Third aid convoy enters Gaza where Israeli army has carried out 'limited' ground raids: Israel-Hamas war, day 17

Thank you for joining our LIVE coverage from day 17 of the Hamas-Israel war. We will be back tomorrow with more news updates.

The US sent "several" military advisors to Israel, the White House announced according to AFP.

The advisors have experience in the "type of operations that Israel is currently conducting and may undertake in the future," said John Kirby, the spokesperson for the White House National Security Council.

Foreign ministers of Russia, Iran and Turkey called from Tehran for an "immediate" halt to "targeting innocent civilians" in Gaza, AFP reported.

Gathered in Tehran to discuss the "situation in Gaza," foreign ministers of Russia, Iran, Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan "emphasized the need to immediately stop targeting innocent civilians," according to a joint statement released after the meeting.

The US said today that any ceasefire declared by Israel in Gaza would benefit Hamas, at a time when calls for a humanitarian truce are growing, AFP reported.

"A ceasefire would give Hamas the opportunity to rest, rearm and prepare to continue launching terrorist attacks against Israel," said Spokesperson for the Department of State Matthew Miller in a press statement.

"You can understand why this situation is intolerable for Israel, just as it would be for any country that has suffered such a brutal terrorist attack and continues to face the terrorist threat at its borders," he added.

He said that the US is working separately to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and that US Special Envoy David Satterfield is working on it "intensively."

Hamas armed wing spokesperson Abu Obaida said they have released two captives in response to Qatari-Egyptian mediation, Reuters reported.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati told Lebanese TV channel LBCI earlier today that he is “urging parties that are talking to us into stopping the provocations of Israelis which is happening in the South,” according to a statement by his office.

“We are also urging local factions into self control and not dragging Lebanon into certain risks ," he added.

"I will only be reassured when there is a ceasefire in Gaza," he continued.

Mikati said that as long as there is no ceasefire and Israeli provocations continue, vigilance remains his priority.

He said he has a comprehensive emergency plan and added that "all parties are aware of the need to avoid a war in Lebanon."

When asked about why Lebanon is not present at the "Summit for Peace" in Cairo, he stated that he asked Egypt for an explanation. He said, "I think it was simply a mistake not to invite Lebanon."

The conference, organized by Egypt to attempt to reach an agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza and Israel, included around thirty representatives from European and Arab countries, but it yielded no resolution.

Hezbollah announced that it targeted an Israeli position with "guided missiles and the appropriate weapons" at 5:15 p.m.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) announced today that it decided to hold public hearings on the "legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem."

The hearings are scheduled to begin Feb. 19, 2024, at the Peace Palace in The Hague.

European Union (EU) Chief Diplomat Josep Borrell stated today that the leaders of the Twenty-Seven (EU member states) could support a call for a "humanitarian pause" to facilitate the delivery of aid to the Gaza Strip, which is under siege by the Israeli Army. However, he did not propose any concrete measures to facilitate the implementation of this proposal.

The war triggered by Hamas's attack on Oct. 7 in Israel will be the focus of a summit scheduled for leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday and Friday in Brussels.

Earlier in the day, France called for a "humanitarian truce" to enable the distribution of aid in the Gaza Strip, which could lead to a ceasefire, according to Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne's statement to the National Assembly.

TESTIMONY: Zainab Al Ghonaimy from Gaza told L'Orient-Le Jour on Oct. 23, 2023 (day 17 of the Hamas-Israel war):

"The martyrs in Gaza write their names on their hands.

Another harsh night has passed, its victims are 400 people who have ascended to martyrdom, which added to the list making the total known number of martyrs 4,700. In addition, there are hundreds of injuries, which makes the total number of people injured 15,000, 45% of which are children.

The intensity and vigor of the bombing from gunboats, ground artillery and warplanes made me jump in my place every time a bomb was dropped. Fear has taken over all of us to the point that we now are startled by the sound of a slamming door.

It seems that America via the zionist entity is testing the effectiveness of new weapons. When these bombs land they burn and cut up bodies making it difficult to identify people. People in Gaza therefore consider themselves part of a martyrdom project, between each bomb they thank God that they are still alive. However, they also refuse to be erased and unidentified when martyred. They write their names on their arms and legs so that they can be identified when martyred and their bodies are cut into pieces. They struggle even in death to overcome the American and occupying entity’s politics. They assert their presence despite their martyrdom.

My radio is always on. I don't want to miss any news of the bombings raining down here or there. My friends outside of Gaza message me asking, ‘Have you left yet?’ I get this question multiple times a day, not just from those living outside of Gaza, but even from those amongst us living here. We ask each other, ‘Have you stayed in your home? Or have you left?’

This is a natural question because of the ethnic cleansing the occupation’s army is perpetuating. Whether through voice messages sent to people’s phones, or the pamphlets that were dropped from warplanes on certain parts of Gaza that demanded people leave their homes, or through the consistent bombing that has destroyed people’s homes, apartment buildings and streets. It has forced people to leave. It is not a matter of choice. Reality answers any questions you might have.

All of Gaza is being destroyed.

During all previous military aggressions on Gaza, people had hope in political negotiations from the earliest days of the attacks. They believed that the war could end within a few days. However, since the 7th of October, there isn't even a glimmer of hope in any of the negotiation attempts because Arab regimes cannot impose a solution or suggest a position in an international system that protects the zionist entity.

We remain hopeful that this frenzied war will stop soon. Until then, people will remain insistent on their belonging and survival, even as martyrs."

Mourners attend Hezbollah fighter's funeral in southern suburb of Beirut, who was killed in clashes with Israel, Oct. 23, 2023. (Credit: Anwar Amro/AFP)

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah received a phone call from Free Patriotic Movement's leader Gebran Bassil "through a safe channel" and they discussed "the latest developments in Lebanon and the region especially those that aim to protect Lebanon and that intensify national unity," FPM said in a statement today.

"They also agreed on continuing the ongoing discussions with what serves the interest of Lebanon and all the Lebanese," the statement added.

The Israeli Army said in a statement that they neutralized two drones originating from the Gaza Strip today.

The Israeli military said, "They [the two drones] were spotted as they entered Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip," near the villages of Nir Oz and Ein HaBesor near the border.

"Both drones were neutralized," added the statement, but provided no further details on this interception.

Israeli media, on the other hand, stated that one of the aircraft was shot down from a helicopter and the other by a surface-to-air missile.

The armed wing of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas stated on messaging application Telegram that they had "launched two suicide drones" towards military bases in southern Israel.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called for "unhindered access" for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, in a telephone call today with his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the Kremlin said.

According to a Kremlin readout of the call, the two leaders "expressed serious concern about the growing number of civilian casualties and stressed the fundamental importance of an early ceasefire, the evacuation of foreign citizens from the Gaza Strip and of ensuring unhindered access to the enclave for humanitarian aid."

The Israeli Army said it struck two squads that tried to launch anti-tank missiles from Lebanon to Israel, according to Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

The Israeli military said that it is now attacking with cannons in retaliation to drones that struck the units, which were identified in the area of Mount Dov and Matat on the Lebanese border.

US troops in Syria were targeted by drones but there were no injuries, two US officials said on Monday. This is the latest in a series of attacks against US forces in the Middle East.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the attack took place at Al-Tanf base, near Syria's borders with Iraq and Jordan.

URGENT: New incidents involving the Israeli Army are taking place in different border areas of southern Lebanon.

The area around the town Rmaish is currently being bombarded by the Israeli Army, a Lebanese Army source told L'Orient Today.

A security source told our correspondent in the region Mountasser Abdallah that "three missiles were fired at the Israeli site of Ibad, opposite the town of Houla," and that Israeli artillery responded by striking the area around Bani Hayyan and Tallousa.

Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that "two people were slightly wounded by a rocket" near the village of Kiryat Shmona, in northern Israel, without further details. It added that the Isareli Army "returned fire against forces who opened fire on an Israeli military post on the border with Lebanon," triggering a siren.

Earlier, Israeli Army Arabic-speaking Spokesperson Avichay Adraee reported in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account that a drone had "infiltrated from Lebanon into Israeli airspace" in the Galilee region and had been intercepted by "air defense." He added that sirens had sounded in this part of the territory, but gave no further details.

When contacted by L'Orient Today, Hezbollah's press office could not be reached at the moment. The party did, however, announce the death of another of its fighters, without specifying when he died or under what circumstances.

The French Consulate in Lebanon advised its citizens again to avoid traveling to Lebanon "except for essential reasons" and suggested that those transiting through the country should depart as soon as possible. The consulate noted that there are tickets still available for a flight scheduled on Monday and a second one on Tuesday.

It has also issued a list of recommendations for those residing in Lebanon or choosing to stay, which includes stocking up on food, keeping cash on hand and having identity documents readily available.

Rmaish, a village located on the Lebanese-Israeli border, is being bombarded right now by the Israeli Army, a Lebanese Army source told L'Orient Today.

Earlier today, Israeli Army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said that their Iron Dome destroyed a drone coming from Lebanon. 

Hezbollah also announced another death of their fighters without specifying when and where he died.

American Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea said today, the 40th anniversary of the Oct. 23, 1983 bombing of US Marine Corps Barracks in Beirut, that she rejects the threats to drag Lebanon into a new war.

"Today, we reject, and the Lebanese people reject, the threats of some to drag Lebanon into a new war. We continue to renounce any attempts to shape the region’s future through intimidation, violence and terrorism," Shea stated.

"And here I am talking about not just Iran and Hezbollah, but also Hamas and others, who falsely paint themselves as a noble 'resistance,' and who most certainly do not represent the aspirations — or the values — of the Palestinian people, while they try to rob Lebanon and its people of their bright future," Shea added.

She also said that "our commitment to Lebanese people is so much stronger than any cowardly act of violence or terrorism."

Caretaker Social Affairs Minister Hector Hajjar called on the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to "set up a camp that will be ready in a week's time" near the border between Syria and Lebanon. This camp would be designed to accommodate displaced Syrians "in the event of an urgent security event," the minister explained during a tour of South Lebanon with local officials.

He addressed the issue of integration of Syrian refugees in Lebanese schools, a subject that was front-page news in Lebanon before the start of the war between Hamas and Israel.

"We must totally reject the presence of displaced Syrians in any school. And let no one lecture us on what to do on a humanitarian level ... What we have welcomed in Lebanon in terms of displaced Syrians could not be welcomed in any other country, so let no one lecture us," he continued, adding that various accommodation centers would not welcome any displaced Syrians.

"It's up to Prime Minister Najib Mikati to lead the initiative we proposed to the disaster management committee, which includes the entry of the UNHCR at the Lebanese border, or between Syria and Lebanon, to create a preventive camp that will be ready in a week's time to receive them," he concluded.

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said during a meeting today with the Brazilian Ambassador to Lebanon that "Lebanon is committed to respecting international legitimacy and is exercising its legitimate right to defend itself against Israeli aggression targeting Lebanon."

Hezbollah MP Hassan Ezzeddine said on Monday at a funeral in Saida that "the Resistance considers itself to be at the heart of the conflict [between Israel and Hamas] and will confront all the enemy's threats against Lebanon."

"The Resistance will play its jihadist role in support of the Palestinian people's right to use all the means at their disposal ... Let everyone know that we are an integral part of this axis," he added.

Finally, he recalled that the axis of resistance advocates "unity of fronts, of cause and of confrontation."

The Palestinian prime minister has condemned the positions taken that give "a license to kill to Israel," after Washington and European countries, invoking Israel's "right to defend itself," refrained from calling for an end to its bombardment of Gaza.

“What we hear from the leaders of the occupation [Israel] about preparations for a ground invasion means more crimes, atrocities and forced displacement,” Mohammed Shtayyeh said at the opening of a meeting of the Palestinian government in Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. “We condemn the positions that constitute a license to kill and offer [Israel] political cover to commit massacres and sow destruction in Gaza,” said Shtayyeh, whose government exercises no power in the Gaza Strip which is governed by Hamas.

US President Joe Biden and the leaders of the main Western powers, with whom he spoke, reiterated their support for Israel yesterday, while calling for respect for international humanitarian law, according to a White House report.

Hamas has called for "Arab and Islamic countries, as well as the United Nations, to intensify their efforts to open a permanent humanitarian corridor to confront the occupation's [Israel's] policy of starvation," the group said in a statement published on its Telegram channel.

"The entry of very small amounts of aid into the Gaza Strip over the last two days does not cover the growing needs of our people in the face of the ongoing blockade and the acute shortage of food, medicines and fuel, depleting the reserves of hospitals in the region," Hamas added.

The Egyptian Red Crescent confirmed on Monday that a third aid convoy entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing. In an Instagram post, it mentioned that the aid is related to "basic medical needs."

5. At the Lebanese border: This morning, an uneasy calm reigned in south Lebanon, while funerals of Hezbollah fighters took place after a particularly tense weekend.  At least 25 Hezbollah fighters and four members of Islamic Jihad have been killed in South Lebanon since the start of the clashes.

4. The Egyptian Red Crescent has announced that it is making its third aid delivery to the Gaza Strip, via the Rafah crossing from Egypt. In a post on Instagram, the organization added that the aid is aimed at meeting "basic medical needs."

The EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell today called for “more aid, more quickly” as well as a “humanitarian pause” to allow its distribution. Yesterday evening, US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “affirmed that there would henceforth be a continuous flow of this crucial assistance into Gaza” during a telephone conversation.

3. The New York Times cites "several US officials" as saying the Biden administration has, however, advised Israel to delay a ground invasion of Gaza, hoping to buy time for negotiations over the hostages held by Hamas and to allow more humanitarian aid to reach Palestinians in the besieged enclave. 

2. This morning, the Israeli military reported that "ground forces conducted limited raids in Gaza to eliminate armed fighters and search for hostages." Yesterday, an Israeli soldier was killed and three others injured by anti-tank missile fire during a ground incursion in Gaza, according to the army.

Gaza, Israel, south Lebanon: We take stock just after 2:30 p.m.

1. Israeli bombings left dozens dead overnight and today in the besieged Gaza Strip. The Israeli army, which has been relentlessly bombing the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7 in response to an unprecedented Hamas attack, intensified its bombings on Sunday as a prelude to a probable ground offensive.

Raids overnight and this morning left more than 70 dead, according to the Hamas-run government, including 17 people killed by a strike on a house in Jabaliya, in the north of the Gaza Strip, and 25 others in the center of the enclave.

 At least 5,087 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since Oct. 7, including 2,055 children, Gaza's Health Ministry said today, adding that 15,273 were wounded, Reuters reports.

The ministry said 436 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes in the past 24 hours, including 182 children, with most of the fatalities in the southern Gaza Strip. 

Dozens of Palestinian refugees held a sit-in today in front of the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine refugees in Beirut to denounce the United Nations' failure to assist Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. "We call on UNRWA to fulfill its humanitarian role more effectively," read a sign held by the protesters.

L'Orient Today has contacted a spokesperson for UNRWA and is awaiting a response.

Image: Palestinian refugees demonstrates in front of the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Beirut. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient Today)

Lebanon-Israel border: "A suspicious target that crossed the border from Lebanese territory" has been intercepted by the Israeli army, a military spokesperson has confirmed.

Captain Ella, the head of the Arabic media desk in the Israeli army and deputy commander of the spokesperson's unit said on her "X" account (previously Twitter) that "An alarm siren was activated in an open area north of the country following the interception."

Is the situation still under control in southern Lebanon, Salah Hijazi asks political and security analysts.

Click here to read his report.

Image: Israeli soldiers, on their merkava, at a location not far from the Lebanese border, Oct. 21, 2023. (Credit: Jalaa Marey/AFP)

The Egyptian Red Crescent says it is delivering its third round of aid into Gaza through the Rafah border crossing from Egypt.

In a post on Instagram, it says it will help with "basic medical needs."

Image: A picture taken from the southern Israeli city of Sderot shows rockets fired towards Israel from the Gaza Strip on Oct. 23, 2023, amid ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas group. (Credit: Jack Guez/AFP)

Image: Palestinians transport the body of a victim from the rubble after Israeli strikes in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Oct. 23, 2023, amid ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas group. (Credit: Mohammed Abed/AFP)

Gaza aid: EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has urged for faster aid deliveries to Gaza, and said the bloc was debating calling for a "humanitarian pause" in Israel's conflict with Hamas.

"What's important? More, quicker, and in particular to enter the basic things that make water and electricity supply being restored," Borrell said, ahead of a meeting of European Union foreign ministers.

Click here to read more. 

Two more members of Hezbollah have died "while carrying out their duty," Hezbollah has confirmed, via its official Telegram account.

This marks the 10th announcement of this kind in the last 24 hours.

The fighters have been named as Ali and Kamal Abded al-Aal, who came from the town of Halta al-Arkoub, located in southern Lebanon.

Image: A picture taken from the southern Israeli city of Sderot on Oct. 23, 2023, shows smoke and debris ascending over the northern Gaza Strip following an Israeli strike. (Credit: Jack Guez/AFP)

The Israeli army has attacked more than 320 targets in the past 24 hours in various regions of the Gaza Strip, according to its Arabic-speaking spokesperson Avichay Adraee.

In a post on his X account (formerly Twitter) today, he indicated that: "Among the targets attacked were tunnels where individuals affiliated with the Hamas terrorist organization were located, dozens of operational command headquarters used by members of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, as well as military installations and reconnaissance sites."

"During the past 24 hours, the army also destroyed potentially dangerous targets in the Gaza border area where forces were preparing for ground maneuvers, including dozens of rocket launchers and anti-tank rocket launching sites within the Gaza Strip," he added.

Israeli army again revises number of hostages

222 hostages are being held by Hamas in the Gaza strip, according to Haaretz, citing an Israeli Army spokesperson. Foreign nationals are said to be among the hostages, while the Israeli army claims to have at least "1,000 bodies" of killed Hamas members, according to Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari.

The Israeli army has said this morning that "ground forces conducted limited raids in Gaza to eliminate armed fighters and to search for hostages," Reuters reports.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has joined calls for a pause in the conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas to let more aid supplies into Gaza, Reuters reports.

"Now the most important thing is for humanitarian support to go into Gaza," the news agency cites Borrell as telling reporters as he arrived for a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.

According to Reuters, Borrell said the ministers would discuss the call from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for a pause to allow much more humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians to enter Gaza.

"I cannot anticipate the result of the meeting but it is certainly something which the ministers will have to discuss ... The secretary-general of the United Nations asked for it very much," Borrell said.

"Personally, I think a humanitarian pause is needed in order to allow humanitarian support to come in and be distributed," he added.

The United States on Sunday vowed a continued flow of aid to the Gaza Strip, as a new convoy of 14 trucks entered the besieged and bombarded Palestinian enclave.

With the first of two convoys of humanitarian assistance now inside Gaza, the White House said Israel had agreed that "there will now be continued flow of this critical assistance." Click here to read more.

Image: Volunteers from Qatar and Egypt’s Red Crescent humanitarian organizations unload aid destined for the Palestinians of the Gaza Strip at Egypt's al-Arish airport in the north Sinai peninsula on Oct. 22, 2023. (Credit: Callum PATON/AFP)

The United States has advised its citizens in Lebanon that they can get a financial assistance loan from the government to purchase plane tickets to leave the country.

"US citizens wishing to depart Lebanon should do so now due to the unpredictability of security conditions. Commercial flights are still available but with reduced capacity," the Bureau of Consular Affairs said on X (formerly Twitter).

This is the form they have provided: https://cacms.state.gov/s/crisis-intake

Dozens of Palestinians gathered early this morning in the Palestinian refugee camps of Ain al-Hilweh and Mieh Mieh, east of Saida in South Lebanon, to protest against Israel's ongoing deadly bombardment of Gaza, our correspondent in South Lebanon, Muntasser Abdallah, reports.

In Saida, scores of protesters also took to the city's streets shortly after 3 a.m. this morning, chanting slogans in support of the Palestinians

Hamas says at least 60 were killed in overnight Israel strikes on Gaza, AFP reports.

The news agency cites a statement from the Hamas government media office as saying "more than 60 were martyred in the [Israeli] raids" during the night, including 17 who were killed in a single strike that hit a house in Jabaliya, in northern Gaza.

Hezbollah announces deaths of two more of its fighters

After announcing the deaths of six of its fighters yesterday, Hezbollah has added that two more members were killed during an exchange of gunfire between the group and Israel, which is continuing on Lebanon's southern border.

In a statement released yesterday evening, Hezbollah announced that Mohammad Hassan Mansour, originally from the Bekaa region, was killed while "carrying out his duty." This morning, Hezbollah announced the death of Ali Hadi, who comes from south Lebanon.

In case you missed it over the weekend, Sahar Al Bashir spoke to farmers in south Lebanon about their fears for this year's olive crop. Click here to read her report.

Image: An olive press during harvest season in Lebanon in November 2022. (Credit: João Sousa/L'Orient Today/Illustrative photo)

Image: A person holds a child as Palestinians gather at the site of Israeli strikes on a house in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on Oct. 23, 2023. (Credit: Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters)

Two Palestinians were killed at the Jalazone refugee camp near Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry announced this morning. Residents told Reuters that Israeli forces raided the camp and made numerous arrests. They then confronted fighters and young people who were throwing stones. Israeli forces then withdrew to the outskirts of the camp, residents added.

The Israeli military has not issued a statement on the incidents.

For a summary of the situation in Lebanon, Gaza and Israel at the outset of day 17 of the Hamas-Israel war, click here to read our Morning Brief.

You can also sign up to receive the Morning Brief by email here.

Image: Children light candles during a solidarity vigil at Beirut’s Ramlet al-Bayda beach in memory of killed Lebanese journalist Issam Abdallah and in support of Palestinians on the Gaza Strip, Oct. 22, 2023, organized by Lebanon's Press Photographers Syndicate and the Ajial Social Communication Center. (Credit: Joseph Eid/AFP)

Good morning,

This morning we are resuming live coverage of events linked to Gaza, Israel and south Lebanon.