PALESTINE’S LEGAL SCENE –Issue.250

Your weekly survey of the most important publications and activities related to Palestine and law, from local and international sources

13-19 Oct. 2024

Issued every Sunday by Law for Palestine

Prepared by: Razwan Issa, Nour Kharouf, Arwa Abdel Moniam, Kamal Abdulkarim

 Translation: Maisaa Abdelqader and Mays Abu Atwan

Editing: Haneen Shaath

This weekly report reviews the legal dynamics of the Palestine question, and everything related to international law and Palestine. The report includes an account of the most important publications, activities and conferences related to Palestine at the local, regional, international levels. The report further covers decisions, decrees, and judicial orders affecting the Palestinian cause, whether made at the official, academic or public levels. The report aims to be a reference for monitoring, documenting and archiving the latest human rights developments related to Palestine, and to present them to individuals, researchers, study centers, and official, academic and legal institutions concerned.

To view this Issue of Palestine’s Legal Scene, please click here (5 minutes read)

Judicial decrees, decisions, positions, and orders issued by official Palestinian bodies

• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates stated that the attacks and assaults perpetrated by Israeli settler militias against Palestinian citizens during the olive harvest season in the occupied West Bank represent “systematic, state-sponsored terrorism” and fall under the policy of ethnic cleansing and forced displacement with the aim to seize Palestinian territories in the areas classified (C). The Ministry stressed that the international community’s failure to address these violations encourages the occupation and its settlers to continue their crimes. (October 13, 2024)
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates welcomed the statement by the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, in which he urged the international community to halt arms exports to Israel. The Ministry viewed the statement as fully consistent with international law and resolutions of international legitimacy. It held countries providing Israel with military equipment complicit in its continued crimes against the Palestinian people. The Ministry also called on the States Parties on The Arm  Trade Treaty (ATT) to act decisively to stop Israel’s use of arms and military equipment  in committing grave violations of international law. (October 13, 2024)
• The Palestine National Council strongly condemned the Israeli occupation forces’ implementation of the bloody generals’ plan in northern Gaza Strip for the ninth consecutive day, during which war crimes are being committed, including siege, starvation, killing, and forced displacement against the Palestinian people. It called for international protection for the Palestinian people. The council condemned the massacre targeting a group of displaced children in Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza, as well as the criminal shelling that targeted Al-Mufti school in Nuseirat refugee camp and the bombardment of displacement tents. It demanded immediate international action from the international community to hold the perpetrators accountable. (October 13-14, 2024)
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates emphasized that the international community’s failure to stop the war of genocide and displacement encourages Israel to carry out its plans to starve and displace the Palestinian people, as well as to fragment their homeland through gradual annexation crimes, the establishment of buffer zones, and expanding settlement activities. It noted that these actions undermine the chance to establish a Palestinian state. The ministry stated that the Palestinian people are not only victims of occupation but also victims of international double standards and the failure of international legitimacy institutions to implement their resolutions regarding the Palestinian issue. It also warned that Israel continues to strengthen its control over the Gaza Strip and is attempting to impose Israeli administrative rule on northern Gaza as a preliminary step to extend this control to all areas. (October 14-15, 2024)
• The Ministry of Education and Higher Education released a report revealing that more than 11,406 students have been killed and 18,556 others injured since the start of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and the West Bank on October 7, 2023. The report noted that more than 550 educational staff were killed and 3,717 others injured in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. In addition, 584 cases of arrest involving students and teachers were recorded in the West Bank, while the number of detainees in Gaza remains unknown. (October 15, 2024)
• The Palestine National Council condemned the statements made by the German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, viewing them as a justification for the horrific crimes committed by the Israeli occupation against unarmed civilians in Gaza. It described these statements as reflecting racism and legitimizing genocide, and demanded an apology from the German government. (October 16, 2024)
• The Palestine National Council stated that the bombing of Abu Hussein School in the Jabalia camp constitutes a war crime and is part of a plan by terrorist generals. It held the U.S. administration responsible for supporting the occupation and supplying it with banned weapons. The council also condemned the bombing of Asma School in Gaza, calling for Israel to be expelled from the United Nations and for the perpetrators of these crimes to be held accountable. (October 17-19, 2024)

Judicial decrees, decisions, positions, and orders issued by official Israeli bodies

• The Associated Press News reported that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering a plan to seal off humanitarian aid to northern Gaza in an attempt to “starve out Hamas militants, a plan that, if implemented, could trap without food or water hundreds of thousands of Palestinians unwilling or unable to leave their homes.” The proposed plan involves giving Palestinians a week to leave the northern third of the Gaza Strip, including Gaza City, before declaring the area a closed military zone. According to the plan, those who remain will be considered ‘combatants’, allowing troops to kill them, and will be denied food, water, medicine and fuel. (October 14, 2024)
• The Israeli Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, stated that polls found that 87% of the Israeli public supports Israel’s decision to declare UN Secretary-General António Guterres a persona non grata and to bar him from entering the country. The minister added, “Guterres can continue seeking support from UN member states, but the decision will not change.” (October 13, 2024)
• In response to media reports regarding CBS’s request for its staff not to refer to Jerusalem as being in Israel due to its disputed status, Knesset member Benny Gantz stated that “Jerusalem’s status is clear and undisputed – the eternal capital of the Jewish people. It has been for millennia, and will always remain so.” (October 13, 2024)
• Knesset member Avigdor Liberman called on the Israeli government to completely close the crossings between Gaza and Israel and to immediately stop all humanitarian aid, including fuel, electricity, and water, to Hamas in Gaza. He claimed that there is no justification for providing assistance to terrorists while Israeli hostages are held under harsh conditions. Lieberman also claimed that Hamas exploits these resources for terrorist purposes, and every truck that enters enhances its capacity to harm Israel. (October 14, 2024)
• Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant stated that the actions of French President Emmanuel Macron are a shame on the French people and the values ​​he claims to uphold, emphasizing that France’s decision to exclude Israeli defense industries from France means aiding Israel’s enemies in time of war. Galant noted that this is not the first time in history that France has pursued an antagonistic policy toward the Jewish people, affirming that Israel, with or without France, will continue to fight for its existence and future (October 16, 2024)
• The Likud Party, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has extended an invitation to attend an event titled “Preparing to Settle Gaza,” scheduled to take place next week near the Gaza border. The event is part of an initiative launched by the Nahala Movement, known for establishing illegal settlement outposts in the West Bank. The Nahala Movement explained that the event is not just a theoretical conference, but a practical exercise to prepare for the re-establishment of settlements in Gaza, indicating that this return has advanced significantly with both governmental and public support. (October 16, 2024)
• The Israeli army announced the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar during a military operation conducted by the army in Rafah, southern Gaza. Following Sinwar’s death, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Hamas will not continue to rule the Gaza Strip, and this marks the next day for Hamas. The Israeli Minister of Communications said that Israel is moving toward complete victory and a future that will witness a historic change in its borders. Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz considered Sinwar’s death as opening the door for the immediate release of hostages and paving the way for the end of Hamas rule and the imposition of a new reality in Gaza. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for increased intense military pressure in Gaza, offering a safe passage and a financial reward for those who return the captives, surrender their weapons, and leave the Strip. He added that after decades, Israel is proving that there is a military solution to terrorism. (October 17, 2024)

Judicial decrees, decisions, positions, and orders issued by Arab, European, and international bodies

• The World Food Programme (WFP) warned that escalating violence in northern Gaza is having a disastrous impact on food security for thousands of Palestinian families, noting that the main crossings into the north have been closed and no food aid has entered since 1 October. Antoine Renard, WFP Country Director for Palestine, confirmed that the remaining food supplies in the north have been distributed to shelters, health facilities and kitchens. (October 12, 2024)
•  Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Kuwait, along with the Arab Parliament, condemned Israel’s decision to confiscate the land where UNRWA headquarters is located in occupied Jerusalem and turn it into a settlement outpost. (October 12,13,14 2024)
• In light of Israel’s “another massacre” in Jabalia, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), Francesca Albanese, stated that Israeli forces are committing another massacre in northern Gaza and killing civilians “both in groups, and one by one – amid unspeakable cruelty and sadism.” She affirmed that these actions are part of a genocidal plan supported by Western-manufactured weapons and Western support. She also questioned – in light of Israel’s attacks on UN forces (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon, the killing of hundreds of UN staff in Gaza, and the bombing of dozens of its premises – when Israel will be UNseated. (October 13, 2024)
• The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) stated that its health center in the Jabalia camp in Gaza is under severe danger due to continuous shelling, airstrikes, and armed clashes in northern Gaza, where over 400,000 people remain sheltering. It added that families are trapped in areas of ongoing military operations, and humanitarian access to Jabalia continues to be denied. UNRWA emphasized that health facilities and workers are not a target. (October 13, 2024)
• The Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, strongly condemned the ongoing Israeli operations in northern Gaza, particularly in Jabalia, which have resulted in hundreds of martyrs and injured individuals. He stated that these actions aim to separate northern Gaza from the other areas and forcibly displace its residents through brutal policies, including the prevention of essential supplies and targeting health facilities. He also condemned Israel’s confiscation of the land on which UNRWA’s headquarters in Jerusalem is located, warning of a plan to eliminate the agency and calling on the international community to defend it. (October 13, 2024)
• The Irish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defense emphasized that “the horrific scenes unfolding in Jabalia and northern Gaza must stop,” adding that “an entire population is being encircled and forced out, with nowhere for them to go.” He stated that this represents a “war crime,” stressing that the international community must use every lever to pressure Israel to stop this war. (October 13, 2024)
• The European Union expressed deep concern over the UNRWA bill currently being discussed in the Israeli parliament. The EU stated that it shares the UN Secretary-General’s concern that if this bill is passed, it will have disastrous consequences, potentially preventing the UN agency from continuing to provide its services and protection to Palestinian refugees in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza. The EU also urged the Israeli authorities to ensure that UNRWA is allowed to continue its critical work in accordance with its mandate, as adopted by the UN General Assembly. (October 13, 2024)
• The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned Israel’s targeting of a school sheltering displaced people in Al-Nuseirat refugee camp, which was set to be used as a vaccination site for children against polio, as well as the targeting of tents for displaced people in the in the courtyards of Shuhada al-Aqsa Hospital in in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza. The ministry described these acts as war crimes and a blatant violation of international law and humanitarian Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi also emphasized Jordan’s rejection and condemnation of Israeli draft resolutions in the Knesset aimed at undermining the presence and immunity of UNRWA in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), considering them a violation of international law and depriving the Palestinian people of basic rights and services. (October 13-14, 2024)
• S. Vice President Kamala Harris called on Israel to “urgently do more to facilitate the flow of aid to those in need,” emphasizing that “civilians must be protected and must have access to food, water, and medicine.” (October 14, 2024)
• As the second phase of the mass vaccination campaign against polio begins in Gaza, Hamish Young, Senior Emergency Coordinator for Gaza with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), emphasized that the UN team needs most is access, noting that the Israeli military controls this access. He called on the Israeli government to adhere to its commitments by allowing the polio vaccination campaign to reach all children. (October 14,2024)
• France expressed its deep concern about the extremely serious situation in northern Gaza, where the Israeli army has been carrying out a military operation for several days with a heavy human toll. France recalled that any forced displacement of a civilian population would constitute a serious violation of international law. France called on Israel to ensure the permanent protection of all civilians and facilitate people’s immediate access to humanitarian aid. (October 14, 2024)
• The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, condemned the killing and injury of dozens of civilians as a result of Israeli strikes on a hospital and a school serving as a shelter in central Gaza. Borrell emphasized that the mass evacuation orders, the violations of international humanitarian law (IHL), and the disregard for civilian casualties will not make Israelis safer. (October 14, 2024)
• The UN Human Rights Office expressed its shock at the continued Israeli bombings and attacks on northern Gaza, as well as the blockade imposed by Israeli forces on tens of thousands of Palestinians trapped in their homes and shelters, depriving them of access to essential life necessities. The office emphasized that Israel, as an occupying power, is responsible for ensuring the provision of these essentials to civilians in Gaza. It noted that the Israeli army is completely isolating northern Gaza from the rest of the strip and carrying out military operations without regard for the lives and safety of Palestinian civilians. The office expressed concern that this isolation may be aimed at preventing civilians from returning to their homes and that repeated calls for civilians to leave northern Gaza could be paving the way for large-scale forced displacement, which constitutes a war crime and may involve other crimes. Additionally, it stated that shooting at civilians fleeing in response to evacuation orders is a crime. The office called on Israel to immediately lift the siege on northern Gaza, halt the repeated bombings of displaced persons’ shelters, and publicly ensure that its forces do not target civilians. (October 14, 2024)
• King Abdullah II of Jordan stressed the need for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as an essential step towards achieving a comprehensive calm in the Middle East. He also warned of the consequences of the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip, calling on the international community to strengthen efforts for humanitarian response in Gaza. (October 14-15, 2024)
• UNICEF stressed the urgent need to end violence against children in the Gaza Strip, noting that there is no safe place for them. The organization stated that its screens are once again filled with reports of children being killed and burned, and families trying to escape from tents that are being bombed. It stressed the necessity to stop the horrific violence against children and called on the world to immediately put an end to the situation in Gaza. (October 15, 2024)
• Britain has imposed new sanctions targeting three illegal settlement outposts and four groups that supported and sponsored acts of violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank. The announced measures impose strict financial restrictions on the perpetrators of these actions. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated, “The Israeli government must crack down on settler violence and stop settler expansion on Palestinian land.” (October 15, 2024)
• The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that the humanitarian situation in northern Gaza is catastrophic as Israeli military operations intensify, severely threatening people’s access to basic means of survival. OCHA stated that UN health partners have warned that only three hospitals in the northern Gaza Governorate are still operating, and at minimal capacity. It added that these facilities are suffering from acute shortages of fuel, blood supplies, trauma care materials, and medicines. (October 15, 2024)
• The U.S. administration issued a warning to Israel through a letter addressed to the Israeli Ministers of Defense and Strategic Affairs, stating that the continued supply of American weapons to Israel is at risk if humanitarian conditions in Gaza do not improve within 30 days. The letter highlighted the deterioration of the humanitarian aid level, which has dropped by more than 50%, and emphasized Israel’s commitment not to obstruct the entry of aid into Gaza, as per the U.S. National Security Memorandum (NSM-20). The United States called for an increase in aid, facilitation of aid passage through Jordan, and an end to the isolation of northern Gaza. (October 15, 2024)
• In a joint action with Canada, the U.S Department of the Treasury designated the Palestinian Prisoners Solidarity Network (Samidoun) as a terrorist organization, considering it an international fundraiser for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which is also designated as a terrorist organization in the United States and Canada. Khaled Barakat, a member of the PFLP’s leadership, was also designated for his role in raising funds for the PFLP. (October 15, 2024)
• German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock stated that self-defense does not only mean attacking terrorists but also destroying them. She claimed that when Hamas terrorists hide behind civilians and schools, it deprives civilians and civilian places of their protected status due to the terrorists’ exploitation of them. She emphasized that Germany supports this position and that Israel’s security is a priority for Germany. (October 15, 2024)
• The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the OPT, Francesca Albanese, expressed deep concern by the stance Germany is taking on Israel/Palestine, and its dangerous implications and consequences. She called on the German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock to provide evidence of what she claims, and then explain how “civilian objects losing protected status” justify the massacres Israel is committing in Gaza and elsewhere. Albanese pointed out that Germany’s decision to “stand with a State that is committing international crimes, it is a political choice, but it also has legal implications.” (October 15, 2024)
• Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez appealed to the international community to back up Spain’s support for the United Nations and immediately suspend arms shipments to Israel. He stated that it is time to take decisive and humanitarian action in response to Netanyahu’s policies and his attempts to impose a new regional order by force. Sánchez further insisted on the peaceful solution of the two states, as the only possible way to put an end to the Middle East conflict. (October 15, 2024)
• Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, renewed his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and for an end to the provocations of the settlers supported by the Israeli army in the West Bank. He emphasized the continuation of mediation efforts in cooperation with Egypt and the United States to reach a ceasefire agreement. He further called for a more effective European role in fostering international consensus around a two-state solution. The Emir affirmed that the Palestinian cause is a top priority for Qatar, criticizing the international community’s failure to stop the genocidal war in Gaza. (October 15-16, 2024)
• The British Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated that the humanitarian situation in northern Gaza is dire, with access to basic services worsening and the UN reporting that barely any food has entered in the last 2 weeks. He added, “Israel must ensure civilians are protected and ensure routes are open to allow life-saving aid through.” Lammy mentioned that Britain, along with France and Algeria, have called for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council to address this matter. (October 16, 2024)
• The Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, condemned the killing of journalist Hassan Hamad in Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza and called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the incident. She emphasized the need to respect UN Security Council Resolution 2222 on the protection of journalists, media professionals and associated personnel as civilians in situations of conflict. UNESCO noted that at least 40 journalists and media workers have been killed in Palestine. (October 16, 2024)
• The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, stated that “the prolonged oppression of the Palestinian people and repeating cycles of hatred, death and destruction in the Occupied Palestinian Territory” are a “tragic demonstration” to the reality that failing to address the causes of warfare “will metastasize into new battle zones and that its effects will continue and even amplify in future generations.” Türk noted that “for decades, Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory has deprived generations of Palestinians of their rights – to self-determination, to equality; to life; to dignity; and more.” He added that humanitarian aid has been “systematically hindered and denied” in Gaza amid the destruction of healthcare and infrastructure, resulting in the deaths of “unknown number of people.” (October 16, 2024)
• Joyce Msuya, Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator told the UN Security Council that the level of suffering in Gaza is beyond description and understanding. She stressed the need to ensure accountability for international crimes and to stop the atrocities. Msuya called on all countries to use their influence to ensure respect for the IHL. She added that dozens of people, including women and children, are suffering the excruciating pain of severe lifechanging burns, without any access to urgent care they need to survive and manage these injuries. She questioned, “If such horror does not awaken our sense of humanity and propel us to action, what will?” (October 16, 2024)
• The UK Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has launched a Middle East Humanitarian Appeal to raise urgent funds for people whose lives are being devastated by the conflict. It stated that the scale of needs in Gaza is overwhelming. Rachael Cummings, Humanitarian Director at Save the Children, who is just back from Gaza, said “What we are seeing right now is a humanitarian catastrophe on an entirely new level.” She pointed out that Gaza is “seeing increases in children with diarrhoea, jaundice, respiratory conditions – which are all illnesses that, when combined with extreme hunger, can kill a child in days.” (October 17, 2024)
• Experts from 16 UN agencies and NGOs conducted an Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) assessment. The assessment noted that the prolonged war in Gaza, lasting over a year, has decimated livelihoods, drastically reduced food production, and severely restricted both commercial and humanitarian supply lines. It stated that 345,000 people will face catastrophic levels of hunger (Phase 5), while 876,000 people will suffer from emergency levels of hunger (Phase 4). The risk of famine will persist throughout Gaza during the winter unless fighting stops and more humanitarian aid reaches families. The Director-General World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that “Almost everyone in Gaza is going hungry,” describing the situation as “inhumane.” He reiterated his call for a ceasefire, stating that “The best medicine is peace.” Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General António Guterres ​​ expressed concern over the report, stating, “Famine looms. This is intolerable. Crossing points must open immediately.” (October 17, 2024)
• The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, affirmed that the world is in a dangerous period in history where there is an increasing disregard for human rights and IHL. He emphasized, in light of IPC’s reports, that the catastrophic levels of hunger are expected to double in the coming months, and that the Israeli blockade and ongoing attacks constitute violations of IHL, describing the starvation of civilians as a war crime. Türk further called on Israel to facilitate the immediate access of humanitarian aid across all parts of Gaza and warned against the forcible transfer of civilians in northern Gaza, considering it could amount to a war crime. (October 17, 2024)
• Belgian authorities have launched an investigation into possible war crimes committed by a Belgian soldier fighting for Israel in Gaza. The federal prosecutor’s office said that the probe focuses on a Belgian member of an elite unit of the Israeli military, believed to be a man in his twenties from the Brussels municipality of Uccle. This probe comes after an investigation by Palestinian journalist Younis Tirawi, who accused the Refaim sniper unit of “brutal execution of unarmed civilians.” (October 17, 2024)
• The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Israel, published a position paper providing legal analysis and recommendations regarding the implementation of the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on the illegality of the Israeli occupation. The Commission’s recommendations included Israel’s obligation to evacuate all settlers and allow displaced Palestinians to return. It also emphasized that states should refrain from providing financial, military, political, or research aid to Israel that would contribute to the occupation. It also called for ensuring that companies and financial entities under their jurisdictions do not engage in activities that support the occupation. The Commission urged the United Nations to establish a special committee to review Israel’s non-compliance with international obligations and propose enforcement mechanisms. It also recommended creating an independent mechanism to document and preserve records of Palestinian lands, assets, and properties for future compensation. (October 18, 2024)
• Presenting her report to the United Nations General Assembly, Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, stated that the deadly attacks on journalists in Gaza and double standards and discrimination against those advocating for Palestinian rights have created a global crisis of freedom of expression. (October 18, 2024)
• German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated in a joint statement that “Yahya Sinwar was a brutal murderer and terrorist who was bent on eradicating Israel and its people. The statement noted that “his death can create a momentum to end the conflict.” (October 18, 2024)
• The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the Israeli occupation’s targeting of three hospitals in Gaza, considering it a blatant violation of the IHL and a continuation of war crimes against the Palestinian people. It held Israel responsible for the safety of civilians and medical personnel. The ministry urged the international community, especially the Security Council, to take a firm stance to stop the Israeli aggression, provide necessary protection for the Palestinian people, hold perpetrators of crimes accountable, and ensure the protection of civilians and humanitarian facilities. (October 18, 2024)

Publications of human rights NGOs

• Peace Now issued a report titled “War and Annexation: How the Israeli Government Changed the West Bank During the First Year of War,” which addressed the Israeli government’s policies in the occupied West Bank during this period. The report explained that these policies aim to annex the region and reduce the Palestinian presence in Area C by establishing an unprecedented number of illegal settlement outposts, closing major highways in the West Bank, along with a significant increase in the scale and intensity of settler violence, and strengthening the administrative infrastructure for annexing the West Bank. (October 13, 2024)
• The New York Times published an article titled “How Israel’s Army Uses Palestinians as Human Shields in Gaza,” which cited testimonies from Israeli soldiers and former Palestinian detainees indicating that Israeli forces forced Palestinians detained in Gaza to perform life-threatening tasks, such as searching Hamas tunnels. Sixteen Israeli soldiers and officials and three Palestinians were interviewed. Detainee Mohammed Shubeir said he was forced to walk handcuffed through the rubble in Khan Younis in search of explosives, explaining that he was sent as a ‘human shield’. The testimonies confirmed that detainees were regularly used to explore dangerous places in Gaza and were forced to photograph tunnel networks or search explosive-filled buildings. Interviews with soldiers showed that this practice was routine and systematic, despite the IDF’s denials. (October 14, 2024)
• In a joint statement, Gisha-Legal Center for Freedom of Movement, B’Tselem, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, and Yesh Din called on the international community to take immediate action to prevent Israel from carrying out the forced displacement of hundreds of thousands of remaining Palestinians in northern Gaza. The organizations pointed to indications that Israel has quietly begun implementing the “Generals’ Plan,” which aims for the complete forced displacement of the northern Gaza population by tightening the siege and starving the residents. The organizations stressed that states have an obligation to prevent crimes of starvation and forced displacement, warning that continued inaction makes them complicit. They called on all countries and international institutions to take immediate action using all available legal, diplomatic, and economic tools to halt this operation. (October 14, 2024)
• Raji Sourani, Director of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, expressed concerns that Gaza is becoming a “graveyard of international law” due to the protection that the West provides to Israel from the legal consequences of its actions. Sourani pointed out that the world is at a “turning point,” warning that ignoring international law will lead to the rule of the jungle prevailing. He also criticized the International Criminal Court (ICC) for not acting more swiftly against Israel. (October 15, 2024)
• Thirty-eight humanitarian organizations, including Oxfam, issued a joint statement warning of the catastrophic situation in northern Gaza, where Israeli forces continue their brutal assault, leading to the obliteration of the region. The organizations described the “evacuation” as forced displacement under the threat of arms. They called on the international community to immediately intervene to end these atrocities, demanding an immediate ceasefire and the end of Israel’s illegal occupation, while ensuring unhindered access to humanitarian aid. Amnesty International also urged Israeli authorities to revoke the illegal evacuation orders and to immediately allow the entry of humanitarian aid, including food and fuel, into the area. (October 15, 2024)
• The organizations Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) and Just Peace Advocates (JPA), in collaboration with Miles Howe, a professor at Brock University, released a new report highlighting the alarming escalation of violence and displacement faced by Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since October 7, 2023. The report noted that armed settler gangs are operating with full freedom, supported by the Israeli military and police, and that the Israeli army has intensified its attacks, using warplanes in the West Bank for the first time since the Second Intifada. The report called on the Canadian government to expand its sanctions to include Israeli officials and organizations supporting settler violence and settlement expansion. (October 15, 2024)
• Americans for Peace Now urged the U.S. administration to take effective measures to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. While appreciating/welcoming the U.S. message to Israel regarding this crisis over the next thirty days, the organization considered this step as deficient, and called on the administration to translate its strong language into meaningful action. Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action) strongly criticized this delayed approach, calling it grossly inadequate and dismissive of the seriousness of the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The organization called for an immediate halt to all military aid to Israel and for accountability regarding its violations of international law. (October 16, 2024)
• Ir Amim reported that the Israel Land Authority announced a tender for the construction of 286 housing units north of the settlement of Ramat Shlomo in East Jerusalem. The organization explained that the area included in the tender, according to land registration documents, was owned by Palestinians before it was confiscated by the Israeli authorities through the implementation of the Absentees’ Property Law. The construction of these units will contribute to the further division of Palestinian land, complicate the possibility of drawing the future borders of a Palestinian capital in Jerusalem, and hinder the expansion and development of Palestinian neighborhoods to meet the needs of their residents. (October 16, 2024)
• Breaking the Silence explained that the Israeli generals’ plan relies on using humanitarian aid as a strategic pressure tool, with the aim of forcing the people of Gaza to rise up against Hamas by starving them and depriving them of food and basic It added that these policies are not only immoral, but they are also practically illogical and reveal a deeper intention among some military commanders to take full control of large areas in Gaza, including the establishment of new settlements. (October 16, 2024)
• Samidoun considered that the decision of the United States and Canada to sanction it was at attempt to repress political organizing in support the Palestinian peopl’s struggle against genocide, colonialism and occupation, and the more than 10,000 Palestinian political prisoners. Samidoun strongly stressed that “we will keep struggling to stop the genocide, stop imperialist support for Israel, until the liberation of Palestine from the river to the sea” (October 16, 2024)
• Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged Israeli authorities to end their destructive campaign against UNRWA, and to withdraw the proposed legislation in the Knesset aimed at preventing UNRWA from operating in the OPT. The organization stressed that Israel should allow UNRWA and other humanitarian agencies to carry out their work in Gaza, where the population faces famine due to the Israeli authorities’ use of starvation as a weapon of war, which constitutes a war crime. It called on governments that have not yet resumed their funding for UNRWA, including the United States, to publicly support the agency and provide full funding. (October 16, 2024)
• The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) condemned the shocking civilian massacres continually perpetrated by the Israeli occupying forces throughout the Gaza Strip, considering the denial of food, water, and medical supplies imposed by Israel in conjunction with an open-fire policy is part of an ongoing genocide. It emphasized that the systematic attacks on civilian infrastructure and hospitals indicate an intention to destroy the Palestinian people partially or entirely. FIDH urged to implement sanctions against Israel, such as arms embargoes, and support for efforts toward justice and accountability. (October 17, 2024)
• Health Workers 4 Palestine called on the World Medical Association to present an emergency proposal at its General Assembly meeting in Helsinki to condemn Israeli occupation violations against Palestinian healthcare workers and patients. (October 17, 2024)
• The Belgian-Palestinian Association has filed a criminal complaint against a Belgian citizen who is a member of an IDF sniper unit active in Gaza since October 2023. This was revealed by a Palestinian journalist. According to testimony supported by video footage, the instructions to the unit’s snipers include shooting civilians, even if they are unarmed. The unit has 21 members, including a Belgian, three Americans, a French man, a German and an Italian. The testimonies provided are considered war crimes under Belgian law. (October 18, 2024)
• The Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) demanded an immediate withdrawal of the Israeli authorities’ decision preventing multiple American and international medical teams from entering Gaza, following a notification from the World Health Organization (WHO). PAMA called on all parties to respect and protect the neutrality of medical facilities and workers. (October 18, 2024)

Research and academic studies (in Arabic and English):

• The Institute for Palestine Studies has published a critical paper titled “Humanitarian Camouflage: Israel Rewrites the Laws of War to Legitimize Genocide in Gaza.” Authored by Luigi Daniele, Nicola Perugini, and Francesca Albanese, the paper examines Israel’s appropriation of IHL to justify actions in Gaza that amount to genocide.
• A new book titled “Suppressing Dissent: Shrinking Civic Space, Transnational Repression and Palestine–Israel,” edited by Zaha Hassan and H.A. Hellyer, will be released in November 2024 by Oneworld Publications as an open-access book. This comprehensive work explores the intersection of civil liberties, civic spaces, and transnational repression, with a particular focus on the prolonged impact of Israel’s occupation of Palestine.

Opinion Pieces and features

• Thomas Fazi published an article titled “Israel must be expelled from the United Nations.” (October 13, 2024)
• AlJazeera published an opinion piece by Moncef Khane titled “The ICC’s credibility is hanging by a thread.” (October 13, 2024)
• Verfassung Blog published an opinion piece by Jinan Bastaki titled “Limiting ‘Security’ as a Justification in the ICJ’s Advisory Opinion.” (October 13, 2024)
• Mondoweiss published an article by Qassam Muaddi titled “What is the ‘Generals’ Plan’? Israel’s ongoing ethnic cleansing of northern Gaza, explained.” (October 15, 2024)
• Verfassung Blog published an article by Maryam Jamshidi titled “Unseating the Israeli Government from the UN General Assembly in case of non-compliance with the Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024.” (October 15,2024)
• Haaretz published an opinion piece by its editorial team titled “Israel Must Stop Persecuting Journalists and Criminalizing the Profession.” (October 15, 2024)
• The Guardian published an article by Mehdi Hasan titled “Israel is a rogue nation. It should be removed from the United Nations.” (October 15 , 2024)
• The Institute for Palestinian Studies published an article by Amber Rahman titled “Explainer: The Role of AI in Israel’s Genocidal Campaign Against Palestinians.” (October 16, 2024)

Human rights conferences and events

• Scientists for Palestine held an online webinar titled “Universalism vs. Orientalism. Some Thoughts about, and in the wake of, Edward Said”. Marwan Rashed, Professor at Paris-Sorbonne University, discussed during the webinar the complex relationship between the current eradication of Palestine and the state of Arab studies in Western universities. He also addressed the role that academic ideology has played in the dehumanisation of the Palestinian people and Arab populations, as well as how the current genocide has affected the meaning and mission of the university in liberal democracies . (October 16, 2024)

Upcoming human rights opportunities and events

• The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the OPT, Francesca Albanese, announced a call for submissions for her upcoming report to the Human Rights Council. The report will tackle the role of the private sector in supporting the Israeli occupation and the racial segregation and apartheid system, identify the entities that most impact Palestinian rights and their role in supporting international crimes. The deadline for submissions is November 30, 2024.
• ICAHD UK announced its annual conferences to be held in London on October 19 and in Edinburgh on October 26, highlighting developments in Palestine/Israel. The conference will focus on the “Big Picture” and will address the ongoing genocide committed by Israel in Gaza, with Western countries complicit and disregarding for international laws, ICC and UN resolutions. The conference aims to discuss ways to escalate pressure on governments to hold Israeli authorities accountable and achieve justice for Palestinians. It will also include the release of a new ICAHD document that reframes the Palestinian reality in the context of settler colonialism and apartheid.