A Palestinian prisoner reacts after being released from an Israeli jail in exchange for Israeli hostages released by Hamas from the Gaza Strip, in the occupied West Bank on Nov. 28, 2023. Israel's prison authority said that 33 Palestinian prisoners had been released "during the night" under the terms of a truce deal that returned hostages from the Gaza Strip. (Credit: Fadel Senna / AFP)
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Catch up on yesterday's LIVE coverage of Day 52 of the Israel-Hamas war here.
Hezbollah claims to have begun compensating residents of southern Lebanon whose homes were damaged or who have been otherwise "directly affected" by the past seven weeks of its cross-border conflict with Israel. Hezbollah MP Hassan Ezzedine told L'Orient Today that around 1,400 homeowners will be compensated, prioritizing people who live in the areas affected, after which payments will be made to account for damage to agricultural land or uninhabited houses. The amounts disbursed will vary according to repair cost estimates from engineers commissioned by the party. Several border village residents whose houses were damaged said they had not yet been contacted. The mayor of Dhaira said Hezbollah vowed to compensate for damages at the start of the cross-border clashes, though no payments have yet been made. After the 2006 war with Israel, Hezbollah undertook a reconstruction campaign in Beirut's southern suburbs of over 200 buildings. Residents were given a choice between receiving financial compensation or signing it over for the reconstruction.
Civil Defense announced the rescue of 23 students from a school bus trapped in a flooded street near Nahr al-Kalb. The Civil Defense statement said rain elevated the water level, trapping the bus near a river bank. Heavy rainfall regularly floods roads across Lebanon. Last week, motorists were trapped in various areas of the country as intemperate weather sent garbage streaming through the roads. Caretaker Public Works Minister Ali Hamiyeh in October blamed the flooding on “negligence” and “laxity.” Hamiyeh blamed waste collection companies for garbage that clogged drains and contributed to road flooding while the companies retorted that the issue stems from decades of inexistent road maintenance.
Caretaker Education Minister Abbas Halabi announced the launch of an emergency schooling plan for more than 10,000 students whose studies were interrupted by the border conflicts. The plan distributes the displaced students, following regular and technical curriculum, across schools in Nabatieh, South Lebanon, and Beirut while providing them with school supplies and transportation allowances — which will also be allotted to teachers. Halabi thanked the World Food Programme which pledged to provide students with meals. The plan also includes psychological support and digital learning tools for pupils. Halabi emphasized that the first and final goal is returning displaced students to their original homes and schools.
Hamas and Israel agreed to an additional two days of truce on the eve of the four-day pause’s expiry. The two additional days were obtained through Hamas’ agreement to release 20 additional hostages. Qatar, a key mediator in the truce negotiations, told The Financial Times earlier in the day that Hamas was attempting to locate hostages held by other groups, in order to extend the ceasefire. Hamas previously reported losing contact with those in charge of guarding hostages amid communications blackouts caused by heavy shelling. The group claims Israeli shelling killed several hostages already.
Read a summary of yesterday’s events from the war here.
In case you missed it, here’s our must-read story from yesterday: “‘Where is the government?’: An uneasy truce in Lebanon’s south as residents inspect the damage”
Compiled by Abbas Mahfouz
