Palestine Weekly | October 14–20, 2024 (Days 373–379)

October 14-20: Intensified Siege and Rising Civilian Casualties Amid Expanding Regional Tensions

This week saw the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) tighten their siege on northern Gaza, preventing access to essential supplies, bombarding densely populated areas, and increasing pressure on Lebanese territory. The humanitarian toll has reached critical levels as civilians in Gaza face escalating threats with nowhere safe to seek refuge. Meanwhile, international responses have remained limited, with the U.S. reaffirming its support for Israel’s operations even as civilian casualties mount across the region.

Day 373

• Gaza: An Israeli airstrike on displacement tents in the courtyard of al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir el-Balah set the grounds ablaze, burning several people alive as they slept. Three deaths and 40 injuries were initially reported, with casualties expected to rise as fires continued to engulf the area. In Nuseirat, IOF tanks shelled a school-shelter, killing 22 Palestinians and injuring 80 others. Meanwhile, IOF drones launched attacks on civilians attempting to flee Jabalia, dropping explosives as people attempted to reach safety. The combined effects of bombings and the siege have led to over 300 Palestinian deaths in northern Gaza over the past nine days.
• Lebanon: Over 51 people were killed in a single day as Israeli airstrikes targeted displacement shelters and residential areas, marking an escalation in cross-border hostilities. The IOF’s use of banned cluster munitions was reported, adding to the rising humanitarian crisis. Hezbollah responded with a targeted drone strike on an elite IOF unit training camp in the Binyamina settlement, reportedly killing four Israeli soldiers and injuring dozens. The incident underscores the growing intensity of retaliatory actions as the conflict widens beyond Gaza.
• U.S. Involvement: In a rare move, the Biden administration deployed anti-missile systems and additional U.S. troops to Israel, reaffirming its commitment to “defend Israel.” This decision has drawn criticism as it signals increasing U.S. support amidst clear documentation of civilian targeting in Gaza and Lebanon. Medical organizations have raised alarms that the blockade on medical supplies could compromise critical vaccination efforts, including the second round of polio vaccines for children in Gaza.

Day 374

• Gaza: Israel intensified its bombardment in Jabalia, with multiple attacks on homes and shelters. IOF quadcopters dropped explosives in school courtyards, injuring 13 displaced Palestinians. An airstrike on a food distribution center in Jabalia killed 10 people and injured 30. Amid the mounting crisis, survivors describe extreme burn injuries and a lack of medical resources. Al-Aqsa Hospital, which has no specialized burn unit, reported that victims with 60-80% burns have a “sealed fate” due to a lack of specialized care.
• West Bank: Israeli forces killed a Palestinian child and a young man during an eight-hour raid in Jenin, where bulldozers demolished residential infrastructure. The raid resulted in 17 detentions, with Palestinian authorities condemning the operation as a gross violation of human rights and an intensification of forced displacement efforts across the West Bank.
• International Response: The United Nations launched an inquiry confirming systematic torture and violence, including cases of rape, in Israeli detention centers. This inquiry adds to mounting evidence of systemic violations by Israeli forces. Simultaneously, Spain and Ireland demanded that the European Union suspend its free trade agreement with Israel, signaling growing discontent among European nations regarding Israel’s actions in Gaza and Lebanon.

Day 375

• Gaza: The IOF continued its siege of northern Gaza, launching major attacks on Jabalia’s al-Faluja neighborhood, where explosives and drones targeted homes and paramedics. The death toll included 12 civilians and a doctor. North Gaza hospitals reported unprecedented strain as the blockade has left them with minimal resources, even as attacks on densely populated areas continue.
• Lebanon: Over 41 Lebanese civilians were killed in a day as Israeli airstrikes targeted 200 sites across Lebanon, forcing southern hospitals like al-Murtada to close due to sustained bombardments. Strikes on municipal buildings and hospitals are pushing Lebanon’s already struggling infrastructure to the brink of collapse, with the United Nations reporting that over 25% of Lebanon’s population is under evacuation orders.
• Political Developments: Reports surfaced that the U.S. may reconsider aid to Israel if the humanitarian crisis in Gaza does not improve within 30 days, although critics view this deadline as a symbolic gesture unlikely to result in concrete action. Meanwhile, the CIA deployed more agents to Lebanon to gather intelligence on Hezbollah, as the regional security situation continues to deteriorate.

Day 376

• Gaza: In the 12th day of the siege on northern Gaza, IOF airstrikes continued relentlessly on Jabalia, Beit Hanoun, and Beit Lahiya, reducing entire residential areas to rubble. Over 350 people have been killed in the northern Gaza governorate alone, and dozens remain trapped as rescue workers are unable to access heavily bombed areas. IOF drones targeted paramedics and rescue workers, preventing evacuation and adding to the critical injuries that remain untreated. Hospitals have begun rationing care, and Jabalia’s al-Awda Hospital reported that it has been forced to turn away new patients due to lack of capacity and supplies.
• Lebanon: Another intense day of air raids across southern Lebanon left 24 people dead and 185 wounded, with reports of structural collapses in areas like Baalbek following an attack that forced al-Murtada Hospital to suspend operations. The Lebanese government condemned Israel's indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas, emphasizing that Israeli forces are deliberately targeting residential neighborhoods and medical facilities in what they describe as a "systematic violation of international humanitarian law."
• West Bank: Israeli forces conducted an aggressive raid in Nablus, where a 20-year-old Palestinian was killed after being besieged in his home. During a separate operation in East Jerusalem, settlers clashed with Palestinian families, exacerbating tensions and leading to injuries among Palestinian civilians. The uptick in settler violence reflects a pattern of harassment and displacement aimed at pressuring Palestinian communities throughout the West Bank.

Day 377

• Gaza: In Jabalia, another mass casualty event occurred when an Israeli airstrike targeted a school shelter, killing 28 people, mostly children, and injuring over 160 others. The fire spread quickly among the tents, hampering rescue efforts and worsening injuries for survivors. Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital reported that it is unable to treat the influx of burn victims, who continue to arrive in civilian vehicles due to ambulance inaccessibility. Civilian witnesses describe conditions in northern Gaza as “indescribably horrific,” with shortages of water, food, and medical supplies leaving the population in severe distress.
• Lebanon: Israeli forces launched renewed strikes on Baaloul and Qana, resulting in 31 civilian casualties. The strikes have now forced the evacuation of over 1.2 million people from southern Lebanon. Hezbollah retaliated with extensive rocket fire, striking northern Israeli cities, including Haifa. The Lebanese Red Cross reported that it is now dealing with an “overwhelming” humanitarian situation, as resources for the displaced populations are stretched beyond capacity, with thousands of people now living in temporary shelters with limited access to basic necessities.

Day 378

• Gaza: Amid continued sieges and bombings, IOF drones and tanks executed strikes on critical water infrastructure in Khan Younis, killing engineers attempting repairs and cutting off essential services to vast swathes of the population. The World Health Organization has warned of potential disease outbreaks as sanitation collapses across Gaza. The IOF’s targeting of water infrastructure highlights a deliberate strategy aimed at exacerbating Gaza’s humanitarian crisis through infrastructure destruction. Reports from the Palestinian Health Ministry indicate that medical facilities are operating at less than 30% capacity due to continuous supply blockages.
• Lebanon: Southern Lebanon remained under heavy Israeli fire, with airstrikes reaching Jounieh in north Beirut for the first time, killing two civilians in an escalation aimed at widening the scope of the conflict. The strikes in densely populated areas are aimed at suppressing Hezbollah, yet Lebanese civilians continue to bear the brunt of the campaign. The Lebanese government expressed its frustration with the lack of international intervention, stressing that Israel’s campaign against Lebanon has now directly impacted over 30% of the population.
• International Concerns: Italian officials announced an arms embargo on Israel, joining a small but growing list of countries expressing disapproval of Israel’s actions. This move reflects increasing international discontent, although concrete measures remain scarce. The United Nations has condemned Israel’s expanding military operations, but direct intervention remains elusive.

Day 379

• Gaza: In another devastating attack, IOF forces destroyed a densely populated residential block in Beit Lahiya, killing 73 people and injuring over 100. Many of the victims were displaced persons previously evacuated from Jabalia due to the siege. The Palestinian Civil Defense reported that rescue teams are unable to retrieve bodies from the rubble due to ongoing aerial surveillance and intermittent bombing. The widespread destruction and ongoing blockade are part of what Israeli sources have referred to as the “General’s Plan,” which aims to systematically dismantle northern Gaza’s infrastructure and forcibly displace its population.
• Hezbollah Actions: Hezbollah escalated its operations, deploying advanced weaponry, including anti-tank missiles that destroyed Israeli armored units stationed in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah’s intensified attacks reflect the organization’s commitment to defending Lebanon amidst escalating IOF strikes. Israeli casualties have mounted, with Hezbollah reporting several successful operations targeting key military installations.
• West Bank: In the West Bank, Israeli forces killed a 60-year-old woman during an olive harvest near Jenin, and settlers attacked Palestinian farmers across multiple locations. This violence, combined with IOF restrictions, has led to over 24,000 acres of unharvested olive groves this season, impacting Palestinian livelihoods and escalating tensions across the West Bank. The Palestinian Authority condemned these actions as an effort to displace Palestinian farmers systematically.

Israel’s multi-front offensive this week extended across Gaza, Lebanon, and the West Bank, where targeted strikes on critical civilian infrastructure and population centers intensified. In northern Gaza, the IDF maintained a full siege, escalating bombardments on hospitals, water facilities, and food distribution sites. Strikes forced evacuations from key medical facilities and hit water infrastructure in Khan Younis, creating acute shortages. Gaza’s health sector is at a breaking point, with limited supplies and blocked humanitarian aid, leaving over 400,000 residents without essential services.

In Lebanon, the IDF expanded attacks into densely populated civilian areas and key services, forcing hospitals like al-Murtada to close amidst daily casualties. Strikes on areas housing displaced populations indicate a strategy to destabilize Lebanon’s infrastructure, not just Hezbollah’s positions. Hezbollah’s precision strikes on Israeli military sites have led to increased Israeli casualties and a growing exodus from Israeli settlements. Yet, the escalation puts Lebanese civilians in severe jeopardy, with hundreds of thousands now displaced. The Lebanese Red Cross reports a dire situation, with strained resources amid limited international intervention.

The West Bank witnessed coordinated settler violence, particularly targeting Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest. Settler assaults—often under IDF protection—destroyed thousands of acres of olive groves, eroding Palestinian livelihoods and deepening displacement efforts. The violence in Nablus, Jenin, and East Jerusalem reflects ongoing efforts to diminish Palestinian land access and control.

International responses remain fragmented. Italy announced an arms embargo, though its impact is marginal, given limited enforcement and the scale of U.S. military support for Israel, which has only intensified. Humanitarian groups have flagged the deepening crisis, yet actionable responses from global powers are notably absent, leaving millions at the mercy of an unchecked and expanding conflict.