רמה כ ז מל ו תשר מה ו ד י ע י ן ( למ מ" ) כרמ ז מה י עד מל ו ד י ע י ן ו ל רט ו ר

News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (August 18-24, 2021)

Overview

The : After the violence at the Gaza Strip border on August 21, 2021, Hamas and the other terrorist organizations threatened they would continue exerting pressure on Israel to ease the "siege" of the Gaza Strip. The organizations announced a protest rally would be held near the border security fence east of Khan Yunis on August 25, 2021. On the afternoon of August 23, 2021, ten fires burned in the Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip. According to Israel Fire and Rescue fire marshals, they had been caused by incendiary balloons launched from the Gaza Strip. In response the Israeli Air Force attacked a number of Hamas terrorist targets. In the meantime, building materials and merchandise continue entering the Gaza Strip from Israel. Judea and Samaria: A young Palestinian tried to stab a security guard at the Jalameh Crossing in Samaria and was detained. This past week the Israeli security forces prevented terrorist attacks and confiscated weapons. During the detention of a terrorist operative in the Balata refugee camp in Nablus a young Palestinian was shot and killed while throwing a large object at the Israeli forces from a roof. in Judea and Samaria continued throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails, mainly at Israeli vehicles driving on the roads. The Palestinian Authority (PA): This past week and other members of the Palestinian leadership met with Abbas Kamel, head of Egyptian General Intelligence, and with the Japanese foreign minister. The PA's security forces detained activists, among them senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) activists, who protested the death of political activist Nizar Banat. The coronavirus: There has been a significant rise in the number of active coronavirus cases in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip, mostly caused by the delta variant. The number of vaccinated Palestinians is relatively low. Given the rise in infection, a number of steps were taken to encourage the general population to be vaccinated.

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Israel's South

Ongoing violence along the Gaza Strip border

After the events in the Gaza Strip near the Israeli border, during which an Israeli Border Police fighter was critically injured,1 Hamas and the other terrorist organizations operating in the Gaza Strip threatened they would continue exerting pressure on Israel to ease the "siege" of the Gaza Strip. On August 23, 2021, terrorist organization representatives met to formulate a time table for further "popular activities" at the border fence. They made plans to hold a mass protest rally near the border at the location of the return march in eastern Khan Yunis on August 25, 2021, which would be similar to the rally held on August 21 (QudsN, August 23, 2021). The terrorist organizations reported they were determined to exert all types of pressure on Israel and stated the rally would send Israel important messages (Filastin al- Yawm, August 23, 2021).

Representatives of the Palestinian terrorist organizations meet to plan the continuation of the "protests" ( account of journalist Hassan Aslih, August 23, 2021).

Suheil al-Hindi, a member of Hamas' political bureau, said Hamas and the other organizations, with the Palestinian people behind them, would not agree to the continued deterioration of the economic conditions in the Gaza Strip caused by the [so-called] "Israeli siege." He said the "equation" was clear and they could enforce it to send Israel messages (Palinfo, August 23, 2021). According to the Hamas-affiliated Lebanese newspaper al-Akhbar, during the past two days the Palestinian organizations met with the Egyptian mediator to prevent the situation from deteriorating. However, Hamas told it would continue holding "popular activities" along the border until Israel revoked all the measures it had instituted against the Gaza Strip

1 For further information, see the August 24 bulletin, "Violence Along the Gaza Strip Border (August 21, 2021)."

138-21 3 and Jerusalem. The terrorist organizations also noted they were displeased the crossings had been only partially opened and dissatisfied with the limited amount of merchandise delivered to the Gaza Strip. They made it clear the situation had to be restored to the status quo ante of Operation Guardian of the Walls. They also claimed Israel had to meet the ultimatum by the end of the week. Hamas demanded the immediate distribution of the financial aid from Qatar and the delivery of building materials for the rebuilding of the Gaza Strip (al-Akhbar, August 23, 2021). In the wake of the riot near the border security fence in the northern Gaza Strip in which a Border Police fighter was critically wounded, the Palestinian media, quoting Israeli sources, reported that the IDF's engineering units had begun constructing a new obstacle along the border to prevent Gazans from being able to approach IDF forces (Shehab, August 23, 2021). The Rafah Crossing

On August 23, 2021, Egypt closed the Rafah Crossing to passage in both directions until further notice. Iyad al-Buzum, spokesman for the ministry of the interior in Gaza, said Egypt had updated him about closing the crossing but had not told him why it was being closed. He also said the crossing was not closed because of the spread of the coronavirus (Filastin al-Yawm, al-Maqdis, August 23, 2021). The Palestinian media reported the crossing was closed "because of technical difficulties on the Egyptian side," and assumed it would reopen soon (Filastin al-Yawm, August 23, 2021). In the assessment of the Arab media, the crossing had been closed because Egypt was angry at Hamas after the violent events which had taken place near the Gaza Strip two days previously (al-Jazeera, August 23, 2021). The crossing may have been closed to exert pressure on Hamas and encourage it to make progress with the arrangement led by Egypt.

The Rafah Crossing: closed (Twitter account of journalist Hassan Aslih, August 23, 2021).

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Arson terrorism

On August 23, 2021, the balloon-launching units of the terrorist organizations reported they were renewing their activities and had launched incendiary balloons into Israel. After the announcement, during the afternoon about ten fires were located in fields of dry weeds in the western Negev. Fire marshals from the southern district of the Israeli Fire and Rescue Service determined the fires had been caused by incendiary balloons (Israel Fire and Rescue Service spokesman's unit, southern district, August 23, 2021).

The Popular Resistance Committees-affiliated Descendants of al-Nasser launch incendiary balloons into the Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip (Twitter account of journalist Hassan Aslih, August 23, 2021).

Fires caused by incendiary balloons (Twitter account of journalist Hassan Aslih, August 23, 2021; Palinfo Twitter account, August 23, 2021).

In response to the incendiary balloon launches the Israeli Air Force attacked a number of terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip, among them a Hamas site for the manufacture of weapons in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, the shaft of terrorist tunnel in Jabalia, and an underground Hamas rocket launching post in Shejaiya, near a school, both in the northern Gaza Strip. During the attacks Gazans fired machine guns at Israel. In response the Israeli Air Force attacked additional targets, including the shaft of a Hamas terrorist tunnel in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip (IDF spokesman, August 24, 2021).

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IDF attacks in the Gaza Strip (Left: IDF spokesman, August 24, 2021. Right: Twitter account of journalist Hassan Aslih, August 23, 2021). Rocket and mortar shell fire into Israel

This past week no rocket hits were identified in Israeli territory. Monthly Distribution of Rocket and Mortar Shell Fire since January 2020 3,319 400 350 300 261 250 200 122 150 100 25 43 50 15 1 0 1 3 3 15 4 4 2 3 0 1 0 0 1 0

-20 -20 -20 -20 -20 -20 -20 -20 -20 -20 -20 -20 -21 -21 -21 -21 -21 -21 -21 -21 Jul Jul Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Aug

"Guardian of the Walls"

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Annual Distribution of Rocket Hits 3,852 4000 3500 3319

3000

2500 2000 1,403 1500 1,159 1,119 974 925 1000 783 787 845 375 373 309 500 158 196 103 39 24 15 29 0

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Operation "Cloud… "Guardian of the… Operation "Cast Lead" Operation "Eitan Cliff"

Judea and Samaria

Israeli security force terrorism-preventing activities

On August 18, 2021: A young Palestinian man ran towards security guards of the Crossings Authority of the Israeli Defense Ministry securing the Jalameh Crossing near in northern Samaria. When the guards instituted procedure for halting a suspect he threw a knife at one of them. The young Palestinian, 15 years old, was detained. According to the initial investigation, he was related a Palestinian killed in an exchange of fire with the Israeli security forces in Jenin (Israeli Defense Ministry Crossings Authority, August 18, 2021).

The knife thrown at the guard (Israeli Defense Ministry Crossings Authority, August 18, 2021). On August 18, 2021: Border Police fighters detained a suspect in Abu Dis, east of Jerusalem, who had an M-16 assault rifle at home, as well as three magazines for the gun and

138-21 7 bullets. When the forces left his house Palestinians threw rocks at them. A number of vehicles were damaged (Israel Police Force spokesman's unit, August 18, 2021).

The gun confiscated during the activity (Israel Police Force spokesman's unit, August 18, 2021). On August 22, 2021: A Palestinian went to the vehicle crossing in Abu Dis, east of Jerusalem. He aroused the suspicions of the Border Police fighters stationed at the crossing and they instituted procedure for detaining a suspect. When the Palestinian did not heed their calls to halt they shot at the lower part of his body. The Palestinian, 25, from , was wounded and taken for medical treatment (Israel Police Force spokesman's unit, August 22, 2021). On August 23, 2021: Border Police fighters at the Hizma checkpoint near Pisgat Ze'ev in northern Jerusalem identified a vehicle that aroused their suspicions and halted it for examination. A search of the vehicle revealed an improvised Carlo machinegun, magazines for the gun and bullets. The two suspects, both in their 20s, from east Jerusalem, were taken for interrogation (Israel Police Force spokesman's unit, August 23, 2021).

The confiscated weapon (Israel Police Force spokesman's unit, August 23, 2021).

On August 23, 2021: Police forces went to a house in Hawwara, south of Nablus, and conducted a search. They found an improvised Carlo machine gun, a magazine for the gun

138-21 8 and various types of bullets. Two suspects were detained (Israel Police Force spokesman's unit, August 23, 2021).

The confiscated weapons (Israel Police Force spokesman's unit, August 23, 2021). On August 23, 2021, during an Israeli security force activity to detain a wanted Palestinian in the Balata refugee camp in Nablus, the security forces were attacked by gunfire from the roofs of nearby houses. They returned fired. After the activity Palestinians rioted and clashed with the Israeli security forces, throwing cinder blocks and various objects from the roofs. During the riot the forces identified a suspect on a roof, holding a large objective and about to throw it at a fighter standing below. One of the fighters shot and killed him (IDF spokesman, August 24, 2021). The Palestinian media reported the Palestinian who had been killed was Imad Hashash, 16, from the Balata refugee camp (Ma'an, August 24, 2021). PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh condemned Israel on his page for killing Hashash, adding praise and admiration for the "shaheed" (Muhammad Shtayyeh's Facebook page, August 24, 2021). Muhammad Shtayyeh also called for Israel to be brought to trial for its "ongoing crimes" against the Palestinians (al-Quds, August 24, 2021).

Imad Hashash, killed in the Balata refugee camp (Facebook page of the Balata refugee camp, August 24, 2021).

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Rocks, Molotov cocktails and other events

In Judea and Samaria Palestinians continued throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails, mainly at Israeli vehicles driving on the roads. The more prominent events were the following:2 August 23, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle northeast of . No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged. The previous day rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle in the same area. The front windshield of the vehicle was damaged. August 23, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle southeast of Nablus. A woman was injured and evacuated to a hospital. August 23, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle northeast of Ramallah. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged. August 23, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle northwest of Nablus. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged. August 22, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle northeast of Ramallah. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged. August 22, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle northeast of Jerusalem. No casualties were reported; the front windshield of the vehicle was damaged. August 22, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle south of Nablus. No casualties were reported; the front windshield of the vehicle was damaged. August 21, 2021: Eight Molotov cocktails were thrown at an IDF force and Israeli vehicles on the road southwest of . No casualties or damage were reported. August 21, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle northwest of Ramallah. A woman was injured by flying glass; the vehicle was damaged. August 21, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle northeast of Ramallah. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged. August 21, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle south of Jerusalem. No casualties or damage were reported. August 20, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle east of Qalqilya. A passenger was injured by flying glass.

2 All information and reports are from Rescue Without Borders in Judea and Samaria unless otherwise noted.

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August 20, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus south of Nablus. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged. August 17, 2021: An IED exploded near the fence of the Israeli community of Beit El, north of Ramallah. No casualties or damage were reported. Significant Terrorist Attacks in Judea and Samaria since January

20203

20

18 16 14 14 12 10 7 8 6 6 6 6 4 4 3 3 4 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 0 0 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 ------Jul Jul Jan Jan Jun Jun Oct Feb Apr Sep Feb Apr Dec Aug Aug Nov

Mar Mar May May

Developments in the Gaza Strip

Measures to ease the daily lives of Gazan civilians

Despite the rocket fired from the Gaza Strip on August 16, 2021, Israel announced a series of measures to ease the daily lives of Gazan civilians; the measures went into effect two days after the rocket fire. Building materials were delivered to the Gaza Strip, as well as other merchandise previously forbidden, such as cement, aluminum, glass and tires. A quota of Gazans, about 1,300, were also permitted to enter Israel (al-Munsaq, Twitter account of journalist Hassan Aslih, Safa Facebook page, August 19, 2021). On August 23, 2021, fuel was delivered to the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom Crossing. It had been purchased by the UN with money from Qatar.

3A significant attack is defined by the ITIC as involving shooting, stabbing, a vehicular attack, the use of IEDs, or a combination of the above. Stones and Molotov cocktails thrown by Palestinians are not included.

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Building materials are delivered to the Gaza Strip: cement (left) and iron (right) (Twitter account of journalist Hassan Aslih, August 24, 2021).

Fuel is delivered to the Gaza Strip (Palinfo Twitter account, August 23, 2021). The financial aid from Qatar

In the meantime, an agreement was reached between the UN and Qatar for delivering the financial aid from Qatar to the Gaza Strip. Needy Gazan families will be able to withdraw $100 with prepaid debit cards which will be distributed by the UN. It was decided that at this time Hamas employees will not be able to withdraw funds and the Palestinian Authority (PA) will not be part of the agreement (Filastin al-Yawm, August 18, 2021). According to Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Israel will be able to oversee the list of Gazans entitled to receive funds. Israel will also continue deliberating with the PA to examine other mechanisms for transferring the funds with PA oversight (Israeli media, August 18, 2021). Qatar's National Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza issued an announcement regarding the mechanism for delivering the funds to the Gaza Strip. According to the announcement, Mohammed al-Emadi, the chairman of the committee, signed a memorandum of understanding with Tor Wennesland, special UN envoy to the Middle East peace process, according to which the distribution of the funds would be conducted through the UN's World Food Program. All-Emadi said the funds would be delivered before the end of August to make them available for the Gazans at the beginning of September (Sawa, August

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18, 2021). PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh met with Tor Wennesland and stressed it was important that all future support pass through the PA (Sawa, August 19, 2021). Help for those affected by Operation Guardian of the Walls

On August 17, 2021, Ihab al-Ghassin, deputy minister of labor in the Gaza Strip, announced the distribution of 2,700 shekels (about $840) to 1,060 employees affected by Operation Guardian of the Walls (Shehab Twitter account, August 17, 2021). The Palestinian Authority (PA)

The head of Egyptian General Intelligence visits the PA

Abbas Kamel, head of Egyptian General Intelligence, headed a delegation which came to Israel and the PA to discuss efforts for reaching an arrangement with Hamas. His visit to Israel lasted for a number of hours. While in Israel he held meetings to discuss contacts for a ceasefire, rebuilding the Gaza Strip and the issue of the Israelis being kept prisoner in the Gaza Strip and MIAs. From Israel Kamel went to Ramallah where he met with Mahmoud Abbas. Reportedly, they discussed political developments and ways to strengthen bilateral relations (Wafa, August 18, 2021). Palestinian sources reported that Egypt had proposed a new idea for a long-term lull. It would include a prisoner exchange deal, fully opening all the crossings, Arab and international grants for the Gaza Strip and other measures to improve the Gaza Strip's economy. According to reports, the Palestinian terrorist organizations discussed the Egyptian proposal and decided they would nevertheless exert "popular" pressure on Israel which would not stop until the lull understandings before Operation Guardian of the Walls had been restored (al-Akhbar, August 19, 2021). The Japanese foreign minister visits the PA

On August 17, 2021, Toshimitsu Motegi, the Japanese foreign minister, visited the PA. He met with Mahmoud Abbas, Muhammad Shtayyeh and other members of the Palestinian leadership. Mahmoud Abbas thanked for its support and its economic aid, including aid to combat the coronavirus and support for UNRWA (Mahmoud Abbas' Facebook page, August 17, 2021). In 2020 the Japanese foreign minister noted that since 1993 Japan had given the PA more than $2 billion and intended to continue its support (Muhammad Shtayyeh's Facebook page, October 21, 2020).

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Right: Mahmoud Abbas and the Japanese foreign minister (Mahmoud Abbas' Facebook page, August 17, 2021). Left: Muhammad Shtayyeh and the Japanese foreign minister (Muhammad Shtayyeh's Facebook page, August 17, 2021). Detentions carried out by the Palestinian security forces

The Palestinian security forces detained a number of political activists who were planning to participate in a demonstration held in al-Manara Square in Ramallah to protest the killing of political activist Nizar Banat (Filastin al-Yawm, August 23, 2021). Among the senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) activists detained were Maher al-Akhras, who was released the following day, and Khader Adnan (Safa Facebook page, August 21, 2021), who went on a hunger strike to protest his detention. PIJ leader Ziyad al-Nakhalah said the PA was responsible for Khader Adnan's life and that every day he was in custody caused the fabric of national unity to unravel. A rally was held where calls were heard for the PA to release Adnan and all the other political prisoners (Safa Facebook page, August 24, 2021). A rally organized by the PIJ was held in to protest the PA's detention of political activists (PIJ website, August 23, 2021).

Right: The Palestinian security forces prevent a protest demonstration in al-Manara Squad in Ramallah (Safa Facebook page, August 21, 2021). Left: Demonstration protesting the detention of political activists and a call to release Khader Adnan (Safa Facebook page, August 23, 2021).

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Rioting continues in the village of Bayta

This past week rioting continued in the village of Bayta, south of Nablus, to protest the Eviatar outpost. On August 17, 2021, Fatah's Revolutionary Council held its meeting in Bayta with slogan, "Support for the popular resistance" (al-Araby al-Jadeed, August 17, 2021).

Right: A Palestinian slings rocks (Wafa, August 20, 2021) Left: Night harassment unit operatives burn a model of the Eviatar outpost (Bayta Online Facebook page, August 19, 2021).

Construction in the settlements equals the coronavirus (al-Quds, August 24, 2021). The Coronavirus

Judea and Samaria

The number of active coronavirus cases continues to rise in Judea and Samaria. On August 24, 2021, the ministry of health in Ramallah reported 4,401 active cases, up from 1,747 a week ago, with 29 patients in ICUs, eight of them on ventilators. So far 2,520 Palestinians have died and 598,230 have been vaccinated, only 35% of the target population (ministry of health in Ramallah Facebook page, August 24, 2021). The emergency committee to combat the coronavirus, headed by PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh, announced that the fourth coronavirus wave was beginning in the PA territories. He said a series of steps would be taken to contain it, including vaccinating all sectors of the population, giving booster shots to medical teams and chronically ill patients,

138-21 15 vaccinating students and academic staff to make it possible to begin the school year in institutes of higher learning, increasing the enforcement of mask wearing in enclosed locations, and increasing the dissemination of information in the media and social networks (ministry of health in Ramallah Facebook page, August 23, 2021). At the beginning of the weekly government meeting Muhammad Shtayyeh called on members of the general population who had not been vaccinated to go to the vaccination centers for inoculation to protect themselves and society, and to wear masks and to avoid gatherings. He said government employees who had not been vaccinated would be given non-paid leave from work until the end of the coronavirus epidemic (Muhammad Shtayyeh's Facebook page, August 23, 2021).

Efforts at mass vaccination in view of the rise in active cases (al-Quds, August 23, 2021). The Gaza Strip

There has been a significant rise in the number of active cases in the Gaza Strip. As of August 24, 2021, there were 6,190 active cases, up from 2,966 a week ago. The positive test rate is 27%. There are 184 coronavirus patients in hospitals in the Gaza Strip, 114 of them in serious or critical condition. So far 1,126 Gazans have died from coronavirus-related conditions and 138,196 have been vaccinated, 11% of the target population (ministry of health in Gaza Facebook page, August 24, 2021). Following the rise in the number of active cases, the ministry of health held a press conference to announce that the delta variant had been identified in the Gaza Strip and was the cause of the increase in numbers. A number of steps would be taken, among them cancelling all elective surgery in the hospitals, vaccinating all Hamas administration workers and launching a campaign encouraging the population to get vaccinated by raffling prizes worth $200. Rami Abdallah, director of the office for combatting the coronavirus in the ministry of health in Gaza, said the Gaza Strip was currently experiencing the third

138-21 16 coronavirus wave and the number of active cases could be expected to rise in the coming weeks (Palinfo Twitter account, August 18, 2021).

Right: Coronavirus testing in Deir al-Balah (Twitter account of Ashraf Amara, August 17, 2021). Left: Employees of the ministry of the treasury receive coronavirus vaccinations (Palinfo Twitter account, August 17, 2021).

The coronavirus ward in the European Hospital in eastern Khan Yunis (Twitter account of journalist Hassan Aslih, August 18, 2021).

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