HUMAN WRONGS WATCH

• Intense fighting in/around Khan Younis (southwest of Gaza) over the last eight days is causing loss of life and damage to civilian infrastructure, including UNRWA’s largest shelter in the southern area, the Khan Younis Training Centre (KYTC).
• As of 29 January 2024, the total number of UNRWA colleagues killed since the beginning of hostilities has increased by one and is now 152.
• As of 29 January, up to 1.7 million* people (over 75 per cent of the population) ** have been displaced across the Gaza Strip, some multiple times.***

• Families are forced to move repeatedly in search of safety. Following intense Israeli bombardments and fighting in Khan Younis and the Middle Areas in recent days, a significant number of displaced people have moved further south.
• According to OCHA, on 29 January, the Israeli military ordered several neighborhoods in Gaza City to evacuate towards the south.  This area consisted of approximately 59 shelters with an estimated 88,000 IDPs who are being forcibly displaced again.
• On 29 January, there was a resumption of aid trucks accessing Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing following days of disruption due to Israeli protesters.

*This includes one million individuals residing in or near emergency shelters or informal shelters. As of October 12, approximately 160,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) were recorded in north Gaza and Gaza governorates.

The ability of UNRWA to provide humanitarian support and updated data in these areas has been severely restricted. The ongoing hostilities, evacuation orders issued by Israeli Forces, and the constant need for safer locations have resulted in people being displaced multiple times.

**UNRWA has reported in Situation Report 64 that up to 1.9 million IDPs are either residing in 154 UNRWA shelters or near these shelters. Due to the continued escalation of fighting and evacuation orders, some households have moved away from the shelters where they were initially registered.

*** There are instances where the same IDPs are registered in multiple shelters due to the fluid movement of populations; hereafter, estimates are used for these shelters. UNRWA plans to conduct a more accurate count of IDPs in shelters, including informal shelters, as soon as the security situation allows.

The West Bank, including East Jerusalem

Several Israel Security Forces (ISF) search and arrest operations leading to confrontations with Palestinians occurred between 25–29 January. 

On 25 January, the following ISF search and arrest operations occurred:

• Overnight between January 24 and 25, ISF conducted search and arrests operations in Jenin city, Jenin refugee camp and Qabatiya, northern West Bank. Exchange of fire was reported in different locations as well as damages to infrastructure. ISF reportedly bulldozed several roads in Jenin refugee camp and one Palestinian was detained in Jenin city.
• Early in the morning, four Palestinians were detained during a search and arrest operation in Hebron, southern West Bank.
• ISF reportedly surrounded a Palestinian house and fired live ammunition during clashes with Palestinians in Bil al Basha, northern West Bank. Two Palestinians, including a child, were injured. A Palestinian, who was released during the hostage exchange in November 2023, was reportedly detained again.
• ISF conducted a search and arrest operation in Fahma, northern West Bank. ISF opened fire and reportedly injured four Palestinians, including a paramedic from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. Damage and destruction of vehicles and private belongings was also reported.
• Clashes took place between Palestinians and ISF in in Silwan, central West Bank. ISF troops subsequently detained a Palestinian child.
• ISF reportedly sprayed skunk water towards Palestinians and their houses in Shu’fat Camp, In East Jerusalem. Clashes between Palestinians and ISF took place near the checkpoint at the entrance to the camp and ISF closed the checkpoint outside the camp.
• ISF conducted a search and arrest operation in Hussan, southern West Bank. ISF closed the eastern entrance of the village and reportedly entered several shops and physically assaulted Palestinians. It was also reported that ISF used the roof of a Palestinian house in Al-Shurafa area as an observation point.

On 26 January, the following occurred:

• ISF delivered 11 demolition orders for Palestinian residential and agricultural structures in Abu Nawar Bedouin community near Anata, central West Bank.
• Two international activists were reportedly injured by armed settlers in Umm Nir area in Masafer Yatta, southern West Bank on January 26.
• A Palestinian was killed by ISF during a search and arrest operation in Deir Abu Da’if, northern West Bank.

 On 27 January, the following ISF search and arrest operations occurred:

• ISF reportedly shot and injured a Palestinian from Birzeit town near the Atara checkpoint, central West Bank. The Palestinian was transferred to a hospital for treatment.
• At night, five Palestinians were detained during an ISF search and arrest operation in Beita, northern West Bank.
• Overnight, two Palestinians were injured with live ammunition shrapnel and two others detained during an ISF search and arrest operation in Qabatiya, northern West Bank.
• ISF conducted search and arrests operations on Beit Reema, central West Bank between 27–28 January. Two Palestinians were injured with live ammunition during the exchange of fire in clashes.

On 28 January, the following ISF search and arrest operations occurred:

• Early in the morning, ISF conducted a search and arrest operation in Jenin city and Jenin refugee camp, northern West Bank. A Palestinian refugee was detained in Al Hadaf neighbourhood. An exchange of fire was reported in several locations in the city and in the camp. Overnight between January 28 and 29, one Palestinian was injured with live ammunition in the exchange of fire during clashes and four others were detained, including one Palestinian emergency medical technician. ISF reportedly bulldozed the roads in Jenin refugee camp.
• ISF delivered confiscation orders   for over 154 dunums of agricultural land belonging to Palestinians in Deir Istiya and Harris villages, northern West Bank. The confiscation orders are reportedly planned to continue the expansion of an Israeli settlement.
• Overnight between 28-29 January, ISF arrested the Fatah Secretary and his three sons in Ash Shuyukh, southern West Bank. ISF also reportedly confiscated two Palestinian vehicles.
• ISF detained a Palestinian girl in Jerusalem’s Old City.

On 29 January, the following ISF search and arrest operations occurred:

• Early in the morning, a Palestinian was killed in an exchange of fire between Palestinians and ISF in a search and arrest operation in Al Yamun, northern West Bank.
• ISF conducted a search and arrest operation in Dura, southern West Bank. Two Palestinians were killed and three others were injured with live ammunition during the exchange of fire with ISF. Four Palestinians were detained.
• ISF conducted search and arrest operations in Tulkarm city, Tulkarm rand Nur Shams refugee camps, northern West Bank. Clashes and exchanges of fire were reported in different areas. ISF reportedly bulldozed several roads in the camps damaging infrastructure. ISF imposed a curfew in Nur Shams refugee camp.
• ISF declared the areas of Al-Ras and Al-Nuwaitif Spring in Qarawat Bani Hassan village, northern West Bank as a closed military zone, preventing access of Palestinians. The areas are composed of 3,000 dunums of Palestinian land planted with olive trees.
• ISF conducted a search and arrest operation in Silwad, central West Bank. ISF reportedly opened fire during clashes killing one Palestinian.
• A Palestinian child was killed and another Palestinian child was injured with live ammunition when ISF opened fire and clashed with Palestinians in Khirbet ad Dair, southern West Bank.