This picture taken from southern Lebanon shows smoke rising after an Israeli strike between the villages of Qaouzah and Ramia near the border with Israel on Dec. 4, 2023. (Credit: AFP)
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Catch up on yesterday's LIVE coverage of Day 59 of the Israel-Hamas war here.
Israeli shelling fell between homes in southern Lebanon after intense overnight clashes from Sunday to yesterday between Hezbollah and Israel. The Israeli military said it attacked suspected launch sites in southern Lebanon from which mortar fire injured three of their soldiers overnight on Sunday. At least one civilian was injured and hospitalized after Israeli strikes hit the outskirts of Wazzani, southern Lebanon. Hezbollah announced 10 cross-border attacks targeting the Israeli military, claiming “direct hits.” Israeli attacks were noted near the southern Lebanon areas of Aita al-Shaab, Bayt Lif, Bint Jbeil, Blida, Hamames, Kfar Kila, Khiam, Labbouneh, Maroun al-Ras, Markaba, Marwahin, Mais al-Jabal, Mhaibib, Odaisseh, Rab al-Thalathine, Ramieh, Rmaish, Wazzani and Yaroun.
Free Patriotic Movement leader Gebran Bassil criticized a call for Palestinians in Lebanon to join Hamas. Bassil expressed support for a "national resistance against Israel," but said Lebanon "weakens itself by allowing Hamas to establish a foothold in the south once again to attack Israel from its territory." Earlier in the day, the Lebanese branch of Hamas called for young Palestinians in the country to join the newly formed “Vanguards of Al-Aqsa Flood” organization which it said seeks "participation in a project resisting occupation and benefitting from the scientific and technical capabilities" of its members.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) protested in Beirut’s Martyrs’ Square to demand a ceasefire in Gaza. Protesters held signs calling for Israel to “stop bombing hospitals” during the protest. “Israel has shown a blatant and total disregard for the protection of Gaza’s medical facilities,” MSF International President Dr. Christos Christou wrote in an open letter to the United Nations Security Council. Only nine of Gaza's 35 hospitals are still operational, according to the latest UN reports. Several protests in support of Gaza have been held across Lebanon.
The Finance and Budget Parliamentary Committee will reconvene tomorrow to study the 2024 budget’s allocations for public institutions after refitting the “consumption cost” proposed by the government in yesterday’s meeting, the state-run National News Agency reported. The “consumption costs” proposed on certain products, such as alcohol and tobacco, were adjusted according to the cost of living indicator, committee head Ibrahim Kanaan said, according to the NNA. Kanaan said the committee requested the cabinet to highlight its adjustments to levies in the 2024 text and their projected effect on the budget deficit.
Gaza residents told Reuters that Israeli-designated “safe” areas were not spared from bombardment, which has killed 15,899 people in Gaza since Oct. 7, most of whom were women and children, according to the enclave’s health ministry. Israel ordered additional evacuations on Monday amid increasing calls from international actors, including Germany and the United States, to limit civilian casualties. Read a full summary of yesterday's events from the Hamas-Israel war here.
In case you missed it, here’s our must-read story from yesterday: “The oldest mosquito in the world is Lebanese”
Compiled by Abbas Mahfouz