November 26: Today’s news on Palestine & Israel – Day 51
Updates on hostages & prisoners, truce, humanitarian aid, evacuation, and West Bank killings by Israel
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 14,567* (~14,329 in Gaza** (including at least 6,000 children and 4,000 women), and at least 237 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. Israel killed more Palestinians in a little over a month after Oct. 7 than in all the previous 22 years combined.
Palestinian injuries: 38,877** (including at least 36,000 in Gaza** and 2,877 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.
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 1,219 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
Hostage/prisoner update:
A total of 26 Israeli citizens, 78 Palestinians, 14 Thais and one Filipino have been releasedsince the four-day truce started on Friday. Another round of exchange is expected later on Sunday.
Hamas said 50 women and children are to be freed in return for 150 Palestinian women and children in Israeli jails in total under the truce deal. Israel says the truce could be extended if more captives are released at a rate of 10 per day.
RECOMMENDED READING: Israeli October 7 posterchild was killed by Israeli tank, eyewitnesses reveal
Delay in hostage release Saturday: Accordingto a Hamas spokesperson yesterday, the aid deliveries permitted by Israel had fallen short of what had been promised and were not reaching northern Gaza, which was the target of Israel’s offensive. >Only 65 of 340 aid trucks> that had entered Gaza since Friday had reached northern Gaza, which was “less than half of what Israel agreed on”, Hamdan said from Beirut.
Another Hamas official said earlier Israel had failed to respect the terms of the Palestinian prisoner release: Israel had not released detainees by seniority, as was expected.
An Israeli military spokesperson said the government was committed to complying with the truce agreement, but that there were many parties and factors involved. “And every day brings with it its complexities,” he added.
RECOMMENDED READING: Released hostages forced into media silence as Israel tightens control on interviews
Israeli violence during truce: A Palestinian farmer has been killed and another injured after they were targeted by Israeli forces in the Maghazi refugee camp in the center of Gaza, the Palestine Red Crescent said. There was no immediate comment from Israel on the report. The killing comes during a four-day truce deal agreed by Hamas and Israel. On Friday, at least two Palestinians were reportedly killed by Israeli forces as they attempted to return to northern Gaza. (11:30 GMT)
The Israeli army is once again warningPalestinians not to travel towards the northern Gaza Strip despite the truce currently in effect. (08:15 GMT)
RECOMMENDED READING: Gaza Civilians, Under Israeli Barrage, Are Being Killed at Historic Pace
Humanitarian update:
The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) delivered 61 trucks containing food, non-food items, water, primary health-care medicines and emergency medical supplies to four distribution centres in the north. This is the largest delivery of assistance to the north since the Israeli ground operation began. Eleven ambulances, 3 coaches and a flatbed were delivered to Al Shifa hospital to assist with evacuations.
Another 200 trucks were dispatched from Nitzana in Israel. Of them 187 entered Gaza by 19:00 local time. In addition, 129,000 liters of fuel crossed into Gaza, as well as four cooking gas tanks. As of yet, the Israeli authorities have not allowed fuel to reach the north.
The bulk of the aid that entered has been distributed in southern Gaza. It has included 550 tons of wheat flour and 155,000 cans of ready-to-eat food, as well as fuel distributed to hospitals, clinics, water wells, desalination plants and wastewater treatment facilities. UNRWA and humanitarian partners have been also able to collect some 440 tons of solid waste, and to conduct 30,000 primary health-care consultations, and provide psychosocial support to IDPs.
RECOMMENDED READING: South Africa asks ICJ to classify Israel as apartheid state
Evacuation update:
Israeli forces are reportedly arresting people moving from north and central Gaza towards the south through a checkpoint. People are being made to pass through an “unstaffed checkpoint” where they are required to show IDs and undergo what appears to be a facial recognition scan. In one case in the last week, the UN says a child was left to pass through the checkpoint alone after his father was arrested at the checkpoint. (04:15 GMT)
The Israeli army has dropped some 44,000 tons of bombs in Gaza since October 7.
RECOMMENDED READING: ‘Nothing standing’: Palestinians return to find Gaza homes destroyed
Israeli military takes cash: The Israeli military says it seized about five million Israeli shekels in cash (approximately $1.33m) in their operations in Gaza. The cash was seized in Hamas strongholds and the homes of the group’s officials. The money will be added to Israel’s treasury. (10:13 GMT)
West Bank news:
Five Palestinians were killed and at least 18 wounded in a raid in Jenin that lasted more than 12 hours. Two of those injured are reportedly in critical condition. Three other Palestinians were killed in military operations in the village of Yutma south of Nablus, el-Bireh and Qabatiyeh town south of Jenin.
Israeli soldiers delayed Palestinian medics from helping an 18-year-old who was wounded in the chest inside his home. He was evacuated only after being pronounced dead.
Israeli forces reportedly kidnapped a wounded Palestinian from an ambulance in Jenin.
RECOMMENDED READING: Israel’s ‘thought police’ law ramps up dangers for Palestinian social media users
Two of Jenin’s main hospitals have been besieged by Israeli armored vehicles. (08:45 GMT)
Farmers in the occupied West Bank say they face near-daily incursions and violence from Israeli settlers, to the point that they live in fear of having their homes and land stolen. (07:30 GMT)
On 22 November, Israeli forces demolishedeight structures in Mantiqat Shi’b al Butum (Hebron), due to the lack of Israeli-issued building permits. As a result, 19 people, including 11 children, were displaced. (Read about building permits for Palestinians here.)
RECOMMENDED READING: ‘A place to fly’ – Jenin Freedom Theatre stands defiant amid Israeli raids
On 25 November, no rockets were reportedly fired towards Israel. (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.
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