Military and Diplomatic Highlights:
• On November 27th, a ceasefire was agreed to between Israel and Hezbollah:
o On December 6th, the IDF targeted and destroyed Hezbollah terrorists, rocket launchers, and Hezbollah infrastructure throughout Lebanon. This was in response to Hezbollah launches into Northern Israel.
o As of December 6th, IDF was still operating in Southern Lebanon with the understandings between Israel and Lebanon while adhering to the terms of the ceasefire.
• Between December 3-6, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) killed the following terrorist leaders:
o Nidal Al-Najar, Head of Hamas' Aerial Unit in Gaza City
o Salman Nemer Jamaa, Hezbollah’s representative to the Syrian Military
Civil Protection and Humanitarian Assistance Highlights:
Israel
• The Magen David Adom (MDA) on November 29th responded to a terrorist attack at the Gitay junction. Four people were treated and transported to area hospitals.
• On December 7th, MDA responded to a hit-and-run attack in El-Fawar. Two people were treated and transported to area hospitals.
Gaza Strip
• The UN and its partners estimated that between 100,000 and 131,000 people had been displaced since October 6th from the North Gaza governorate to Gaza City:
o Between 65,000 and 75,000 people are estimated to remain in the North Gaza governorate, accounting for less than 20% of the population there before the intensification of military operations and the siege.
• Ongoing IDF Evacuation Orders:
o The IDF on November 25th issued an evacuation order for the areas of Beit Lahiya and Jabalia. 43 UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) installations are located within the area and were affected by the order.
o On December 2nd, the IDF issued an evacuation order affecting about three square kilometers in the northern Khan Younis governorate and parts of Deir al-Balah, which were previously placed under evacuation on four occasions between December 2023 and August 2024.
o Around 80% of the Gaza Strip is under active Israeli-issued evacuation orders.
• On December 1st, the UNRWA paused the delivery of aid through Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem, which is the main crossing point for humanitarian aid. This pause was based on the following reasons:
o The ongoing siege by the IDF.
o Israeli bureaucratic hurdles to delivery aid and restrictions on the amount of aid.
o Lack of safety on aid routes and targeting by local police.
• On December 5th, World Central Kitchen (WCK) resumed cooking at their kitchens in Southern and Central Gaza. This is after the suspension of services on November 30th. So far, WCK has provided over 190,000 meals from 58 kitchens.
• Healthcare and Public Health Update:
o The World Health Organization (WHO) as of December 3rd has evacuated 11 children in need of cancer treatment and 20 companions to Jordan.
o Amid intense bombardment and hostilities in the proximity of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza on December 6th, 33 people were reportedly killed just outside the facility:
An international medical team deployed by WHO had to self-evacuate for safety reasons as displaced people, caregivers, and many injured patients began fleeing the hospital.
A total of 90 patients and 66 medical staff remains at the hospital.
The hospital is operating at minimum levels.
• The UN Shelter Cluster can only provide for the sheltering needs of 23% of the affected population. This leaves 945,000 people exposed to winter temperatures.
• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that the water supply continues to be limited and dependent on fuel supplies:
o Overall, gross water production reported by the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) and the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility has dropped by 9% in November, from an average of 96,394 to 87,358 cubic meters per day, and there is a high percentage of losses through the network due to damaged networks.
o Over the course of November, critical fuel shortages have resulted in a 43% decrease in water production by groundwater wells, from 61,000 to about 35,000 cubic meters per day, while fuel deliveries to operate water and sanitation facilities in North Gaza governorate have remained blocked since October 1st.
o According to OCHA, on December 3rd, the PWA stated that damage to Gaza's water sector has exceeded 80%, affecting wells, pumping stations, desalination plants, distribution networks and sewage treatment plants.
Lebanon
• A total of 3,961 people has been killed and 16,520 injured since October 8, 2023:
o There are nearly 80 fatalities and over 265 injuries reported as of November 26th alone (the day before the ceasefire came into effect).
• There are currently 786,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) reported in movement toward their places of origin since the ceasefire as of December 4th:
o However, many IDPs are unable to return to communities due to damage and destruction, as well as restrictions imposed by the IDF.
o The majority of the IDPs are making their way to El Nabatieh, Saida and Baalbek.
• On November 30th, United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNFIL) peacekeepers delivered 30,000 liters of water to a school and 20,000 liters to the Lebanese Red Cross in Rmeish.
Violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Highlights:
Gaza Strip
• On November 30th, the IDF attacked a vehicle carrying WCK personnel:
o The IDF justified the attack stating that the vehicle contained individuals involved in the October 7th attack.
o WCK had no knowledge that any of the personnel in the vehicle were terrorists and is attempting to collect more information from the IDF.
• UNRWA reported that as of December 2nd, 251 of their personnel have been killed.
• The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reported that on December 2nd, IDF aircraft targeted several gatherings of displaced individuals, along with food storage warehouses in the Al-Mawasi area. This was in an IDF designated humanitarian zone. At least six people were killed and dozen injured.
• On December 4th, PRCS Emergency Medical Technician Alaa Al-Derawi was fatally shot while he was returning from a mission to transport patients to the PRCS field hospital in Rafah.
West Bank
• More than 700 Palestinian-owned trees have been vandalized within three days.
• Since October 2023, some 300 Palestinian households have been displaced in Bedouin and herding communities, citing Israeli settlers’ attacks and access restrictions.
Lebanon
• As of December 5th, WHO has recorded 158 attacks on healthcare centers which has killed 241 health workers and injured 292.
Cultural Heritage Protection Highlights:
As of November 29th, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has verified damage to 75 cultural heritage sites in the Gaza Strip:
• 10 Religious sites
• 48 Buildings of historical and/or artistic interest
• 3 Depositories of movable cultural property
• 6 Monuments
• 1 Museum
• 7 Archeological sites
Sources:
• UNRWA Situation Report #150 on the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. All information updated for 26 November – 3 December 2024, valid as of 3 December 2024 at 22:30
• Lebanon: Flash Update #48 - Escalation of hostilities in Lebanon, as of 28 November 2024
• UNESCO's action in the Gaza Strip / Palestine
• Israeli Defense Forces Twitter Page
• Magen David Adom Twitter Page
• Palestine Red Crescent Society Twitter Page
• United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon Twitter Page
• WHO Occupied Territories Twitter Page
• UN Agency for Palestine Refugees Twitter Page
• OCHA Lebanon Twitter Page
• WHO Lebanon Twitter Page
Resources
Summary of the Investigation Regarding the Circumstances of the Deaths of Six Hostages in a Hamas Underground Tunnel (New)
FAO, On the ground in Gaza Website
ADL, We Stand with Israel Website
Monetary Donations:
Before you donate please review the organization’s track record by using CharityWatch and Charity Navigator.
• UN Agency for Palestine Refugees
• Palestine Red Crescent Society
• Magen David Adom
• United Hatzalah
• UN Crisis Relief, Occupied Palestinian Territories
• American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee Inc.
• Israel Trauma and Resiliency Center
• Sderot Foundation
• Soroka Medical Center
• American Friends of Rambam Hospital in Haifa
• Syrian American Medical Society Foundation
• American Near East Refugee Aid
• Doctors Without Borders
• IsraAID
• Jewish Agency for Israel
• Jewish Federations of North America
• Middle East Children's Alliance
• Palestine Children's Relief Fund
• Save the Children
• World Central Kitchen
• WHO Foundation, Gaza Crisis: Help Save Lives
• UN Migration Agency, Gaza
• Center for Disaster Philanthropy
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