France's Minister of Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna addresses a press conference at the French Ambassador's official residence in Beirut, on Dec. 18, 2023. (Credit: Anwar Amro/AFP)
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Catch up on yesterday’s LIVE coverage of Day 73 of the Israel-Hamas war here.
Israeli rockets fell near a Hezbollah funeral procession in Aita al-Shaab injuring two people. Later, the party announced its first strike on Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. In al-Mari, Hasbaya district, a farmer was injured by Israeli shell fragments while working in a field. Hezbollah announced cross-border attacks throughout the day, including on the northernmost Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona and on two Iron Dome launching pads. Several Israeli strikes also hit southern Lebanon.
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said her visit to the region is aimed at preventing a widening of the Hamas-Israel war, warning of a "high risk of escalation." Colonna met with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and with UNIFIL officials. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel "will not hesitate to attack in the north," while claiming a preference for diplomatic solutions to the Lebanese border conflict.
The caretaker Cabinet is scheduled to meet today with an agenda of over 30 items including the compensation of public employees and military personnel, along with reports on displaced Syrians in Lebanon and clandestine border crossings. The session was postponed to today after failing to achieve a quorum last Friday. The aborted session coincided with a protest by army retirees calling for increased pensions. Today’s agenda includes a proposal for temporary payments to retirees and army personnel along with incentive payments for public sector workers. The Lebanese Army has regularly announced the interception of thousands of people attempting to informally cross the land border from Syria to Lebanon.
More than 19,400 people have been killed by Israeli strikes on Gaza since Oct. 7, the enclave's health ministry announced. Israeli and US intelligence officials met with Qatar’s Prime Minister in Warsaw in an attempt to initiate negotiations for a second truce and hostage exchange deal. Human Rights Watch accused Israel of “deliberately blocking the delivery of water, food and fuel” into Gaza, which Israel denied. The United Nations Security Council is set for a third attempt to vote for a ceasefire in Gaza today. 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:“Refaat Alareer, Gaza’s chronicler”
Compiled by Abbas Mahfouz
