestinian fatalities and injuries, 898 led to damage to Palestinian property, and 119 led to both casualties and property damage.
On 9 July, Israeli forces raided Nur Shams Refugee Camp (Tulkarm) with bulldozers, causing significant damage to essential infrastructure within and around the camp, including about 1,600 metres of sewage and water networks and resulting in disruptions of water, electricity, and internet services. During the 15-hour operation, sounds of exchanges of fire and detonations of explosive devices were reported. A UN-led inter-cluster assessment on 10 July found that 24 residential structures sustained severe damage and were rendered uninhabitable, displacing at least 36 families comprising 149 people.

Israeli settlers live illegally on Palestinian land. (photo)

Netanyahu rejects calls for immediate inquiry into 7 October security failures

The Guardian reports: The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has rejected calls for an immediate independent inquiry into the security failures that allowed the deadliest attack in his country’s history.

Speaking to Israel’s parliament, Netanyahu told lawmakers: “First, I want to beat Hamas.”

A spokesperson for Netanyahu said the Israeli prime minister is not seeking to dodge an inquiry but that “the government is completely focused on winning this war”.

“What people want us to do right now, they don’t want us to go into a dramatic internal investigation while our hostages are still being held, and so many soldiers have abandoned their lives to protect the country,” said the spokesperson. “Of course there will be an investigation, but right now we’re focused on winning this war.”

A video of a three-hour meeting at the prime minister’s office, described in the Israeli media as “tense,” aired on television shortly afterwards, showing a series of confrontations between the bereaved families and the prime minister, who rejected their demands for an apology over his role in the security failures.

(Read the full article here.)

NOTE: While Netanyahu claims to be focused on “beating Hamas,” he is taking a trip to the US next week to speak before Congress. His travel plans required him to avoid stopovers in countries where he might face arrest for war crimes.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (screengrab)

Israeli govt extends law restricting foreign media

The New Arab reports: Israel’s parliament extended a temporary law which allows the country to shut down foreign media outlets they consider a threat to Israel’s security. In a marathon session that lasted until early Thursday morning, the parliament gave final approval to extend the emergency law until Nov. 30.

Israeli officials used the new law on May 5 to close Qatar-based Al Jazeera within Israel, confiscating its equipment, banning its broadcasts and blocking its websites.

Under the law, Israel’s Communications Ministry also briefly seized AP broadcasting equipment from southern Israel after accusing it of violating a new media law by providing images to Al Jazeera. The government returned the equipment to AP several hours later.

A bill that would make the emergency legislation permanent is currently making its way through the Israeli parliament. The draft said a permanent bill is needed because Israel “has faced serious security threats since its establishment and is expected to continue to face them in the future, possibly even more severely”.

Critics say the measure passed earlier this year is undemocratic and a threat to press freedom.

Far-right minister clashes with Arab Knesset members after telling them: ‘Get out, terrorists’

Ha’aretz reports: There were ugly scenes in the Knesset on Wednesday night, after National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, addressing Arab parliamentarians, said: “Get out, get out. All the terrorists get out.”

MKs Ayman Odeh and Youssef Atauna both responded by shouting at Ben-Gvir and telling him to leave the plenum. The far-right minister responded in Arabic, telling them again to “get out.”

At one stage, when Arab MKs approached the podium, Likud lawmaker Hanoch Milwidsky ran toward them and ushers were forced to separate between them. MK Moshe Roth, who was chairing the session, gently reproached Ben-Gvir, asking him “not to use such language.”

The incident occurred during a discussion into Atauna’s demand that the state set up an inquiry into the 2017 killing of Yacoub Abu Al-Qia’an by Israeli police during the demolition of his homes in the Bedouin village of Umm al-Hiran.

At a later meeting of the Knesset Committee, the legal advisor to the Israeli parliament, Sagit Afik, said that, according to regulations, Roth should have ordered Ben-Gvir to step down from the podium after his comments.

שימו לב איך בן גביר מדבר אל חברי כנסת ערבים במליאה – באדיבות ערוץ הכנסת pic.twitter.com/UrJXNUSMd9

— לירי בורק שביט (@lirishavit) July 17, 2024

US imposes visa restrictions on former IDF sergeant for human rights violation

CNN reports: The Biden administration imposed visa restrictions on former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) sergeant Elor Azaria “for his involvement in a gross violation of human rights, namely an extrajudicial killing in the West Bank,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller announced Wednesday.

As a result of the action, Azaria and his immediate family will generally be blocked from coming to the United States.

NOTE: While there has been an major uptick in settler violence since October 7th, every one of the more than 700,000 Israeli settlers living on Palestinian land are violating international law. Israel has illegally built around 280 settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, and incentivized Israeli Jews to live in them. Many Palestinians believe that Israeli settlements and settlers on Palestinian land are the main barrier to any lasting peace agreement.

Over a quarter of Israel’s population contemplate emigration: Poll

The Cradle reports: More than a fourth of Israel’s population say they would leave the country if they could, according to a new survey published on 17 July by the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI).

The poll results show that about 25 percent of Jewish Israelis and 40 percent of Palestinians with Israeli citizenship agreed with the statement, “If I had a practical possibility to immigrate abroad, I would do so.”

Based on the most recent census figures from Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics, this would be proportional to 1,811,750 Jewish Israelis and 835,600 Palestinians with Israeli citizenship, making up more than a quarter of the country’s population.

The survey also shows that public trust in Israel’s political and military leadership has dropped dramatically. Fifty-five percent of respondents said they had low or very low trust in the army’s command, and only 26 percent expressed confidence in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

CAIR Condemns GOP Jewish Coalition CEO’s Apparent Support for ‘Carpet Bombing’ Gaza

From website: The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned remarks by Republican Jewish Coalition CEO Matt Brooks that appeared to endorse the idea of giving a “blank check to Israel” to “finish the job quickly” by carpet bombing Gaza.

“If you need to carpet bomb the area, do it. Just get it done. Rip the band-aid off,” Brooks told reporters when explaining his own understanding of what President Trump’s Gaza policy would be following an address to the Republican National Convention.

In a statement, CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper said:

“The Republican Jewish Coalition leader’s apparent support for the genocidal idea of carpet-bombing Gaza speaks volumes about the systematic, racist dehumanization of the Palestinian people. Genocide is wrong, no matter its victim. Republican elected officials should renounce this genocidal rhetoric, as well as the Israeli government’s ongoing use of American taxpayer dollars to bomb churches, mosques, hospitals, schools, refugee camps, and innocent men, women and children across Gaza.”

Israel must be suspended for violating FIFA statutes, human rights lawyers say

Reuters reports: Israel must be banned from any football-related activities for violating FIFA’s statutes amid the war in Gaza, according to an independent legal analysis by lawyers who specialize in international law and human rights.

The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) had submitted a proposal to suspend Israel in May, with FIFA ordering an urgent legal evaluation while promising to address it at an extraordinary meeting of its council in July.

The Asian Football Confederation had also given its backing for action against Israel and PFA President Jibril Al-Rajoub said that FIFA could not afford to remain indifferent to “violations or to the ongoing genocide in Palestine”.

Attorney Max du Plessis, who was part of the case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice, co-wrote the analysis along with Sarah Pudifin-Jones after they were approached by Eko, a social justice non-profit organization.

There can be no doubt that Israel’s conduct in Palestine has undermined, and continues to undermine, FIFA’s objectives,” the report said.

“Israel has violated the internationally recognized human rights of Palestinians, contrary to Article 3. It has discriminated and continues to discriminate against Palestinians on the basis of race, national origin and birth in direct contravention of Article 4(1).

Protest in Switzerland demanding that Israel be banned from Paris 2024 Olympic Games (photo)

MORE NEWS:

IMEMC Daily Reports.

Al Jazeera: ‘My brothers, my brothers!’: Survivors recall chaos after al-Mawasi attacks

Palestinian Center for Human Rights: Marking a Decade of Impunity: The Killing of Four Bakr Children by the Israeli Military in Gaza

Mondoweiss: ‘They are trying to buy this seat’: Can Cori Bush beat AIPAC?

Electronic Intifada: Sleeping hungry as famine afflicts northern Gaza

The New Arab: Will Gaza’s missing children ever be found?

Over 1,000 attacks on healthcare facilities in occupied Palestinian territory have been documented by @WHO

In #Gaza only 10 out of 26 @UNRWA Health Centres are operational. Our teams continue to risk their lives every day to provide medical care to families but need a #Ceasefire pic.twitter.com/j55RznBjwq

— UNRWA (@UNRWA) July 18, 2024

The Israeli government’s genocide is accelerating with full support from the US. In the past week, hundreds of Palestinians were killed in designated safe zones as the Israeli military continues to deliberately attack the places it has forced Palestinans to flee to. Nowhere in… pic.twitter.com/DVW5ygvqsy

— Jewish Voice for Peace (@jvplive) July 16, 2024

STATISTICS OCTOBER 7 – JULY 17:

Palestinian death toll from October 7 – July 17: at least 39,370* (38,794 in Gaza* – 11,445 women (30%), 16,034 children as of June 17. [The Ministry’s figures have been contested by the Israeli authorities, although they have been accepted as accurate by Israeli intelligence services, the UN, and WHO. These data are supported by independent analyses, comparing changes in the number of deaths of UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) staff with those reported by the Ministry, which found claims of data fabrication implausible.]

This is expected to be a significant undercount since thousands of those killed have yet to be identified – and at least 576 in the West Bank (~140 children). This does not include an estimated 10,000 more still buried under rubble (4,900 women and children). Euro-Med Monitor reports 46,848 Palestinian deaths.

Lancet: “Applying a conservative estimate of four indirect deaths per one direct death to the 37,396 deaths reported, it is not implausible to estimate that up to 186 000 or even more deaths could be attributable to the current conflict in Gaza.

Ralph Nader earlier estimated 200,000 Palestinians may have been killed in Gaza.

At least 46 Palestinians have died in Israeli prisons (27 from Gaza, 18 from West Bank).
At least 40 Palestinians have died due to malnutrition**.
About 1.7 million, or 75% of Gaza’s population are currently displaced.
2.15 million (out of total population of 2.3 million) are projected to face Crisis or worse levels of food insecurity.

Palestinian injuries from October 7 – July 17: at least 94,784 (including at least 89,364 in Gaza and 5,420 in the West Bank, including 830 children).

[It remains unknown how many Americans are among the casualties in Gaza.]

Reported Israeli death toll from October 7 – July 17: ~1,481 (~1,139 on October 7, 2023, of which ~32 were Americans, and ~36 were children); 326 military forces since the ground invasion began in Gaza; 16 in the West Bank) and~8,730 injured.

Times of Israel reports: The IDF listed 41 soldiers killed due to friendly fire in Gaza and other military-related accidents – nearly 16%.

NOTE: It is unknown at this time how many of the deaths and injuries in Israel on October 7 were caused by Israeli soldiers.

*Previously, IAK did not include 471 Gazans killed in the Al Ahli hospital blast since the source of the projectile was being disputed. However, given that much evidence points to Israel as the culprit, Israel had previously bombed the hospital and has attacked many others, Israel is prohibiting outside experts from investigating the scene, and since the UN and other agencies are including the deaths from the attack in their cumulative totals, if Americans knew is now also doing so.**

Euro-Med Monitor reports that Gaza’s elderly are dying at an alarmingly high rate. The majority die at home and are buried either close to their residences or in makeshift graves dispersed across the Strip. There are currently more than 140 such cemeteries. Additionally, according to Euromed, thousands have died from starvation, malnourishment, and inadequate medical care; these are considered indirect victims as they were not registered in hospitals.

† For most of the conflict, women and children accounted for about 70% of deaths in Gaza, with children making up a little over 40% of those killed, according to official statistics.

Find previous daily casualty figures and daily news updates here.

Hover over each bar for exact numbers.
Source: IsraelPalestineTimeline.org