A boy carries water to his tent in an informal refugee camp on the outskirts of Summaqieh in Akkar governorate, Jan. 15, 2024. (Credit: Joāo Souza/L'Orient Today)
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Catch up on yesterday’s LIVE coverage of Day 101 of the Israel-Hamas war here.
Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon ignited a fire in a home, amid continued clashes between Hezbollah and Israel. Members of the Amal Movement affiliated al-Risala scouts extinguished the blaze. Following a meeting with newly appointed US Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson, caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib expressed satisfaction at “an open and positive dialogue” between the two countries for a return to calm in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah continued to announce attacks on Israeli military positions. A Sunday evening article by Sky News Arabia detailed the launch of an Israeli spy airship, known as "Sky Dew,” following the destruction of surveillance equipment. Hezbollah earlier claimed that its attacks were forcing Israel to resort to new surveillance tactics, including phishing phone calls to southern Lebanon’s residents. The leader of the French left-wing political party La France Insoumise (LFI), Jean-Luc Mélenchon, is scheduled to arrive in Lebanon today to express support for Lebanon and peace in the region.
Nearly 2,000 people remain displaced after an intense storm flooded houses and Syrian refugee camps in north Lebanon over the weekend. During a visit to the affected areas on Monday, L'Orient Today observed that 11 camps in the Summaqieh area were completely flooded. The flooding caused “catastrophic losses” in the area, Summaqieh mukhtar Abdallah Darwish told L’Orient Today. Our correspondent in the region reported that inhabitants expressed anger at the government for neglecting to implement precautionary measures to prevent the rivers from overflowing, noting that it is not the first time it has happened.
At least 24,100 people have been killed by Israeli bombardment in Gaza since Oct. 7, according to the latest update published by the enclave’s health ministry. Intensified shelling fell across the enclave while severe fighting between Hamas and Israel was reported in the southern city of Khan Younis. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Displaced residents in Gaza facing harsh cold are burning plastic for warmth, AFP reported. In a video released yesterday, Hamas said two hostages abducted during the group’s Oct. 7 incursion were killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza. A day before, Hamas published a video of three hostages whose fate it said it would reveal yesterday. The group’s military spokesperson, Abu Obeida, on Sunday evening warned that Israel’s shelling had killed several hostages still in Gaza.
In case you missed it, here’s our must-read story from yesterday: “1 killed, 3 injured in family dispute in Brital”
Compiled by Abbas Mahfouz
