Updates on truce, hospital & humanitarian situations, Iran, recent bombardments, West Bank news, Israeli & int’l statements
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: at least 14,257* (~14,029 in Gaza** (including at least 6,000 children and 4,000 women), and at least 228 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: 37,831** (including at least 35,000 in Gaza** and 2,831 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; 6,500 are missing (4,400 children) and presumed to be under rubble.
Israel killed more Palestinians in a little over a month after Oct. 7 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, 75 in Gaza), including 32 Americans, and ~5,400 injured). The names of the 1,217 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
Truce delayed: War raged on in Gaza on Thursday, as a proposed truce and release of hostages was delayed for at least another day. More than a day after plans were unveiled for the conflict’s first ceasefire, the anticipated announcement of the official start time had yet to materialise. Israel said it would not begin at least until Friday. A Palestinian official has told AFP that a delay in the implementation of the truce deal is due to “last minute” details over which captives would be released and how. (07:05 GMT)
Humanitarian update: 80 trucks carrying humanitarian supplies entered on 20 November. Overall, since October 21, 1,479 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.
Food security: Since 7 November, members of the Food Security Sector have been unable to deliver assistance in the north, as access has been largely cut off. Due to the lack of cooking facilities and fuel, people are resorting to consuming the few raw vegetables or unripe fruits that remain available to them. No bakeries are active due to the lack of fuel, water, and wheat flour, and structural damage. Wheat flour is reportedly no longer available in the market. Food Security Cluster members have raised serious concerns about the nutritional status of people, especially lactating women, and children.
Red Cross staff were shot at while trying to deliver humanitarian support in northern Gaza, a spokesperson for the aid group said. (11:45 GMT)
Another hospital evacuated: The Indonesian charity Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C), which funded the Indonesia Hospital in Gaza when it was built in 2011, says the hospital has been completely evacuated after orders from Israel, and its volunteers moved to Rafah. “The doctors and the wounded were moved to the European Hospital. Our volunteers are sheltering at a school with thousands of others.”
Israel arrests hospital director: A spokesperson for the Health Ministry in Gaza says Abu Salmiya, the director of al-Shifa Hospital, was en route from the northern Gaza Strip to the south with other medics when he and other doctors were arrested by Israeli forces. A Palestinian spokesperson said Gaza’s Health Ministry has decided to stop coordination with the World Health Organization in evacuating wounded people and medical staff.
Another journalist (and his family) killed: Israeli air strikes killed photojournalist Mohammad Moin Ayyash along with a number of his family members, in his home in Nuseirat refugee camp. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 53 journalists and media workers have been killed since the war began on October 7. (08:40 GMT)
Commentator: “Netanyahu’s objective, beyond unleashing his wrath on Gaza with impunity, is to convince or manipulate the US into fighting Iran on his behalf” as Israel did with Iraq.
RECOMMENDED READING: Are the Americans Ready for Another Iraq?
Sites of recent Israeli bombardment and casualties include:
- House bombed in Sheikh Radwan – at least 10 killed
- Jabalia refugee camp – at least 4 killed
- Homes in Khan Younis – at least 15 killed
- Homes in Deir el-Balah – casualties unknown
- Israeli attacks destroyed three mosques in Khan Younis
- buildings in Ash Shuja’iyeh area of Gaza city were struck, reportedly killing 30
West Bank news:
Over the past 24 hours, Israeli forces killed eight Palestinian men in three separate operations across the West Bank. Six fatalities occurred in the Tulkarm Refugee Camp, in an operation that involved armed clashes with Palestinians and Israeli airstrikes, resulting in extensive infrastructure and residential damage.
Ben-Gvir says “no expressions of joy”: Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has ordered prison authorities to stop any attempts to celebrate the expected release of Palestinians once the truce comes into effect. He said, “My instructions are clear: There are to be no expressions of joy.” Ben-Gvir said the celebration is the equivalent of “terrorism”, likening it to supporting what Hamas was doing. In one of Israel’s prisons holding Palestinians, he ordered that the Israeli national anthem be played on loudspeakers. (12:40 GMT)
Israeli president statement: Israel’s President Issac Herzog has met with his Spanish and Belgian counterparts in Tel Aviv. He later tweeted, “I made it clear that the State of Israel has the right to defend itself and that we are committed to international humanitarian law and committed to working for a better future for the people of Israel and the residents of the region.” (11:00 GMT)
UK foreign secretary David Cameron has visited Kibbutz Be’eri in southern Israel, the scene of some of the worst violence during the Hamas attack on October 7. “I wanted to come here to see it for myself; I have heard and seen things I will never forget,” the new UK foreign secretary and former prime minister said in an X post. He did not visit Gaza (11:40 GMT)
Prominent conservative leader Charlie Kirk has been under fire for a podcast in which he said: “I’m not willing to say, to go so far to say that Netanyahu knew or there was intelligence here, but I think some questions need to be asked. Was there a stand down order? Was there a stand down order?” Kirk had also said he wanted answers from Israel after the country admitted bombing a church where Christian civilians were sheltered, resulting in numerous deaths.
Just so we’re clear:@charliekirk11 is implying Bibi Netanyahu purposely let Hamas
murder 1,200 Israelis
behead children
take 100+ people hostage—all as part of a plan to acquire more power in Israel
Unbelievable pic.twitter.com/2M7a7AfrNp
— John Hasson (@SonofHas) October 14, 2023
[Note: The Israeli claim off “beheaded babies” was shown to be a lie.]
BBC bias: The BBC has been accused by its journalists of failing to tell the story of the Israel-Hamas conflict accurately, investing greater effort in humanizing Israeli victims compared with Palestinians, and omitting key historical context in coverage. They said:
The BBC has failed to accurately tell this story – through omission and lack of critical engagement with Israel’s claims – and it has therefore failed to help the public engage with and understand the human rights abuses unfolding in Gaza. Thousands of Palestinians have been killed since October 7. When will the number be high enough for our editorial stance to change?
The firing of rockets by Palestinian armed groups towards Israeli population centres 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. Rockets have killed a total of 45 people over the 22 years they’ve been fired.
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