Humanitarian aid & fuel update, new Israeli airstrikes, Al Shifa Hospital crisis, Palestinian deaths in West Bank, 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: 11,741* (~11,529 in Gaza** (including at least 4,707 children and 3,155 women), and at least 212 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: 31,750** (including at least 29,000 in Gaza** and 2,750 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 1.6 million people have been displaced; 3,750 are missing (1,800 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” – 3 killed in West Bank, 56 in Gaza), including 32 Americans, and ~5,400 injured). The names of the 1,176 identified (about 33 of them children) are here.
***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
Humanitarian aid update: No humanitarian supplies were confirmed to have entered Gaza on 17 November, as of 18:00, for the third consecutive day. This is due to UNRWA’s inability to receive and distribute additional loads, because of its lack of fuel, compounded by the shutdown of telecommunications.
Since 21 October, 1,139 trucks carrying food, water and medical supplies have entered Gaza. Prior to the start of hostilities, an average of 500 truckloads entered Gaza every working day.
Fuel for Gaza – to protect Israelis: The war cabinet will allow the entry of two fuel trucks per day into southern Gaza in response to a US request. The decision was intended to “minimally support water, sewage and sanitation systems, in order to prevent the outbreak of epidemics that could spread in the entire area, harm both the residents of the Strip and our forces, and spread even into Israel.”
A US State Department official said an additional 20,000 litres (5,300 gallons) every two days would be allowed in to power generators of telecom company Paltel. (06:35 GMT)
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said the move was leading Israel “to a wrong policy,” adding “there is no sense in giving the enemy humanitarian gifts,” until all captives were released. (06:30 GMT)
RECOMMENDED READING: Israel admits burning hundreds of people on 7 October
Sites of recent bombardment and casualties include:
- A home in Khan Younis – at least 15 killed
- Jabaliya camp – at least 32 killed, 19 of them children, all from one family
- 2 areas in Khan Younis city (south Gaza) – at least 28 killed
- UNRWA Al Fakhoora School – at least 50 killed
- A home in Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza – 4 bodies recovered so far
- A home in Deir Al Balah – at least 6 killed
- Residential buildings in central Gaza’s Nuseirat area – at least 20 people and 140 trapped under the rubble
RECOMMENDED READING: Israel-Palestine war: This is not about Hamas. It’s a 75-year colonial war
Al Shifa Hospital evacuation, humiliation, strip searches: Al Jazeera reports that the occupants of Al Shifa Hospital were given one hour to evacuate at gunpoint, and were forced to exit in a single file line while waving white handkerchiefs. 5 doctors were left behind to care for about 100 patients who couldn’t be moved. Israeli forces did not allow dozens of premature babies to be evacuated.
As Gazans were evacuated from the hospital, they were subject to hours-long interrogations and humiliating body searches and strip searches. “Many of the civilians inside the hospital were kept hostages in the upper floor of the hospital denied food, water, treated with humiliation and abuse.”
Israeli forces deny ordering the evacuation. (13:05 GMT)
Power outage deaths at Al Shifa Hospital: Administrators at the hospital reported the deaths of 40 patients, including four premature babies, since November 11 due to a lack of electricity at the medical facility. (03:00 GMT)
RECOMMENDED READING: ‘BBC Verify’ displays its analysis refuting Israeli claims against Al-Shifa hospital
Men reportedly blocked from going south: Eyewitnesses state that Israeli forces are stationed at the road separating northern Gaza from the southern part, and have set up a checkpoint where men are denied access to the south, while women are allowed to leave. (11:26 GMT)
West Bank news: 5 Palestinians killed in air strike: The Israeli army says it conducted an air strike in the Balata refugee camp located near Nablus. Its target, it said, was a hideout for men planning an attack against Israel. (07:45 GMT)
Olive harvest disrupted: Israeli occupation soldiers and colonists today attacked Palestinians harvesting their olive crops across the West Bank and forced them to leave their lands.
Israel’s next target, Yemen?: Israeli Air Force Commander Tomer Bar has stated that Tel Aviv had plans to launch attacks in Yemen. The Israeli military official’s statements came days after the Houthi-affiliated Yemeni armed forces announced the launch of a batch of ballistic missiles at various Israeli targets, including sensitive targets in the Eilat region. A Yemini spokesperson stressed that operations by the Yemeni armed forces against Israel will not stop until Tel Aviv stops targeting Gaza.
The firing of rockets by Palestinian armed groups towards Israeli population centers has continued over the past 24 hours, with no reported fatalities. (Information on rocket attacks is here.) It appears that the last time a rocket killed an Israeli was October 7-8, as reported by Ha’aretz and the Times of Israel. 15 Israelis were killed – 10 of them Palestinian Israelis who reportedly had no access to bomb shelters.
Meta & TikTok recieved 8k removal requests from Israel. 94% of the flagged content has been taken down. FB & IG received 60% of the 9.5k total requests, TikTok got 26%, X 10%, & YouTube & Telegram less than 5%
Israel's requests surged 10fold since October7https://t.co/jVcKk7NB2e pic.twitter.com/N9MGc5znKP— Mona shtaya (@Monashtayya) November 18, 2023
Must be shared widely!
The question then is: who burned them?
The burned bodies that Israel used as an excuse to commit the genocide in Gaza were for Palestinian fighters. pic.twitter.com/yo2bymiDIo
— Ramy Abdu| رامي عبده (@RamAbdu) November 17, 2023
