Israeli Forces Kill 57 Palestinians in 8 Days as Cabinet Backs $779 Million Settlement Push
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 22
Israeli Forces Kill 57 Palestinians in 8 Days as Cabinet Backs $779 Million Settlement Push
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 22
Summary
At least 57 Palestinians were killed between July 13 and 20, the UN said, including eight mourners hit in a July 17 drone strike on a funeral in Nuseirat hours after Israel set an October 27 election.
The toll built through repeated strikes on homes, tents and checkpoints in Gaza, where entire families were killed and Israel's defense minister said the destruction reflected deliberate policy.
Israel Katz also said Israel was studying three military-style settlement outposts in northern Gaza, while the Israeli-controlled Yellow Line expanded near Deir el-Balah and forced hundreds more families to flee.
In the West Bank, Israel approved 1.3 billion shekels for 34 new settlements and 1.075 billion shekels for settler roads, alongside demolitions, land seizures, town closures and settler attacks.
The escalation comes as Gaza's humanitarian crisis deepens—63% of households get under six liters of drinking water daily—and as Israeli politicians court the far right before the election.
As Israel builds new barriers in Gaza, is the US-brokered peace plan officially dead?
Are Israel's actions a security measure, or a permanent annexation of Gaza?
With ICJ rulings ignored and violence escalating, can international law be enforced?
Gaza Under Fire and West Bank Expansion: Over 1,100 Killed Since 2025 Ceasefire Amidst Humanitarian Collapse
Overview
Between July 13 and 20, 2026, Israeli military actions in Gaza escalated sharply, resulting in at least 57 Palestinian deaths, including children and women, despite a ceasefire agreement announced in October 2025. The United Nations' human rights office strongly condemned these strikes, with spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan highlighting that intensified attacks left Palestinians feeling that nowhere is safe. This renewed violence contributed to a growing toll of civilian casualties and underscored the ongoing insecurity in Gaza, as international calls for accountability and respect for the ceasefire continued amid worsening humanitarian conditions.