Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses.

 

18,787 Counted for Palestinians Killed,  7,760+ Missing Under the Rubble, in US-Backed Israeli Genocidal War on Starved Gaza Strip

December 15, 2023 

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Editor's Notes:  

Here are some initial (not final) statistics, which show the Israeli war crimes against humanity, during the current Israeli genocidal war on Gaza:  

By December 14, 2023, the initial death toll of Palestinians who have been killed by the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza Strop is 26,547+.   

This includes the accounted for deaths (18,787) and those who are still missing under the rubble (7,760+).   

The documented injuries exceeded 51,100.   

By December 10, 2023, the death toll included 7,875+ children and 6,130+ women.   

By December 14, 2023,  there was a complete destruction of 56,000+ housing units, and 224,000+ damaged housing units (60% of Gaza housing units). This forced about 1.5 million people to become homeless, taking refuge in crowded UN schools and ultimately sleeping in the streets.  

The Israeli refusal to allow international aid caravans to enter Gaza freely led the Palestinian population to be on the verge of mass extermination for the lack of food, water, medicine, and fuel.  

By December 6, 2023, 290 health personnel were killed and hundreds were injured, 102 ambulances were destroyed while on duty, killing and injuring their crews, and destroyed 56 health institutions. As a result of the strikes and lack of fuel, 26 hospitals and 46 primary care centers are not functioning.  

By December 14, 2023, there were 286 Palestinians who were killed, 3,430+ who were injured, and 4,400 who were abducted by Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank, since October 7, 2023. 

 

Palestinian children queuing to get some food from a charity in Rafa'h, December 14, 2023 imemc.jpg	A Palestinian family forced to leave its house in northern Gaza taking refuge in a street in Southern Gaza Strip, December 15, 2023
Palestinian volleyball stars Hasan Zu'aitir and Ibraheem Qaisiya, players of the Friendship Club and the national team, were both killed in an Israeli bombing that targeted the Jabalya refugee camp in the Gaza Strip in November 2023	Palestinian Muslims performing the Friday prayer in the streets of Wadi Al-Joaz and Ras Al-'Amoud neighborhoods after being prevented from reaching Al-Aqsa Mosue, in Jerusalem, December 15, 2023
A view of the total destruction by the Israeli genocidal air strikes on residential neighborhoods in Gaza, file, December 15, 2023	An Israeli genocidal air strike on Khan Younus, December 9, 2023

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

"مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَٰلِكَ كَتَبْنَا عَلَىٰ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَنَّهُ مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا"  (الْمَائِدَةُ ، 5: 32).

"وَمَنْ يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُّتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِدًا فِيهَا وَغَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُ عَذَابًا عَظِيمًا" (النِّسَاءُ ، 4: 93).

"Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul, unless for a soul, or for corruption in the land, it is as if he had killed humankind entirely" (The Holy Quran, Al-Ma-ida, 5: 32).

"And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell, wherein he will abide eternally, and Allah has become angry with him, and has cursed him, and has prepared for him a great torment" (Al-Nisa, 4: 93).

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While brutal force has been used to create Zionist Israel and sustain it thus far, Zionist claims to Palestine are false. Actually, from the five thousand years of known written human history, there has been a continuous Palestinian-Canaanite presence in the Holy Land. Despite the Zionist false claims, the ancient Israelites ruled part of the land for only 85 years (during the reign of Prophets David and Solomon , peace be upon them, and Solomon's son).

 After that, the Egyptians conquered Palestine-Canaan in 925 BC, followed by Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans, before the Arab Muslim rule, starting from 636 AD.

By the Time Jesus, peace be upon him, started his mission, the three population groups of Canaanites, Palestinians, and Israelites were melted together in religion and language. Most of them became Christians when Constantine converted in 313 AD. Then, most of them became Muslims in the 7th and 8th centuries AD.

So, Palestinian Muslims, Christians, and Jews are the ones who have the right to claim descent from ancient Israelites, Palestinians, and Canaanites, not Zionists from other continents.

No matter what the Zionists and their supporters do, they cannot change the will of God, Who promised the Holy Land to Abraham and his descendants, basically the Palestinian Muslims and Christians.

No matter how much persecution and aggression the Zionists and their supporters inflict upon the Palestinian people, they will never be able to force them out of the Holy Land, which Allah, praise to Him, promised for them, and kept His promise ever since.

The following news stories are just examples, not a systematic record, of the Israeli occupation government abuse, mistreatment, and violations of Palestinian human rights, on daily basis.

More detailed news stories can be found at the following sources:

http://english.wafa.ps/, https://english.palinfo.com/, https://imemc.org/, https://paltoday.ps/ar/


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Editorial Notes about terms & names of people and places:

1. Names of people and places have been standardized to match standard Arabic grammatical rules.

2. Underlined letters and letters preceded by an apostrophe are references to Arabic letter sounds, which does not exist in the English alphabet.

3. The English letter i is equivalent to the Arabic short vowel known as kasra, as in Ibraheem and Qasim as well as in the English words sit and bit. So, it is incorrect to use it as a long vowel for such Arabic names as Jameel and Jibreel.

4. The English letter e is equivalent to the Arabi short vowel known as fat'ha, as in A'hmed and Mu'hammed.

5. It is more accurate to refer to the land-grabbing Israelis, who establish illegal settlements in the Palestinian territory of the West Bank, as illegal Israeli settlers, than referring to them as colonists.

The term colony is a reference to a large entity or a country, such as American states before independence. It was also a reference to Egypt, and India, when they were British colonies.

In addition, the term "colony" represents a positive nostalgic theme, in the minds of native speakers of English, particularly in America and Britain.

6. It is more accurate to use the verb "abduct" than the verb "detain," in reference to taking Palestinian citizens by force to prisons and interrogation centers, by Israeli occupation regime soldiers. This is because the presence of the Israeli occupation regime forces is illegal in the Palestinian territories, and they have no jurisdiction over the Palestinian people.

Click here for more about using the apostrophe and the underlining of letters in the transliteration of Arabic names.


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Only 7,000 Palestinians allowed to perform Friday prayer in Al-Aqsa Mosque

Friday 15-December-2023,

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)--

 A photojournalist was injured on Friday as Israeli forces assaulted worshipers who were banned entry to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Occupied Jerusalem to perform Friday prayer.

The Israeli occupation regime police forced worshipers to leave the Mosque before they headed to Wadi Al-Joaz and Ras Al-'Amoud neighborhoods to perform Friday prayer there.

A Jerusalemite source reported that Israeli occupation forces severely beat photographer Mustafa Al-Kharouf in Wadi Al-Joaz, injuring him in the head.

The Israeli occupation regime police officers hindered the work of Palestinian pressmen, blocked their movement, and prevented them from approaching and checking on their colleague, Al-Kharouf, after he was transferred to hospital.

Meanwhile, only 7,000 worshipers were allowed to perform prayers in Al-Aqsa Mosque, as the Israeli occupation regime police banned the entry of hundreds of people into the holy site, allowing only residents of the Old City of Jerusalem to access the Mosque, according to Islamic Endowments in Jerusalem.

The Israeli occupation regime police officers also assaulted a number of elderly people who attempted to enter the holy site from Al-Asbat Gate.

Gaza plunges into telecom outage for second day amid Israel's offensive

GAZA, Friday, December 15, 2023 (WAFA) –

For the second consecutive day, a complete outage of telecommunications and internet services persists in central and southern Gaza, as well as parts of Gaza City, due to the ongoing Israeli offensive.

Last night, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology announced a total disruption of communication and internet services for PalTel and Ooredoo companies in central and southern Gaza. It said the ongoing Israeli offensive on the enclave was the cause for this disruption.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society also reported yesterday that it has completely lost contact with its operations room in the Gaza Strip and all its teams working there. This is due to the Israeli occupation authorities cutting off all landline, cellular, and internet networks entirely for the fifth time since the beginning of the offensive.

The communication blackout is causing serious concerns, as it hampers the ability of residents to access essential services, exacerbates the challenges faced by emergency response teams, and isolates Gaza from the rest of the world during a critical time.

M.N.

Israel has killed 85 Palestinian athletes, says Football Association

RAMALLAH, Thursday, December 14, 2023 (WAFA) - 

The Palestinian Football Association said that, in the period between October 7th and December 6th, it documented the killing of 85 Palestinian athletes, including 55 football players and 30 players in other sports.

The Association issued a comprehensive report on Thursday in which it indicated that the Israeli occupation forces, in their continued aggression against the northern and southern governorates of the country, targeted Palestinian athletes and sports facilities, especially football players, and club presidents, administrators, referees, and others.

According to the report, the slain football players included 18 children and 37 youths, including two in the West Bank, while 4 players were wounded in the Gaza Strip.

It explained that the Israeli bombing led to the destruction of nine sports facilities, four in the West Bank and five in the Gaza Strip.

The report pointed out that the occupation forces detained three athletes in the West Bank, while in the Gaza Strip, the number is infinite in light of the number of missing people there.

K.T.

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Killing and Injuring of Palestinians in Ghazza (Gaza) by Israeli Occupation Regime Forces

The 70th day of the Israeli genocidal war continues on Gaza

Friday 15-December-2023 (PIC)--

The brutal Israeli genocidal war entered its 70th consecutive day Friday on the Gaza Strip, by continuing the bloody war, intensifying aerial bombardment and artillery shelling, and committing massacres, including field executions and mass arrests, as part of the genocide and ethnic cleansing operations, amid a catastrophic humanitarian situation.

Medical sources reported the arrival of 18 martyrs and dozens of wounded as a result of Israeli aerial and artillery bombardment in various areas of Khan Yunis, including 5 martyrs as a result of shelling targeting Haifa School, which shelters displaced people in Khan Younus.

The Israeli artillery fired flare bombs in Khan Younus before dawn, while the savage artillery shelling continued.

Clashes between the resistance and Israeli occupation forces (IOF) took place in eastern Rafa'h, where aerial and artillery bombardment targeted the area, including the targeting of a house in Tel Al-Sultan neighborhood in Rafa'h.

Four martyrs, including two children, and more than 15 injuries arrived at Nasir Hospital as a result of an Israeli bombardment of the Abu Nasr family’s house in the refugee camp west of Khan Younus.

Israeli warplanes bombed Al-Sa'di Tower in the Nusayrat camp.

The IOF forced the medical staff, patients, and journalists to evacuate the Jabalya Martyrs Medical Center.

Israeli warplanes bombed a residential area near the Kuwaiti Hospital in southern Rafa'h, resulting in dozens of martyrs and injured, who were transferred to the Martyr Abu Yousuf Al-Najjar Hospital in the city.

Israeli warplanes also bombed residential neighborhoods and houses in Dair El-Bala'h, Gaza, Nusayrat, and Jabalya, resulting in a number of injuries.

Communication and internet services have been cut off for the second consecutive day.

The number of martyrs due to the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip since October 7th has risen to 18,787 martyrs and about 50,900 injured, in a provisional toll.

Death toll across Palestine surges to 18,897, over 55,000 wounded

RAMALLAH, Friday, December 15, 2023 (WAFA) –

In the wake of the devastating Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, the death toll has surged to at least 18,897, with over 55,000 individuals wounded, the Ministry of Health said in an update this evening.

The Ministry said in a press statement that the documented number of casualties in the Gaza Strip has reached 18,700, while the death toll in the West Bank also surged to 286. In addition, the ministry said, 51,000 Palestinians have been injured in Gaza, and nearly 3,430 others in the West Bank.

The ministry explained that the health sector in Gaza is facing a severe crisis, as dozens of healthcare centers have ceased operations due to continuous bombardment and fuel shortages.

The Ministry of Health reported that over 60% of homes in Gaza have been destroyed, including more than 56,000 units completely destroyed and 224,000 units partially destroyed. The final count of destroyed units and buildings remains unavailable due to ongoing Israeli airstrikes.

According to the statement, there has been a growing trend of Israeli occupation forces targeting hospitals, health centers, ambulances, and medical teams in the West Bank. “The occupation has escalated attacks on hospitals, besieging and raiding them, as well as assaulting ambulances and detaining the wounded.”

Settler attacks continue, it said, with 308 incidents recorded since the outbreak of the aggression on the Palestinian people on October 7. These attacks have resulted in injuries and property damage owned by Palestinians. Moreover, at least 143 Palestinian families, comprising 1,014 individuals, including 388 children, have been displaced amidst settler violence and access restrictions.

M.N. 

Nonstop Israeli genocidal airstrikes on Gaza claim dozens of innocent lives, as the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza enters Day 70

GAZA, Friday, December 15, 2023 (WAFA) –

As the Israeli genocidal war on the Gaza Strip enters its 70th day in a row, dozens of innocent civilians were brutally murdered since last night in a nonstop Israeli bombardment campaign targeted various areas in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli bombardment intensified this morning, focusing particularly on Gaza City, where the majority of the casualties occurred, local and medical sources said.

The sources confirmed that at least 15 people were killed and dozens injured in the Zaytoun neighborhood, east of the city, as Israeli military drones fired missiles towards groups of civilians in the streets. Among the victims were a significant number of children and women. The continuous airstrikes made it nearly impossible for ambulances to reach the casualties.

In the Zaytoun area, Israeli artillery targeted six inhabited houses, resulting in additional casualties. Ten of the victims were transported to the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital for medical treatment. Simultaneously, Israeli artillery shelled homes near Salah al-Din Street south of the city, causing dozens of injuries.

Meantime, Israeli warplanes destroyed the vendor stalls in the Shuja'iya neighborhood, east of Gaza City, along with ten inhabited houses, killing at least nine civilians and injuring 25 others.

In the Daraj neighborhood of Gaza City, Israeli artillery fired ten shells, once again hitting the Fahmi A-Jirjawi School for the second time. This attack resulted in four deaths and nine injuries, with the majority of the wounded being children.

The Daraj neighborhood in Gaza City also faced rocket and artillery attacks, causing 20 fatalities and numerous injuries. Additionally, invading Israeli forces detained 25 individuals, aged between 15 and 55, after forcing them to strip naked.

In the areas of Al-Nasr and Al-Shaikh Radwan in northern Gaza City, heavy gunfire from Israeli drones, missile airstrikes, and artillery bombardments led to more casualties. Ambulances were unable to reach the affected areas due to the continuous attacks.

Eyewitnesses reported field executions carried out by the Israeli military in the Palestine Mosque Square in Gaza City, resulting in the execution of at least five citizens, including an elderly man. Fifteen others were arrested after being stripped of their clothes.

In Jabalya, northern Gaza, multiple houses around Kamal 'Adwan and Al-'Awda hospitals were targeted by Israeli airstrikes, causing more casualties. Israeli tanks also stormed the UNRWA schools square in Jabalya, firing indiscriminately at civilians and leading to dozens of injuries. Several displaced individuals, including children, were detained by the invading Israeli occupation forces.

In the Shaikh Zayed Towers area of Bait Lahya, northern Gaza, the Israeli artillery bombarded residential buildings and apartments with dozens of shells, resulting in a large number of casualties and injuries.

Furthermore, a school sheltering displaced people in Khan Younus, southern Gaza, was targeted in an Israeli airstrike, resulting in at least five fatalities and numerous injuries.

Throughout the night and into the early hours of Friday, Israeli artillery targeted various neighborhoods in Khan Younus, causing dozens of casualties and injuries.

The continuous Israeli aggression on Gaza since October 7 has now claimed nearly 18,787 lives and left approximately 50,900 people wounded, in an ongoing and tragic toll that continues to rise.

M.N.

More civilian casualties in Gaza as the Israeli occupation forces bomb a school housing displaced families in Khan Younus

KHAN YUNIS, Friday, December 15, 2023 (WAFA) -

In a devastating Israeli airstrike early this morning, five civilians were massacred and dozens were wounded when an Israeli airstrike targeted a school sheltering displaced people in Khan Younus, southern Gaza, according to local and medical sources.

A few hours earlier, at least four civilians, including children, were killed, and others injured when Israeli forces bombarded the Abu Nasr family home in the western camp west of Khan Younus. The casualties were swiftly transported to Nasser Hospital in the city.

The artillery shelling by Israeli occupation forces overnight and into the morning in various neighborhoods of Khan Younus resulted in numerous casualties and injuries. Additionally, an Israeli airstrike hit a residential block near Kuwaiti Hospital in Rafa'h, southern Gaza, leading to scores of casualties and injuries. The victims were rushed to the Abu Yusuf al-Najjar Hospital in the city.

The Israeli genocidal airstrikes also targeted residential areas and homes in Dair El-Bala'h, Gaza City, Nusayrat, and Jabalya, causing several injuries among the civilian population.

The ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip since October 7 has tragically claimed the lives of 18,787 individuals, including over 7,000 children, and left approximately 50,900 injured, according to a non-final tally. 

M.N.

Multiple civilian casualties in Israeli genocidal airstrikes on Khan Younus, Rafa'h

GAZA, Friday, December 15, 2023 (WAFA) -

A number of civilians were brutally murdered last night in a series of Israeli airstrikes which targeted multiple locations in the cities of Khan Younus and Rafa'h in the south of the Gaza Strip, according to local sources.

In Khan Younus, at least four civilians, including children, were reported murdered, and several others were injured when Israeli occupation forces targeted the Abu Nasr family home with an airstrike. The casualties were swiftly transported to Nasser Hospital in the city for medical attention.

Additionally, artillery bombardment by the Israeli occupation forces hit several neighborhoods in the city, resulting in dozens of casualties. 

The toll increased further as Israeli warplanes bombed a residential area near Kuwaiti Hospital in Rafa'h, south of the Gaza Strip. Scores of casualties were rushed to the Abu Yousuf Al-Najjar Hospital in the city.

The Israeli genocidal airstrikes were not confined to Khan Younus and Rafa'h; residential areas and homes in Dair El-Bala'h, Gaza City, and Al-Nussayrat faced Israeli bombardments, causing additional injuries among the civilian population.

The ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza has now claimed an alarming toll, with a non-final count of 18,787 victims and approximately 50,900 wounded. 

M.N.

Israeli occupation forces launch artillery strikes on southern Lebanon

BEIRUT, Friday, December 15, 2023 (WAFA) –

Several towns and villages in southern Lebanon came today under a barrage of Israeli occupation army artillery strikes, according to Lebanese media reports.

In a series of coordinated attacks, Israeli artillery bombed several locations in the towns and villages of Sardah, Al-Khiyam, Yarine, Majidiya, Tayr Harfa, Kafr Shouba, and Labbouna, the reports said.

M.N. 

UN Report: At Least 173 Palestinians Killed Thursday

 IMEMC, DEC 15, 2023

On 14 December, heavy Israeli bombardments from air, land, and sea across Gaza continued, especially in Jabalya, Bait 'Hanoun and Bait Lahya, in the northern Gaza Strip. Between the afternoons of 13 and 14 December, at least 179 Palestinians were killed and another 303 were injured, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza. Overall, according to MoH, between 7 October and 14 December afternoon, at least 18,787 Palestinians have been  killed in Gaza. About 70 per cent are said to be women and children, and about 50,5897 were reportedly injured. Many  people are missing, presumably buried under the rubble, waiting for rescue or recovery.

Additionally, intense ground operations and fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups continued, especially in Khan Younus, in southern Gaza. According to the Israeli military, one Israeli soldier was killed in Gaza on 14 December, bringing the total number of Israeli soldiers who have been killed in Gaza since the start of the ground operations to 116, with 648 injured, according to the Israeli military. The firing of rockets by Palestinian armed groups into Israel has also continued.

On 14 December, for the third consecutive day, Israeli troops, accompanied by tanks, raided Kamal 'Adwan Hospital, in Bait Lahya, north of Gaza city, with reports of Palestinians being subjected to mass arrests and ill-treatment. The MoH in Gaza claimed that Israeli troops forced all the 2,500 internally displaced persons (IDPs) taking refuge inside the hospitals to leave, and evacuated the remaining wounded people and medical staff to the hospital grounds. The MoH also claims that the Israeli military prevented medical staff from providing support to 12 babies in intensive care and to ten injured people in the emergency department, leading to the death of two patients.

On 13 December, following the release of some of the detainees, Israeli forces allegedly shot and injured five people while they were on their way back to the hospital. Over 70 medical staff, including the director of the hospital, remain detained at an unknown location. According to the Israeli military, tens of Hamas operatives have been detained in this operation. That day, the World Health Organization (WHO) expressed its concern about the raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital. According to the MoH in Gaza, there are 65 patients including several needing intensive care, and 45 medical staff in the hospital. The hospital was already only minimally functional due to acute shortages of fuel, water, food and medical supplies even before the hospital was sieged. WHO called for the protection of all people inside the hospital.

On 14 December, as of 22:00, there are initial reports that at least 100 trucks carrying humanitarian supplies and four tankers of fuel have entered the Gaza Strip. This is well below the daily average of 500 truckloads (including fuel and private sector goods) that entered every working day prior to 7 October. At a press conference on 14 December, UNRWA Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, declared: “What we need today is not just 100 trucks, or 200 trucks. We need meaningful, at scale, uninterrupted and unconditional flow of basic commodities into the Gaza Strip.” The Humanitarian Coordinator Lynn Hasting has said that the Israeli authorities “need to ensure that the conditions inside of Gaza are also such that we will be able to provide assistance to everybody who is in need.”

On 14 December, there were no reports of injured or dual nationals evacuating Gaza to Egypt. The total number of wounded Palestinians and other medical cases evacuated since October 7 represents one per cent of the reported injury toll. This corresponds to slightly over 400 people, while an additional 8,000 of the estimated 40,000 injured are said to require immediate medical intervention.

On 14 December at about 17:45, the main Palestinian telecommunication group in Gaza announced that all services had been cut; the shutdown of communications is having severe impact on the ability of emergency services and humanitarian partners to reach the vulnerable.

On 14 December 2023, in the West Bank, Israeli forces withdrew from Jenin City and Jenin refugee camp, after a large-scale operation, during which they had imposed a curfew for about 60 hours. Over this period, eleven Palestinians, including three children, were killed and dozens injured by Israeli force. An additional fatality was a boy who died while being impeded from accessing a hospital in an unrelated medical emergency. Of the eleven fatalities, one was a boy who, according to eyewitness accounts by  Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and the MoH in the West Bank, was shot by Israeli forces within the Khaleel Sulayman hospital compound. Two of the overall fatalities in Jenin, including the aforementioned boy who was impeded from reaching a hospital, died while Israeli forces surrounded the Jenin Governmental Hospital and impeded their access.

The military operation in Jenin involved air and ground strikes, and exchange of fire with Palestinians. The operation also resulted in the displacement of people and severe infrastructure damage, including to roads, especially in the refugee camp. Hundreds of Palestinians were arrested, including some who were released outside of the city after having been interrogated; they were not allowed to return to Jenin and were forced to take shelter in nearby communities.

Hostilities and casualties (Gaza Strip)

The following are among the deadliest incidents reported between 14:00 on 13 and 14 December:

On 13 December, at about 18:20, at least 27 Palestinians were reportedly killed and at least ten others were injured when two residential buildings were hit in Ash Shabbora area of Rafa'h, southern Gaza. On 13 December, at about 22:00, at least 26 Palestinians were reportedly killed when a house was struck in Al-Daraj neighborhood of Gaza city. The bodies were reportedly extracted from the rubble.

On 13 December, at about 21:00, a school that was being used as a shelter by IDPs, was struck in Al-Shaikh Radhwan in Gaza city. Six Palestinians were reportedly killed, and tens were injured. UNRWA reports that, since 7 October, 222 IDPs sheltering in UNRWA premises have been killed and 911 injured. A total of 342 school buildings have sustained damage (over 69% of all school buildings in Gaza). Of the 70 UNRWA-damaged schools, at least 56 serve as shelters for IDPs. Several schools, including UNRWA schools, have been directly hit by Israeli strikes or tank shells. On 13 December, at about 12:30, an Israeli military drone reportedly killed a Palestinian girl in an UNRWA school sheltering IDPs in Al-Dthahra area, western Khan Younus. According to Ministry of Education (MoE), as of 5 December, more than 3,477 students and 203 educational staff have been killed. MoE further notes that more than 5,429 students and 507 teachers have been injured in the Gaza Strip since 7 October.

Displacement (Gaza Strip)

Areas encompassing nearly 30 per cent of the Gaza Strip (excluding the orders to evacuate the areas north of Wadi Gaza) have been marked for evacuation on the Israeli military’s online map that was launched on 1 December. Access to this information is impaired by recurrent interruptions in telecommunications and the lack of electricity.

Obtaining an accurate total of the displaced remains challenging, but as of 12 December, according to UNRWA, almost 1.9 million people in Gaza, or nearly 85 per cent of the population, are estimated to be internally displaced, including people who have been displaced multiple times. As of 13 December, nearly 1.3 million of these IDPs were registered in 155 UNRWA facilities across Gaza, including more than 1.2 million in 98 UNRWA shelters in the Middle Area, Khan Younus and Rafa'h. governorates. Tens of thousands of IDPs, who have arrived in Rafa'h since 3 December, continue to face extremely overcrowded conditions both inside and outside shelters. Without enough latrines, open-air defecation is prevalent, increasing concerns of further spread of disease, particularly during winter weather.

Electricity

Since 11 October, the Gaza Strip has been under an electricity blackout, after the Israeli authorities cut off the electricity supply, and fuel reserves for Gaza’s sole power plant were depleted. For more information on electricity supply to the Gaza strip, please see this dashboard.

Health care, including attacks (Gaza Strip)

On 14 December, WHO announced that it had delivered 4,200 body bags with support from the Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE), underscoring the critical need to safeguard civilians from the risk of infection. For the ninth consecutive day, Al-'Awda Hospital, Jabalya (northern Gaza), remains surrounded by Israeli troops and tanks, and fighting with armed Palestinian groups is reported in its vicinity. Reportedly, 250 doctors, patients, and their family members are trapped inside the hospital.

On 9 December, two medical staff were reportedly killed while on duty inside the hospital, during clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups. Currently, only 11 out of 36 hospitals in the Gaza Strip are functional and able to admit new patients, although services are limited. Only one of these hospitals is in the north, according to WHO. The two major hospitals in southern Gaza are operating at three times their bed capacity, while facing critical shortages of basic supplies and fuel. According to the MoH in Gaza, occupancy rates are now reaching 206 per cent in inpatient departments and 250 per cent in intensive care units. Additionally, these hospitals are providing shelter to thousands of IDPs.

On 14 December, Jabalya Health Centre was reportedly hit, with severe damage caused to the center and the vicinity. No casualties have been reported. There have been significant increases or increased risk of outbreak in some communicable diseases and conditions such as diarrhea, influenza, chicken pox, meningitis, jaundice, impetigo acute respiratory infections, skin infections and hygiene-related conditions like lice and scabies. The heavy rains and flooding which affected large parts of Gaza on 13 December compounded human misery and added to the risk of waterborne diseases.

Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)

On 13 December, WASH partners reported an urgent need for pipes and construction material. Stockpiles of material for the repairing of pipe systems are running low, and many of the pipe systems have been damaged and need of repair. Inability to provide repairs could result in water being cut off from certain areas. On 13 December, heavy rains fell on Gaza, flooding multiple areas, worsening the living conditions of IDPs amid lack, or limited capacity, to manage sewage, particularly in IDP shelters, and the accumulation of solid waste in various locations.

Due to the lack or limited capacity of latrines especially in IDP shelters, people are adopting unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as open defecation. In shelters, people wait for hours to access toilets, and in some other locations where IDPs are located, no toilets are available at all. Children reportedly defecate in the open, while adults resort to buckets and dispose of the waste in improvised areas or solid waste dumps. In many locations, solid waste is piling up with no effective waste management mechanism for collection or disposal. Reportedly, rats and insects, including mosquitos, congregate in these areas, contributing to the risk of spreading disease. 

Killing and Injuring of Palestinians in the West Bank by Israeli Occupation Regime Forces

A group of Palestinians survive an Israeli airstrike in Balata refugee camp

NABLUS, Thursday, December 14, 2023 (WAFA) –

A group of Palestinians survived an Israeli genocidal drone strike which targeted a vehicle last night in Balata refugee camp, in the northern West Bank city of Nablus, according to Palestinian security sources.

An Israeli military drone targeted the vehicle with two missiles while driving in the vicinity of Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus, said the sources. The vehicle, which carried three young men, escaped unharmed in the aftermath of the raid, and there were no reported injuries among the passengers.

The same sources mentioned that the drone strike caused damage to a building in Amman Street in Nablus, and that it inflicted further damage along the same street as a result of the attack.

M.N.

At least five Palestinians injured by live bullets and shrapnel in confrontations west of Jenin

JENIN, Thursday, December 14, 2023 (WAFA) –

At least five Palestinians were injured by live bullets and shrapnel in the town of Silat Al-'Harithiya, west of Jenin, according to security sources.

Sources told WAFA that Israeli military forces stormed the Silat Al-'Harithiya town and cordoned off the house of one of the residents, spurring confrontations with residents.

At least five people were injured by live fire bullets and shrapnel in their lower extremities and their medical condition was described as moderate.

In the meantime, Israeli bulldozers continued for the second consecutive day to destroy the main street in the said town.

Forces also stormed the town of Ya'bad, where they set up flying checkpoints at its entrances, stopping and searching Palestinian-registered vehicles and interrogating their passengers.

Forces further erected checkpoints at the entrance to the village of Kufairit and on the road linking it with the town of ‘Arraba, where they proceeded to stop and search Palestinian vehicles.

T.R.

Young Palestinian injured by live ammunition during confrontations in Al-Khaleel (Hebron) city

HEBRON, Thursday, December 14, 2023 (WAFA) –

A Palestinian youth was injured by Israeli occupation forces' live fire,  and another was detained during confrontations that broke out tonight in Al-Khaleel (Hebron) city, in the southern occupied West Bank, according to security sources.

Sources said that confrontations broke out in Hebron city, during which Israeli occupation soldiers attacked residents with live bullets, shooting and injuring a youth in his hand.

Forces also detained another youth after raiding his shop in the city.

T.R.

Two Palestinians shot by Israeli forces near Ramallah

RAMALLAH, Thursday, December 14, 2023 (WAFA) - 

Two youths were Thursday evening injured by Israeli occupation forces in the village of Dair Abu Mish'al, northwest of Ramallah.

Local sources reported that two Palestinian youths were injured by live bullets in their lower extremities, during confrontations that broke out in the village of Dair Abu Mish'al after an occupation army force stormed it.

The sources described the condition of the injured as mild to moderate, adding they were transferred to a hospital for treatment.

K.T.

Israeli occupation forces shoot Palestinian near Nablus

(File photo - WAFA Images)

NABLUS, Thursday, December 14, 2023 (WAFA) - 

A Palestinian youth was Thursday evening injured by Israeli occupation forces in the town of Baita, south of Nablus.

The director of the Red Crescent Ambulance and Emergency Center, A'hmed Jibreel, said that a 27-year-old youth was injured by occupation bullets in the abdomen during the confrontations that broke out in the town of Baita, and was subsequently transferred to the hospital.

K.T.

 

 

Abduction of Palestinians by Israeli Occupation Regime Soldiers

 

Aggression and Attacks by Illegal Israeli Settlers and Soldiers

 

Israeli occupation regime soldiers assault a journalist covering restrictions in Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem)

JERUSALEM, Friday, December 15, 2023 (WAFA) –

A photojournalist was injured today while covering the assault by Israeli occupation forces on worshippers who were performing the weekly Friday prayers outdoors in the neighborhoods of Wadi Al-Joaz and Ras Al-'Amoud in Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem).

WAFA correspondent reported that Israeli occupation forces violently attacked photojournalist Mustafa Al-Kharouf in Wadi Al-Joaz, resulting in head injuries. The worshipers were performing prayers there after being denied entry into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound by the Israeli forces. At least seven worshipers were detained by the Israeli forces in the aftermath.

Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli occupation forces obstructed the work of the press crews, preventing them from reaching their colleague Al-Kharouf to check on his condition after he was evacuated from the scene for medical treatment.

In a related context, the Islamic Waqf, the Jordan-run authority in charge of the holy sites in Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem), reported that only 7,000 worshipers were allowed to pray in the Al-Aqsa Mosque due to Israeli restrictions, with hundreds being denied entry. Permission to pray was limited to residents of Al-Quds (the occupied Old City of Jerusalem).

M.N.  

Armed illegal Israeli settlers block Palestinian herders from grazing in northern Jordan Valley

JORDAN VALLEY, Friday, December 15, 2023 (WAFA) –

Armed illegal Israeli settlers, under the protection of the Israeli military, blocked Palestinian herders this morning from grazing their livestock in open pastures in the northern Jordan Valley, northeast of the occupied West Bank, according to local sources.

Human rights activist 'Aarif Daraghmah reported that the settlers, under the escort of Israeli forces, brought their cattle to graze in the open pastures in the region after coercing Palestinians to leave the area under the threat of weapons.

Armed illegal Israeli settlers and soldiers often prevent Palestinian shepherds from herding their livestock in the open pastures of the occupied West Bank in order to force them to abandon the area.

M.N.

Israeli occupation forces destroy two family houses south of Nablus

NABLUS, Friday, December 15, 2023 (WAFA) -

Israeli occupation forces last night punitively destroyed two family homes in the village of Urif, to the south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, according to local sources.

The forces blew up the house of the family of 'Hamid Kayid Sabba'h a Palestinian in Israeli imprisonment, and demolished the house of the family of Ziad Jibril Safadi--another detainee--in the village, the sources said.

According to the sources, a large contingent of the Israeli military, accompanied by a bulldozer, stormed the village in the late night hours. The forces surrounded the family home of the detained Sabba'h, forcibly evacuated the family, along with the residents of adjacent homes, before blowing up the dwelling located on the second floor of an old three-story building housing four families totaling 16 individuals.

Subsequently, the Israeli occupation forces proceeded to demolish the home of the detained Ziyad Jibreel Al-Safadi.

The Israeli occupation forces also abducted three Palestinians during the raid into the village.

M.N.

 

 

 

 

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