Israeli soldier killed near Lebanese border; new companies hijack shipping routes after Houthi attacks in Red Sea: Israel-Hamas war, day 71

Thank you for following our LIVE coverage of day 71 of the Israel-Hamas war. We will be back with more news updates tomorrow.

A mother and daughter were killed by an Israeli soldier in the compound housing Gaza City's only Catholic church, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said, according to AFP.

"Around noon today, an Israeli army sniper killed two Christian women in the Holy Family parish in Gaza, where the majority of Gaza's Christian families have taken refuge since the start of the war," the Patriarchate said in a statement.

"Nahida and her daughter Samar were shot dead as they walked towards the Sisters' Convent," the statement added, without specifying the ages of the victims. Seven other people were wounded by bullets as they tried to protect themselves from gunfire in the parish, according to the same source.

Jason Straziuso, spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), deplored the fact that seriously injured people in Gaza cannot receive the care they need.

"Safe passage must be established and hostilities stopped so that an ambulance driver can get to the person in need safely," pleaded Mr. Straziuso, recalling that several Red Cross convoys have been "the target of fire."

"Another problem is when telecommunications are interrupted. There are also fewer medical facilities to receive the wounded," he added, as reported by Al Jazeera.

A senior Hamas official has said that more than 8,000 people are missing under the rubble in Gaza, apart from the more than 19,000 who have died since Oct. 7, reports Al Jazeera.

"The occupation has committed numerous massacres during the 71 days of war in Gaza. The aggression continues in the occupied West Bank, where 300 deaths have been recorded since Oct. 7," said Osama Hamdan at a press conference in Beirut.

"If the enemy wants to bring back its civilians and soldiers alive, this will never happen unless it completely stops the aggression and negotiates an agreement," he warned.

A spokesperson for Yemen's Houthis said the group was taking part in talks mediated by Oman with "international parties" over its ongoing "operations" in the Red and Arabian Seas, according to Reuters.

Mohamad Abdel-Salam, the spokesperson, reaffirmed that the Houthis would continue to target Israeli ships or ships heading for Israel until the aggression and siege of Gaza ended.

Two Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire in two separate incidents in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Ministry of Health announced, according to Reuters.

A 20-year-old man succumbed to his wounds after being shot in the abdomen by Israeli forces in the town Beit Ummar, and a 25-year-old man was killed in the town Tulkarm, the ministry said.

This brings the total number of Palestinians killed in the West Bank since Oct. 7 to 290.

Israeli bombardments targeted the outskirts of the village Jibbayn, in the Marjayoun district, reports our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

A Palestinian child carries items at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the Israel-Hamas war, in Rafah, in southern Gaza Strip, Dec. 16, 2023. (Credit: Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters)

A 53-year-old Israeli army reservist was killed in a drone attack from Lebanon, the Israeli army announced, according to Haaretz.

Israeli army Chief of Staff Herzl Halevi has taken responsibility for the killing by Israeli soldiers in Gaza of three hostages waving a white flag, according to Haaretz.

"It is forbidden to shoot at those waving a white flag and asking to surrender," he stated, adding that "the shots were fired during combat and under stressful conditions."

This picture taken early on Dec. 16, 2023 shows a view of the tents of Palestinians displaced to Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, by the Israel-Hamas war. (Credit: Mahmud Hams/AFP)

Israeli artillery targeted the village of Tayr Harfa (southern Lebanon) and its outskirts, in the district of Tyre, reports the National News Agency.

Families of hostages held in the Gaza Strip have urged the Israeli government to end the fighting and hold negotiations for their release.

"We are only recovering dead bodies. We want you to stop the fighting and start negotiations," said Noam Perry, the daughter of an Israeli held in Gaza, at a gathering of hostage families in Tel Aviv.

Switzerland's Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC), the world's largest container shipping company, will stop using the Suez Canal after an attack on one of its ships, it announced in a statement, according to Reuters.

Following similar announcements by Maersk, CMA CGM and Hapag-Lloyd, four of the world's five largest shipping companies have now diverted shipping routes due to the Houthi attacks.

A US guided-missile destroyer shot down 14 drones launched by Yemen's Houthis in the Red Sea today, the US Central Command said in a statement, according to Reuters.

"In the early morning hours of Dec. 16 (Sana'a time), the US Arliegh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS CARNEY (DDG 64), operating in the Red Sea, successfully engaged 14 unmanned aerial systems launched as a drone wave from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen," read the statement.

Israeli bombardments targeted the localities of Labbouneh and Wadi Hamoul in Sour, and the village Yaroun in Bint Jbeil, reports our correspondent in southern Lebanon, quoting local residents.

CMA CGM, France's leading shipping company, announces that it, like the Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd groups, is suspending its container ships from crossing the Red Sea, following attacks on ships by Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The group has "decided to order all CMA CGM container ships in the region that have to pass through the Red Sea, to reach safe areas" or not to leave waters deemed safe, "with immediate effect and until further notice," according to a statement.

"The situation continues to deteriorate and security concerns are increasing," says CMA CGM to justify its decision.

Read more here.

A man inspects the damage caused by an Israeli bombardment in the village of Kfar Kila (Marjayoun district), southern Lebanon, on Dec. 16, 2023. (Credit: Hassan Fneich/AFP)

Only 11 out of 36 hospitals in the Gaza Strip are operating at reduced capacity, the World Health Organization (WHO) warns, according to Al Jazeera.

According to the WHO, one of these facilities is located in the north of the Palestinian enclave. The two main hospitals in southern Gaza are operating at three times their capacity and are facing a severe shortage of basic supplies and fuel.

According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, occupancy rates have now reached 206 percent in hospital wards and 250 percent in intensive care units.

These hospitals are also receiving thousands of displaced persons from within the Palestinian enclave.

Hezbollah said it targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the Ramim forest, on the border with Lebanon, at 4 p.m.

Israel's artillery shelled the town of Houla a few moments ago and shells fell close to homes, residents of the town told our correspondent in the south.

Wadi Saluki, located near Houla, was also shelled according to residents.

Mossad chief and Qatar's prime minister meet in Europe to discuss hostages deal, according to an Israeli political source relayed by Haaretz.

Israel's war cabinet is expected to discuss this meeting later today.

Mossad chief and Qatar's prime minister meet in Europe to discuss hostages deal, according to an Israeli political source relayed by Haaretz.

Israel's war cabinet is expected to discuss this meeting later today.

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna's planned visit to Lebanon on Saturday was postponed until Monday at the last minute due to "technical problems" with her plane, the French Embassy in Lebanon told L'Orient Today.

BREAKING: Hezbollah has announced that it spotted a group of Israeli soldiers entering two homes in the town of Manara, so it targeted the homes at 2 p.m., "leaving the soldiers dead and wounded."

Some 35 minutes later, an Israeli drone targeted a house on the northern outskirts of Mais al-Jabal, residents tell our correspondent Muntasser Abdallah. The house is uninhabited and has been targeted several times previously.

The western outskirts of Mais al-Jabal (Marjayoun district) and the eastern outskirts of Chakra (Bint Jbeil district) have been subjected to Israeli shelling, residents tell our correspondent in the south, Muntasser Abdallah.

Three Israeli artillery shells have also fallen on Jabal Kehail, which is located between Maroun al-Ras and Aitaroun (Bint Jbeil), according to residents.

Israeli and Qatari officials were set to meet in Norway today in an effort to revive talks about the release of hostages held in Gaza in return for a cease-fire and the freeing of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, the Wall Street Journal reports. Click here for more.

Israeli artillery is shelling the outskirts of Houla, Mais al-Jabal (Marjayoun district) and Chihine (Sour district), residents tell our correspondent Muntasser Abdallah.

Three Israeli hostages killed mistakenly in Gaza by Israeli forces had been holding up a white flag, according to an initial inquiry into the incident, a military official said today according to Reuters.

The incident happened in an area of intense combat where Hamas militants operate in civilian attire and use deception tactics, the official added. The hostages were fired upon against Israel's rules of engagement, the official added.

Ten Israeli artillery shells have fallen on the outskirts of Marwahin, residents of the town tell our correspondent in south Lebanon.

British Defense Minister Grant Shapps says that a navy ship, the HMS Diamond, has shot down a suspected attack drone targeting merchant shipping in the Red Sea, Reuters reports.

"HMS Diamond shot down a suspected attack drone which was targeting merchant shipping in the Red Sea," Shapps said on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. "One Sea Viper missile was fired and successfully destroyed the target."

Yemen's Houthis have said they will target international shipping in the Red Sea in support of Palestine amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

An Israeli warplane has struck an area between Aitaroun and Maroun al-Ras (Bint Jbeil district), witnesses told our correspondent Muntasser Abdallah.

A security source has told L'Orient Today that Israeli planes have fired five missiles at the outskirts of Marwahin (Sour district).

Finally, the outskirts of Houla (Marjayoun) are being subjected to Israeli artillery shelling, residents tell L'Orient Today.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this post stated that an Israeli warplane had struck an area between Beit Leif and Qaouzah (Bint Jbeil district) in southern Lebanon. This information was incorrect. We apologize for this error.

A spokesman for Yemen's Iranian-allied Houthis says the group attacked the Israeli Red Sea resort city of Eilat earlier today with a swarm of drones, Reuters reports.

Iran does not recognize the state of Israel, and spokesman Yahya Sarea referred to Eilat as being in "southern occupied Palestine."

BREAKING: French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna's visit to Lebanon has been postponed. The trip, which was due to take place today, was "postponed" after the plane the minister was due to travel on "encountered a technical breakdown" in Paris, a spokeswoman for the French Embassy in Lebanon told L'Orient Today. The information was also announced by the press offices of Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and its Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, with whom Colonna was due to meet.

Hezbollah has announced it launched a drone attack at 11 a.m. on Israeli soldiers positioned outside the Ramim barracks, causing casualties, according to the party.

Hezbollah also claimed responsibility for hitting an Israeli mechanized infantry force in Metula at 11:15 a.m.

According to witnesses quoted by our southern correspondent, Muntasser Abdallah, the Israeli army is targeting nearby Lebanese areas with heavy machine-gun fire from the Israeli outposts of Bayad Blida and Malkiyeh.

In addition, according to other reports, an Israeli bombardment has targeted the area around the village of Kounine in Bint Jbeil.

Israeli artillery shelling is targeting the outskirts of Blida, Mais al-Jabal, Houla, Khiam, Kfar Kila and Hamames (Marjayoun district), a security source tells our correspondent Muntasser Abdallah.

Israeli shelling also targeted the outskirts of Rab al-Thalathin village and the locality of Khiam, according to locals quoted by our correspondent.

Meanwhile, residents near the Lebanese-Israeli border have reported hearing the sound of explosions on the Israeli side. The Israeli army says two drones that infiltrated Israel have been intercepted, according to Haaretz.

The Israeli army has struck Lebanese Army positions more than 34 times since Oct. 7, including with small arms and artillery fire, drones and helicopters, according to US officials, a regional security source and a list of the incidents compiled by the US and reviewed by CNN. Click here for more.

The Israeli army's death toll in Gaza is already almost twice as high as during a ground offensive in 2014, a reflection of how far it has pushed into the enclave and of Hamas' effective use of guerrilla tactics and an expanded arsenal. Click here for more.

Image: Israeli tanks are deployed in southern Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip on Dec. 15, 2023. (Credit: Gil Cohen-Magen/AFP)

Israel has bombed the surroundings of the UNRWA Mazraa school in Deir al-Balah in Gaza, according to Al Jazeera and the Palestinian news agency WAFA. Several Palestinians were killed and injured in the attack, Al Jazeera reports.

Hezbollah announced this morning the death of another of its fighters, Radwan Ali Hamoudi, from the city of Sour, without specifying the date or place of his death. This is the 108th Hezbollah fighter to be killed since fighting broke out against Israel on Oct. 8, the day after Hamas launched its war against Israel.

Meanwhile, in Yemen, the Houthi leadership continues its support for Palestine and warns against any hostility toward Yemen.

Any hostile move against Yemen will have dire consequences and great costs, Ali al-Qahoum, member of the Houthi group's Ansarullah politburo, told Al Mayadeen TV late on Friday, Reuters reports.

"The Houthis will not abandon the Palestinian cause, regardless of any US, Israeli or Western threats," Qahoum said, adding that operations against Israel will continue.

Yemen is ready with all defensive options to respond to any American, Israeli or Western hostile moves, he said.

Image: An aerial view as protesters take part in a demonstration in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Sanaa, Yemen, on Dec. 15, 2023. (Credit: Houthi Media Centre/Handout via Reuters)

BREAKING: Rescue teams in the town of Majdal Zoun have recovered a body from under the rubble of a house destroyed by an Israeli strike after more than seven hours of work, a resident of the town tells our correspondent Muntasser Abdallah.

Three other people were wounded in the strike, which occurred at around 5 p.m. yesterday.

Early today, Hamas reported "fierce fighting" in the Jabalia area in northern Gaza, while airstrikes and intense artillery fire continued in Khan Younis.

An Al Jazeera cameraman, Samer Abou Daqa, was also killed in Gaza yesterday. His death occurred after an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip, according to the Qatari news channel, cited by AFP.

Al Jazeera's Gaza bureau chief, Wael Dahdouh, who lost his wife and two of his children at the start of the war, was injured in the arm by shrapnel and transferred to a Khan Younis hospital.

Israel is meanwhile mourning the deaths of three hostages killed in Gaza when Israeli troops mistook them for a threat.

The Israeli army said Yotam Haim, Alon Shamriz and Samer El-Talalqa — all aged in their twenties — were shot during operations in a neighborhood of Gaza City.

The trio were among an estimated 240 people taken hostage during Hamas's Oct. 7 raids into Israel, which also killed an estimated 1,200 people.

"During combat in Shejaiya, the IDF (Israel army) mistakenly identified three Israeli hostages as a threat and as a result, fired toward them and the hostages were killed," Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari said.

"The IDF expresses deep sorrow regarding this disaster and shares in the grief of the families."

In the meantime, Israeli strikes on south Lebanon resumed this morning, reports our correspondent, Muntasser Abdallah.

Four Israeli shells fell on the outskirts of Aitaroun, and other Israeli strikes targeted the towns of Jebbain and Majdal Zoun. Intense Israeli machine gun fire was also reported between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. this morning. Yesterday, Israeli bombs hit several Lebanese border villages.

Hezbollah this morning claimed responsibility for two attacks, one at 7:10 a.m. and the other at 8:10 a.m., against an Israeli military position in Birket Richa, claiming to have inflicted "deaths and injuries." The group provided no further details.

A resident of Mais al-Jabal tells our correspondent that an Israeli drone strike on Friday completely destroyed a house in the village, without causing any injuries, while other Israeli bombings damaged five other houses. One resident suffered breathing difficulties due to the heavy smoke released by these strikes, according to the local resident. Seven houses were also hit on the outskirts of the village, as well as a public school, without causing any casualties.

Here's what you need to know this morning:

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna is expected in Lebanon today at a time when diplomatic pressure is intensifying to avoid an escalation of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah on the country's southern border.

In Beirut, Colonna is expected to meet with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and the commander in chief of the Lebanese Army, Gen. Joseph Aoun, according to reports citing a diplomatic source.

France's foreign minister will travel onward to Israel on Sunday.

Good morning,

We are back with you to cover the 71st day of the war between Hamas and Israel, as daily strikes continue to affect south Lebanon as the conflict persists.