2021 Israel–Palestine crisis

This article is about an escalation of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict in May 2021. For a timeline of events throughout the year, see 2021 in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

2021 Israel–Palestine crisis
Part of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Israeli police officers in Lod, Israel, 11 May
Date	6–21 May 2021 (2 weeks and 1 day)
Location	Israel, Palestine, Israel–Lebanon border, Golan Heights
Caused by	Planned decision by the Supreme Court of Israel on the eviction of four Palestinian families in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah Storming of the al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli police
Status	Return to status quo ante bellum; ceasefire in effect Victory claimed by both sides Airstrikes by the Israeli Air Force inside Gaza and rocket fire by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad into Israel halted
Parties
Israel Israel Defense Forces Israeli Air Force Israel Police Israel Border Police Jewish Israeli protesters Gaza Strip Hamas Palestinian Islamic Jihad Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades Protesters in the Palestinian territories and Israel Palestinian protesters in the West Bank and Jerusalem Arab Israeli protesters Jordanian, Lebanese and Syrian protesters and militants Hezbollah
Lead figures
Benjamin Netanyahu Benny Gantz Aviv Kochavi Amikam Norkin Kobi Shabtai Ismail Haniyeh Saleh al-Arouri Abd Al Aziz Awda Ziyad al-Nakhalah Ahmad Sa'adat
Casualties and losses
Israel–Gaza conflict: 11 civilians killed (1 Indian, 2 Thai), 114 wounded 1 soldier killed, 3 wounded Lod riots: 1 Jewish-Israeli killed West Bank: 2 soldiers wounded Gaza Strip: 248 civilians and militants killed, 1,900+ wounded (per Gaza MOH/UN) 129 civilians killed (per UN) 20–225 militants killed (low est. per Hamas & PIJ, high est. per Israel) 6 aerial drones and "several" underwater drones destroyed (per Israel) West Bank: 26 Palestinians killed 500+ Palestinians injured Lod riots: 1 Arab-Israeli protester killed East Jerusalem: 1,000 Palestinian protesters injured 23 protesters arrested Israeli–Lebanese border: 1 Hezbollah member and 1 Lebanese protester killed
Over 72,000 Palestinians displaced

The 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis was an outbreak of violence in the ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict, that commenced on 10 May 2021, though disturbances took place earlier, and continued until a ceasefire came into effect on 21 May. It was marked by protests and rioting, police riot control, rocket attacks on Israel by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Israeli airstrikes targeting the Gaza Strip. The crisis was triggered on 6 May when Palestinians protested in East Jerusalem over an anticipated decision of the Supreme Court of Israel on the eviction of six Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah. Under international law, the area, effectively annexed by Israel, is a part of the Palestinian territories that Israel currently holds under belligerent occupation. Israel applies its laws there. Many believe that Hamas intentionally incited riots and violence at al-Aqsa Mosque and across East Jerusalem over Ramadan. On Friday 7 May, Palestinians threw stones at Israeli police and Jewish protesters at the compound that hosts the al-Qasa Mosque. In pursuit of the stone throwers, police stormed the compound of the al-Aqsa Mosque. The police used tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades.

The violence coincided with Qadr Night, observed by Muslims, and Jerusalem Day (9–10 May), an Israeli national holiday. The confrontations occurred ahead of a planned Jerusalem Day march by far-right Jewish nationalists that was later canceled. More than 300 people were injured, mostly Palestinians, drawing international condemnation. The Supreme Court ruling was then delayed for 30 days as the attorney general of Israel, Avichai Mandelblit, sought to reduce tensions.

On Monday afternoon on 10 May, Hamas gave Israel an ultimatum to withdraw security forces from the Temple Mount complex and Sheikh Jarrah by 6 pm or otherwise face unspecified consequences. Israel took immediate defensive measures. Even before the time had expired, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad started firing rockets into Israel from the Gaza Strip, hitting multiple residences and a school. Israel began a campaign of airstrikes against Gaza; by 16 May, some 950 targeted attacks had demolished, completely or partially: 18 buildings including four high-rise towers, 40 schools and four hospitals, and also struck the al-Shati refugee camp. In addition, at least 19 medical facilities have been damaged or destroyed by Israeli bombardment. The al-Jalaa Highrise, housing offices of the Associated Press and Al Jazeera as well as 60 condominiums, was destroyed on 15 May, prompting outcry. By 17 May, the United Nations estimated that Israel had demolished 94 buildings in Gaza, comprising 461 housing and commercial units.

As a result of the violence, at least 248 Palestinians were killed by Israeli bombardment in Gaza, including 66 children. Palestinian rocket fire killed 12 in Israel, including one child. On 11 May, the Israel Defense Forces said that at least 15 of the Palestinian casualties were members of Hamas, and also said that some Palestinian civilian casualties were caused by errant rocket launches within the Gaza Strip. As of 20 May, the Palestinian National Authority reported injuries for at least 1,900 Palestinians, while as of 12 May Israel reported at least 200 injured Israelis. As of 19 May, at least 72,000 Palestinians have been displaced. Calls for a ceasefire were first proposed on 13 May by Hamas, but rejected by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. On 18 May, France, with Egypt and Jordan, announced the filing of a United Nations Security Council resolution for a ceasefire. A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect on 21 May 2021, ending 11 days of fighting with both sides claiming victory.

Background

Main articles: Arab–Israeli conflict and Israeli–Palestinian conflict

April–May 2021 Ramadan events

On the night of 13 April, the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, an Israeli police squad raided the Haram al Sharif and, brushing aside mosque attendants, severed the loudspeaker cables used to broadcast the al-Aqsa muezzin's ritual call to prayer so that the speech being delivered by President Reuven Rivlin below, at the Western Wall, for Memorial Day in Israel would not be disturbed. At the same time, they blocked off access to the Damascus Gate where Muslim worshippers congregate during the holiday. The barriers at the Damascus Gate were eventually removed some two weeks later in the wake of protests. On 15 April, a TikTok video of a Palestinian teen slapping an ultra-orthodox Jewish man went viral, leading to several copycat incidents. The next day, tens of thousands of Palestinian worshippers were turned away from al-Aqsa, on the first Friday of Ramadan when Israel imposed a 10,000-person limit on prayers at the mosque. On the same day, a rabbi was beaten in Jaffa causing two days of protests. On 22 April, the far-right Jewish supremacist group Lehava held a march through Jerusalem chanting "death to Arabs". On 23 April, after fringe military groups fired 36 rockets at southern Israel, the IDF launched missiles at Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip. In the following days, a Palestinian boy and a 19-year-old Israeli settler were killed. On 6 May, the Israel Police shot and killed a 16 year-old Palestinian during a raid of Nablus in the West Bank.

Itamar Ben-Gvir visited Sheikh Jarrah shortly before the clashes began, where he said that the houses belonged to Jews and told police to "open fire" on protesters. Agence France-Presse reported that Israeli settlers had been seen in Sheikh Jarrah openly carrying assault rifles and revolvers leading up to the clashes. A video was posted of Ben-Gvir, in a joking exchange with the deputy mayor of Jerusalem, Arieh King, mocking a Palestinian resident shot by Israeli police during a protest.

Sheikh Jarrah property dispute

Further information: Sheikh Jarrah property dispute

Entrance to the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood

The long-running dispute over land in Sheikh Jarrah is considered a microcosm of the Israeli–Palestinian disputes over land since 1948. Israel's laws allow Jews to file claims over land in the West Bank and East Jerusalem which they have owned prior to 1948, but reject Palestinian claims over land in Israel which they owned.

A Jewish trust bought the land in Sheikh Jarrah from Arab landowners in the 1870s in Ottoman Palestine. However, this is disputed by some Palestinians who have produced Ottoman-era land titles for part of the land. The land came under Jordanian control following the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. In 1956, the Jordanian government, in cooperation with the United Nations' organization for refugees, UNRWA, housed 28 Palestinian refugee families who fled or were expelled from their homes by Israeli forces on land owned by Jewish trusts, and managed by the Jordanian Custodian of Enemy Property. 28 houses were built for Palestinian residents of the neighborhood under the agreement. After the Six-Day War the area fell under Israeli occupation. In 1972, the Israeli Custodian General registered the properties under the Jewish trusts, which in turn demanded that the tenants pay rent. Eviction orders began to occur in the 1990s. The Sheikh Jarrah district houses the descendants of refugees expelled or displaced from their homes in Jaffa and Haifa in the Nakba of 1948.

OCHAoPT map of Palestinian communities under threat of eviction in East Jerusalem, as of 2016

The Jewish trusts sold the homes to a right-wing settler organization, which has since made repeated attempts to evict the Palestinian residents. These groups have succeeded in evicting 43 Palestinians from the area in 2002, with three further families since then. In 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected an appeal by Palestinian families who had resided in 57 housing units in the area of Sheikh Jarrah, who had petitioned the court to have their ownership to the properties recognized. An Israeli court had previously ruled that the Palestinians could remain on the properties under a legal status called "protected tenants" but must pay rent. The move to evict them came after they refused to pay rent and carried out illegal construction on the properties. In 2021 Israel's Supreme Court was expected to deliver a ruling on whether to uphold the eviction of six Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood on 10 May 2021, after a court ruled that 13 families comprising 58 people must vacate the properties by 1 August. On 9 May 2021, the Israeli Supreme Court delayed the expected decision on evictions for 30 days, after an intervention from Attorney General of Israel Avichai Mandelblit.

According to the Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research, this approach to property rights is unacceptable in international law. Palestinian tenants argue that Israeli courts have no jurisdiction in the area since the land is outside Israel's recognized borders. The Jerusalem-based non-profit organization B'Tselem and the international Human Rights Watch have cited discriminatory policies in East Jerusalem in recent reports, alleging that Israel is guilty of the crime of apartheid. Israel has rejected the allegations.

Political instability

The 2021 Palestinian legislative election for the Palestinian Legislative Council, originally scheduled for 22 May 2021, was indefinitely postponed on 29 April 2021 by President Mahmoud Abbas. Hamas, which was expected to do well in the elections, called the move a "coup", and some Palestinians believed Abbas had delayed the election to avoid political defeat for his party Fatah. Analysts say the postponement contributed towards the current crisis, and encouraged Hamas to resort to military confrontation rather than diplomatic tactics. Opinion pieces in NBC News, the Wall Street Journal and Foreign Policy argued that by taking responsibility for the rocket fire, Hamas had improved its standing among Palestinians wary of the delayed elections.

In Israel, the ongoing 2019–2021 Israeli political crisis saw four inconclusive elections which left Israel functioning under a caretaker government. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was trying to persuade several extreme-right politicians to form a coalition. The presence of right-wing Israeli politicians Ben-Gvir and King contributed to the crisis. The New York Times said Netanyahu was trying to instigate a crisis to build support for his leadership, and thus allowed tensions to rise in Jerusalem. An article in The Conversation dismissed this as "conspiratorial", arguing that although the crisis has given Netanyahu a political opportunity, he "was not looking or hoping for a major conflict with the Palestinians to help him hold onto power".

Escalation

See also: 2021 in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict § May, and Palestinian enclaves § Key issues

Palestinian protests began on 6 May in Sheikh Jarrah, but clashes soon spread to the al-Aqsa Mosque, Lod, other Arab localities in Israel, and the West Bank. Between 10 and 14 May Israeli security inflicted injuries on approximately 1,000 Palestinian protesters in East Jerusalem.

Sheikh Jarrah

Palestinians and Israeli settlers first clashed on 6 May in Sheikh Jarrah, where Palestinian families are at risk of being evicted. Palestinian protesters had been holding nightly outdoor iftars. On 6 May, Israeli settlers and members of the far-right political party Otzma Yehudit set up a table across the street from Palestinians. Social media videos showed both sides hurling rocks and chairs at each other. Israeli police intervened and arrested at least 7 people. Israeli police subsequently engaged in extensive spraying of Sheikh Jarrah's Palestinian homes, shops, restaurants, public spaces and cultural institutions with Skunk, a lasting stench used to contain protests.

Al-Aqsa Mosque

Aerial photograph of al-Aqsa Mosque, on the Temple Mount, the site of some of the clashes

On 13 April, Israeli police entered al-Aqsa and cut the cables of the minarets' loudspeakers. That day was both the first day of Islamic holy month of Ramadan and Israel's Memorial Day. The incident was condemned by Jordan, and the Palestinian National Authority called it a hate crime, but it did not draw other international attention.

On 7 May, large numbers of police were deployed on the Temple Mount as around 70,000 worshippers attended the final Friday prayers of Ramadan at al-Aqsa. After the evening prayers, some Palestinian worshippers began throwing previously stockpiled rocks and other objects at Israeli police officers. Police officers fired stun grenades into the mosque compound, and into a field clinic. A mosque spokesman stated the clashes broke out after Israeli police attempted to evacuate the compound, where many Palestinians sleep over in Ramadan, adding that the evacuation was intended to allow access to Israelis. More than 300 Palestinians were wounded as Israeli police stormed the mosque compound. Palestinians threw rocks, firecrackers, and heavy objects, while Israeli police fired stun grenades, tear gas, and rubber bullets at worshippers. The storming came ahead of a Jerusalem Day flag march by Jewish nationalists through the Old City. At least 215 Palestinians were injured, 153 of whom were hospitalised. Militants in Gaza fired rockets into Israel the following night.

More clashes occurred on 8 May, the date of the Islamic holy night of Laylat al-Qadr. Palestinian crowds threw stones, lit fires, and chanted "Strike Tel Aviv" and "In spirit and in blood, we will redeem al-Aqsa", which The Times of Israel described as in support of Hamas. The Israel Police, wearing riot gear and some on horseback, used stun grenades and water cannons. At least 80 people were injured.

On 10 May, Israeli police stormed al-Aqsa for the second time, injuring 300 Palestinians and 21 Israeli police. According to the Red Crescent, 250 Palestinians were hospitalized for injuries and seven were in critical condition.

Also on 10 May, a video showing a tree burning near al-Aqsa began to circulate on social media. Below in the Western plaza, a crowd of Jewish Israelis was singing and dancing in celebration of Jerusalem Day. Yair Wallach accused them of singing "genocidal songs of vengeance". The crowd cheered the flames with words from a song from Judges 16:28 in which Samson cries out before he tears down the pillars in Gaza, "O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!" Witnesses differed as to whether the fire was caused by an Israeli police stun grenade or by fireworks thrown by Palestinian protesters. Although the fire happened just 10 meters away from al-Aqsa, there was no damage to the mosque.

West Bank

Map of the West Bank, May 2021, showing Palestinian (green) and Israeli control.

After Friday prayers on 14 May, Palestinians protested in more than 200 locations in the West Bank. Protesters hurled stones and Israeli soldiers responded with live fire and tear gas. As a result, 11 Palestinians were killed in the clashes. A Palestinian man who attempted to stab a soldier was shot, but survived; no Israeli soldiers were wounded in the incident. More than 100 Palestinians were injured. There have been daily demonstrations since the escalation in Gaza. As of 16 May, a total of 13 Palestinians had been killed in the West Bank in clashes with Israeli troops by 14 May. On 17 May, three Palestinian demonstrators were killed in clashes with the IDF.

According to Al Arabiya, Fatah has backed a call for a general strike on 18 May in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Palestinians in Israel have been asked to take part. In an unusual display of unity, the strike went ahead and "shops were shuttered across cities in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and in villages and towns inside Israel". During the day of protests and strikes, a Palestinian man was killed and more than 70 wounded in clashes near Ramallah and two Israeli soldiers were injured in a shooting attack. Large crowds also gathered in Nablus, Bethlehem and Hebron while police deployed water cannons in Sheikh Jarrah.

Arab communities in Israel

Israeli police officers in Lod, Israel, 11 May

During the evening and night of 10 May, Arab rioters in Lod threw stones and firebombs at Jewish homes, a school, and a synagogue, later attacking a hospital. Shots were fired at the rioters, killing one and wounding two; a Jewish suspect in the shooting was arrested.

Widespread protests and riots intensified across Israel, particularly in cities with large Arab populations. In Lod, rocks were thrown at Jewish apartments and some Jewish residents were evacuated from their homes by the police. Synagogues and a Muslim cemetery were vandalized. A Jewish man was critically wounded after being struck in the head by a brick, and died six days later. In the nearby city of Ramle, Jewish rioters threw rocks at passing vehicles. On 11 May, Mayor of Lod Yair Revivio urged Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu to deploy the Israel Border Police to the city, stating that the municipality had "completely lost control" and warning that the country was on the brink of "civil war". Netanyahu declared a state of emergency in Lod on 11 May, marking the first time since 1966 that Israel has used emergency powers over an Arab community. Border Police forces were deployed to the city. A nighttime curfew was declared and entry to the city was prohibited for non-resident civilians. Minister of Public Security Amir Ohana announced the implementation of emergency orders.

Rioters attack a bus in Jerusalem, 19 May

Unrest continued on 12 May. In Acre, a Jewish man was attacked and seriously injured by an Arab mob armed with sticks and stones while driving his car. In Bat Yam, Jewish extremists attacked Arab stores and beat pedestrians. An Arab motorist was pulled from his car and severely beaten in the street. The incident was caught live by an Israeli news crew.

As of 13 May, communal violence including "riots, stabbings, arson, attempted home invasions and shootings" was reported from Beersheba, Rahat, Ramla, Lod, Nasiriyah, Tiberias, Jerusalem, Haifa and Acre. An Israeli soldier was severely beaten in Jaffa and had to be hospitalized for a skull fracture and cerebral hemorrhage, and two civilians including a paramedic and a police officer were shot by Arab assailants in Lod and Ramla. An Israeli news crew was attacked by Jewish extremists in Tel Aviv, and a Jewish family which mistakenly drove into Umm al-Fahm was attacked by a mob before being rescued by other local residents and police. Israel Border Police forces were deployed throughout the country to quell the unrest, and 10 Border Police reserve companies were called up. In an address to police in Lod, Prime Minister Netanyahu told them not to worry about future commissions of inquiry and investigations into their enforcement during the riots, reminding them of the way the police had suppressed the Palestinian Land Day riots of 1976.

Israel Police arrest accused rioters in the Negev

By 17 May, the rioting had mostly died down. However, on 18 May, Israeli-Arabs, together with Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, held a general strike in protest against Israeli policies toward Palestinians. Numerous employers threatened to fire Arab workers who participated in the strike. The management of Rambam Hospital in Haifa sent letters to their Arab employees warning against participating in the strike, and the Ministry of Education came under heavy criticism from teachers throughout Israel after it sent requests to the principals of schools in Arab towns asking for a list of teachers who participated in the strike. There were some instances of employees who participated in the strike being unlawfully dismissed without a prior hearing as required under Israeli law. The Israeli telecommunications company Cellcom paused work for an hour as an act in support of coexistence. The move led to calls for a boycott of Cellcom among Israeli right-wingers who accused it of showing solidarity with the strike, and several Jewish settlement councils and right-wing organizations cut ties with it. Cellcom's stock subsequently dropped by 2%.

Throughout the riots, Arab rioters set 10 synagogues and 112 Jewish homes on fire, looted 386 Jewish homes and damaged another 673, and set 849 Jewish cars on fire. There were also 5,018 recorded instances of stone-throwing against Jews. By contrast, Jewish rioters damaged 13 Arab homes and set 13 Arab cars on fire, and there were 41 recorded instances of stone-throwing against Arabs. One Arab home was set on fire by Arab rioters who mistook it for a Jewish home. About 1,000 people were arrested for rioting by 17 May. By 19 May the number of those arrested had risen to 1,319, of whom 159 were Jewish, and 170 people had been criminally charged over the riots, of whom 155 were Arab and 15 Jewish.

Gaza

Further information: List of Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel in 2021 and Casualties of Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip

Wreckage of a bus and car in Holon, Israel, after a rocket attack, 11 May

Hamas delivered an ultimatum to Israel to remove all its police and military personnel from both the Haram al Sharif mosque site and Sheikh Jarrah by 10 May, 6pm. If it failed to do so, they announced that the combined militias of the Gaza Strip ("joint operations room") would strike Israel. Minutes after the deadline passed, Hamas fired more than 150 rockets into Israel from Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that seven rockets were fired toward Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh and that one was intercepted. An anti-tank missile was also fired at an Israeli civilian vehicle, injuring the driver. Israel launched air strikes in the Gaza Strip on the same day. The following day, the IDF officially dubbed the campaign in the Gaza Strip "Operation Guardian of the Walls".

On 11 May, the 13-story residential Hanadi Tower in Gaza collapsed after being hit by an Israeli airstrike. The tower housed a mix of residential apartments and commercial offices. IDF said the building contained offices used by Hamas, and said it gave "advance warning to civilians in the building and provided sufficient time for them to evacuate the site"; Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fired 137 rockets at Tel Aviv in five minutes. Hamas stated that they fired their "largest ever barrage". In addition, an Israeli state-owned oil pipeline was hit by a rocket.

Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip, 12 May

On 12 May, the Israeli Air Force destroyed dozens of police and security installations along the Gaza Strip; Hamas said its police headquarters were among the targets destroyed. Over 850 rockets were launched from Gaza into Israel on 12 May. According to the IDF, at least 200 rockets launched by Hamas failed to reach Israel, and fell inside the Gaza Strip. Hamas also struck an Israeli military jeep near the Gaza border with an anti-tank missile. An Israeli soldier was killed and three others were wounded in the attack.

IDF operations in Gaza on 14 May

On 13 May, Israeli forces and militant groups in Gaza continued to exchange artillery fire and airstrikes. Hamas attempted to deploy suicide drones against Israeli targets, with an Israeli F-16 engaging and shooting down one such drone. The Iron Dome intercepted many of the rockets fired at Israel. A series of Israeli strikes targeted the headquarters of Hamas' internal security forces, its central bank, and the home of a senior Hamas commander. On 14 May, Israel Defense Forces claimed to have troops on the ground and in the air attacking the Gaza Strip, although this claim was later retracted and followed with an apology for misleading the press. That same day, the Israeli Air Force launched a massive bombardment of Hamas' extensive underground tunnel network, which was known as "the metro", as well as above-ground positions, reportedly inflicting heavy casualties. It was suspected that the reports of an Israeli ground invasion had been a deliberate ruse to lure Hamas operatives into the tunnels and prepared positions above ground to confront Israeli ground forces so that large numbers could then be killed by airstrikes. According to an Israeli official, the attacks killed hundreds of Hamas personnel, and in addition, 20 Hamas commanders were assassinated and most of its rocket production capabilities were destroyed. However, the estimated Hamas death toll was revised to dozens, as information came out that senior Hamas commanders had doubted that the ruse was genuine and only a few dozen Hamas fighters took positions in the tunnels. Also on 14 May, a Hamas drone was downed by Israeli air defense forces. In total, 160 Israeli Air Force aircraft fired 450 missiles at 150 targets, with the attacks lasting about 40 minutes.

IDF animation of the plan to attack Hamas' tunnel network

The Israeli Air Force carried out another large-scale series of raids against Hamas' tunnel network on 17 May, bombing over 15 kilometers of underground passages, with 54 Israeli jets dropping 110 bombs. The homes of nine Hamas commanders and a home used by Hamas' military intelligence branch were also bombed.

During the fighting, Hamas militants with anti-tank guided missiles repeatedly took positions in apartments and behind dunes. These teams were identified by IDF reconnaissance units and subsequently destroyed in pinpoint attacks. At least 20 such teams were destroyed by Israeli air and ground forces. On 20 May, a Hamas anti-tank missile attack on an IDF bus lightly wounded one soldier. The attack came moments after a group of 10 soldiers had disembarked from the bus.

In addition, the IDF sank Hamas' fleet of small unmanned submarines designed to explode under or near Israeli naval vessels or oil and gas drilling rigs. Hamas tried repeatedly to attack Israel's Tamar gas field. At two least attempts to launch attacks with autonomous submarines were intercepted. In one instance, a Hamas team was spotted launching the submarine. An Israeli navy vessel destroyed the submarine while it was still close to the shore and the Israeli Air Force subsequently attacked the team which launched it.

An Israeli Air Force F-16 warplane takes off with guided munition to strike targets in the Gaza Strip

As of 16 May, according to the IDF, over 2,000 rockets had been fired into Israel; approximately half were intercepted by Israeli missile defenses, and 350 fell inside Gaza. By the time the campaign ended, over 4,360 rockets and mortar shells had been fired at southern and central Israel, an average of 400 per day. About 3,400 successfully crossed the border while 680 fell in Gaza and 280 fell into the sea. The attacks killed 6 Israeli civilians, among them a 5-year old boy and two Israeli-Arabs, as well as three foreign nationals working in Israel: an Indian woman working as a caregiver in Ashkelon and two Thai workers who were killed when the packing house of a community in southern Israel close to the Gaza border took a direct hit. Three other Israeli civilians including an 87-year-old woman died from injuries sustained after they fell while running to bomb shelters during attacks.

The IDF estimated that it destroyed 850 rockets in strikes on the Gaza Strip and also severely degraded local rocket manufacturing capabilities in strikes on rocket production centers. In addition, Israel assassinated numerous Hamas and Islamic Jihad commanders with airstrikes. Nearly 30 senior Hamas commanders were assassinated by the IDF during the campaign. Israel's ability to locate senior commanders to such an extent indicated extensive Israeli intelligence penetration of Hamas' ranks.

Israeli artillery firing into Gaza, 18 May

In three instances, Hamas attempted to launch cross-border raids into Israel to kill or kidnap soldiers and civilians, utilizing tunnels that approached but did not cross into Israeli territory to enable its fighters to get close. All of these attacks were foiled. In one instance, a group of Hamas fighters was struck before entering a tunnel and in two other instances the groups were targeted while in the tunnels. A total of 18 Hamas fighters were killed. The IDF also claimed that seven Hamas drones which crossed into Israeli airspace were shot down, including at least one by an Iron Dome battery.

According to Israeli journalist Haviv Rettig Gur, Israel systematically thwarted Hamas' tactical innovations and destroyed the military infrastructure it had prepared for a future war, which proved "ineffective or outright useless".

The United Nations said that more than 72,000 Palestinians had been internally displaced, sheltering mostly at 48 UNRWA schools in the enclave. After the ceasefire, less than 1,000 displaced Palestinians were sheltering in UNRWA schools, down from a peak of around 66,000.

On 18 May, Egypt pledged $500 million in efforts to rebuild Gaza after the missile strikes.

Al-Jalaa media building bombing

Israel destroys the al-Jalaa media building, 15 May

On 15 May the IDF targeted the al-Jalaa building in Gaza, which housed Al Jazeera and Associated Press journalists, and a number of other offices and apartments. The building was hit by at least 4 missiles, approximately an hour after Israeli forces called the building's owner, warning of the attack and advising all occupants to evacuate.

An Israeli military spokesperson confirmed the IDF struck the media building, saying it contained "Hamas military intelligence". The Associated Press, which had used the building for 15 years, said they had never seen Hamas in the building. On 16 May, Israel said they had shown the United States evidence that Hamas operated inside the building. The United States secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said he had not personally seen any evidence that Hamas was operating out of the tower, but a senior official at the United States Department of State later said that "any such information would be provided to others in the administration, not directly to the secretary of State", stating that Blinken was only referring to what he had seen personally. On 18 May, Blinken said "It's my understanding that we've received some further information through intelligence channels, and it's not something I can comment on".

The attack was condemned by the Committee to Protect Journalists. Reporters Without Borders called for a war crimes investigation by the International Criminal Court. Gary Pruitt, CEO of Associated Press, said the news agency was "shocked and horrified that the Israeli military would target and destroy the building housing AP's bureau and other news organizations in Gaza". He added that "the world will know less about what is happening in Gaza because of what happened today."

Lebanon and Syria

On 13 May at least three rockets were fired from the coastal area of Qlaileh just South of the Palestinian refugee camp of Rashidieh in the Southern Lebanese district of Tyre across the Israeli–Lebanese border, landing in the Mediterranean Sea. Hezbollah denied responsibility for the rocket launches and Lebanese Army troops were deployed to the area around the refugee camp, finding several rockets there.

On 14 May, dozens of Lebanese demonstrated on the Israel-Lebanon border in solidarity with the Palestinians. A small group of demonstrators cut through the border fence and crossed into Israel, setting fires near Metulla. IDF troops fired at them, killing one who was later identified as a member of Hezbollah. Another was wounded and later died of his injuries. That evening, three rockets were fired from Syria, while two of them hit the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights but fell in uninhabited places. The following day, Lebanese demonstrators damaged the border fence with molotov cocktails and other items.

On 17 May, six rockets were fired by Palestinian militants towards Israel but the rockets failed to cross the Lebanese-Israeli border. The Israeli military responded by firing artillery shells across the border in the direction of the rocket fire. No one was injured in the incident.

On 19 May, according to the Israeli army, four rockets were fired from near the Siddikine village in the Tyre District of Southern Lebanon towards Haifa, with one of the rockets being intercepted, another landing in an open area, and the remaining two landing in the Mediterranean sea. The Israeli army responded with artillery fire.

Casualties and damage

	Gaza	West Bank	Israel
			Jewish	Arab
10 May	28	?	3
11 May	4	?	1
12 May	21	?	4
13 May	34	?	2
14 May	39	?	0
15 May	13	?	1
16 May	53	?	0
17 May	20	?	1

248 people have been killed in Gaza as of 21 May, including 66 children, and more than 1,900 others have been wounded.610 children, 398 women and 940 men were wounded (UNOCHA). Twelve deaths in Israel were reported, including two children, one Indian woman and two Thai men living and working in Israel.

According to Amira Hass, 15 Israeli strikes have targeted individual family dwellings, causing multiple deaths among members of the 15 families living there. When the ceasefire came into effect, the Palestinian National Authority set the number of entire families killed at 20, and announced it will lodge a complaint at the International Court of Justice for "war crimes" in that regard. Palestinian journalist Yusuf Abu Hussein was killed in an Israeli airstrike in his home on 19 May, prompting outcry from the International Federation of Journalists. An Israeli airstrike on 20 May killed a disabled Palestinian man, his pregnant wife, and their three-year-old daughter.

A Hamas commander, identified as Mohammed Abdullah Fayyad, as well as three high-ranking Islamic Jihad commanders were also killed. Another Hamas member was killed on 11 May. The deaths of the five commanders were confirmed by official statements of both the groups. The deaths of other militants are suspected but not confirmed. It is disputed whether some of the first victims on 10 May died as a result of an Israeli airstrike or an errant Palestinian rocket.

On 11 May, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad launched hundreds of rockets at Ashdod and Ashkelon, killing two people and wounding more than 90 others. A third Israeli woman from Rishon LeZion was also killed, while two more civilians from Dahmash were killed by a rocket attack and a soldier stationed near the Gaza border was killed in an anti-tank missile attack the next day.

Bassem Issa, a top Hamas commander, was killed.

Medical facilities and personnel

Hamas has been accused by Israel of using medical facilities to cover its activities. The Ministry of Health is run by the Hamas government, and wounded soldiers are often treated in civilian hospitals. As of 17 May the Israeli airstrikes on Gaza have caused the following damage, according to the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs:

• 4 hospitals run by Gaza's ministry of health, including the Indonesian and Beit Hanoun hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip.
• 2 hospitals run by NGOs
• 2 clinics, one run by Médecins Sans Frontières, and one, the Hala al-Shawa clinic, in disuse at the time.
• 1 health centre
• 1 Palestine Red Crescent Society facility.

Personnel killed:

• Dr Moein Ahmad al-Aloul (66), a leading Gaza neurologist, killed when his house in the Rimal quarter collapsed after an Israeli strike on shops on the building's ground level. His 5 children were also killed in the strike.
• Dr Ayman Abu al-Auf, the Al-Shifa Hospital's head of internal medicine and director of Gaza's COVID-19 response, killed by falling rubble after a strike on al-Wehda Street, a controversial strike that killed over 40 people. 12 members of his extended family were also killed.

By 18 May, seventeen hospitals and clinics in Gaza had suffered damage, according to The New York Times.

The Israeli strike on the Rimal clinic also shut down the only COVID-19 laboratory in the Strip, rendering further screening for the pandemic impossible.

Infrastructure

Gaza. According to a post-ceasefire UNOCHA estimate,

• 1,042 housing and commercial units, spread over 258 buildings, were destroyed
• 769 further units suffered severe damage.
• 53 schools were damaged
• 6 hospitals and 11 clinics were damaged.
• The IDF claimed it had destroyed 60 miles of the Metro, Hamas's underground tunnel system.

Israel. 3,424 claims of compensation for property damage have been filed by Israelis as a result of the fighting: 1,724 related to damage to motor vehicles.

Diplomacy and ceasefire

Further information: International reactions to the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis and International protests over the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis

U.S. president Joe Biden condemned the rocket attacks into Israel and added that "Israel has a right to defend itself".

China, Norway and Tunisia requested a public United Nations Security Council meeting for 14 May while the United States objected. The Council has met privately twice but has not been able to agree on a statement over United States objections. On 12 May, it was announced that Hady Amr, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Israeli-Palestinian Affairs and Press and Public Diplomacy, would be sent to the region "immediately". Truce efforts by Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations have so far offered no sign of progress.

On 13 May, Hamas made a proposal for a ceasefire, stating that it was prepared to halt attacks on a 'mutual basis'. Netanyahu informed his cabinet that Israel had rejected the overture. On 13 May, U.S. President Joe Biden held telephone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Biden stated that "Israel has a right to defend itself when you have thousands of rockets flying into your territory."

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for an immediate ceasefire, "out of respect for the spirit of Eid", making reference to Eid al-Fitr, an Islamic festival which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Hady Amr arrived in Tel Aviv for discussions on how to achieve a "sustainable calm" ahead of a United Nations Security Council meeting on 16 May.

On 16 May, U.S. President Joe Biden held telephone calls with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and President Mahmoud Abbas.

Following the third UN Security Council emergency meeting in a week, the United States used its veto power to block a proposed statement drafted by China, Norway, and Tunisia and supported by the other 14 members of the council. No vote was held on the statement. The draft statement called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and condemned the violence in Gaza; it urged all parties, especially Israel, to use restraint, but made no mention of the rocket attacks by Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

On 18 May, the Greek foreign minister Nikos Dendias becomes the first European official to visit Israel and Palestine, followed by a visit to Jordan, in consultation with France, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and the United States as part of the efforts for brokering a ceasefire between the two parties, while France announced the filing of a resolution with the UN Security Council calling for a cease-fire, in coordination with Egypt and Jordan. The resolution could be circulated as soon as 19 May. Security Council press and presidential statements require approval of all 15 members while resolutions do not.

On 19 May, U.S. President Joe Biden held a phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, expressing to his Israeli counterpart that "he expected a significant de-escalation today on the path to a ceasefire". Furthermore, multiple news sources announced that the German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas intends to travel to Israel, and possibly the Palestinian territories on 20 May to discuss the escalating conflict.

On 20 May, the foreign ministers of Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia visited Israel to express support and solidarity with Israel.

As of 20 May, Israel and Hamas agreed to cease hostilities. A ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the United Nations between Israel and Hamas was enacted at around 2:00 AM on 21 May 2021, ending 11 days of fighting. The final proposal by Egypt was voted on by the Israeli cabinet and was unanimously approved, and Hamas also indicated their acceptance of the peace deal. Other than a minor skirmish at Al-Aqsa Mosque, there were no substantive violations of the ceasefire throughout the day on 21 May. In the hours before the Egypt-brokered deal, president Joe Biden of the U.S. had spoken with Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi about brokering such a deal. Biden later described the deal as "mutual" and "unconditional" and expressed his belief that both sides deserved to live in safety. Both sides claimed victory in the conflict.

Aftermath

Just hours after the ceasefire came into effect, what the New York Times described as a 'small skirmish' , in which 20 Palestinians were reportedly wounded, and 16 arrested, between Israeli police and Palestinians took place just outside the Al Aqsa mosque. The incident occurred after noon prayers, when most of the tens of thousands of worshipers had left the site. A few in the remaining group waved Palestinian flags; Israeli police entered to confiscate the flags and disperse the crowd. The Israeli version is that hundreds of Palestinians threw stones and firebombs on the arrival of the Israeli police. The Palestinian version is that the violence erupted only when the police entered the compound.

As of 22 May, according to an Egyptian diplomat, two teams of Egyptian mediators are in Israel and the Palestinian territories with the intent to "firm up" the cease-fire deal and to secure a long-term calm. Blinken planned to visit Israel and the West Bank on 26-27 May with the same idea. The UN security council finally released an agreed statement calling for full adherence to the truce and stressing the immediate need for humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians while reiterating the need for a 2-state solution. The statement made no reference to Hamas.

Israeli and Palestinian reactions

President of Israel Reuven Rivlin holding an emergency meeting with European Union ambassadors

Sign in Arabic reading "We will not leave" on the walls of the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood

On 9 May 2021, the Israeli Supreme Court delayed the expected decision on evictions for 30 days, after an intervention from Attorney General of Israel Avichai Mandelblit. Israel Police also banned Jews from going to the al-Aqsa plaza for Jerusalem Day festivities. On 10 May, Israel closed the Kerem Shalom border crossing, including for humanitarian aid. Due to rocket fire on 11 May, the Israel Airports Authority briefly halted air travel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the actions of the Israeli police and said that Israel "shall not allow any radical element to undermine the calm". He also said "we firmly reject the pressure not to build in Jerusalem". Israeli officials asked the Biden administration not to intervene in the situation.

On 10 May 2021, Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, issued a statement that the "brutal storming and assault on worshipers in the blessed al-Aqsa Mosque and its courtyards is a new challenge to the international community".

Israel's Minister for Public Security Amir Ohana called for the release of the Israeli man arrested for the shooting of an Arab in Lod, arguing without providing evidence that the suspect was acting in self-defense and law-abiding citizens bearing arms assist the authorities. According to a Guardian report, the statement seemed to encourage mob violence.

A spokesman for Palestinian Islamic Jihad said that Israel "started the aggression on Jerusalem. If this aggression does not end, there is no point to diplomatic efforts to reach a cease-fire". Hamas gave an ultimatum to the Israeli government, saying if they did not remove forces from the mosque by 2 a.m. on 11 May, then they would conduct another rocket strike.

Netanyahu convened an emergency security meeting on 11 May, and schools in several parts of Israel were closed.

Israeli president Reuven Rivlin condemned the riots in Lod, describing them as a pogrom.

See also

• 2018–2019 Gaza border protests
• List of battles in the 21st century
• List of modern conflicts in the Middle East
• List of ongoing armed conflicts

External links

• Israel-Gaza violence: The conflict explained. BBC News Online