'Differences remain' with Hamas, Netanyahu says, negotiations to resume next week: Day 273 of the Gaza war

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U.S. President Joe Biden "will likely meet" with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to Washington this month, the White House was quoted as saying by Reuters.

The Israeli air force attacked the surroundings of Houla (Marjayoun) with a missile that did not explode, residents reported to L'Orient Today's correspondent.

Israeli artillery also hit the outskirts of Bint Jbeil.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement that "differences remain" with Hamas, Reuters reported.

The head of Israel's Mossad returned from Doha after an initial meeting with mediators trying to reach a cease-fire in Gaza and an agreement on the release of hostages, and negotiations will resume next week, the office added.

People inspect a destroyed building in a neighborhood in northern Khiam (Marjayoun) in southern Lebanon, after an Israeli strike. (Photo provided by residents to L'Orient Today's correspondent Muntasser Abdallah)

Israeli aircraft struck Jabal Blatt (Sour), residents reported to L'Orient Today's correspondent.

Latest developments on the Lebanese-Israeli border:

– Israeli artillery fire targeted Alma al-Shaab (Sour), the outskirts of Taybeh, Deir Serian (Marjayoun) and Nabatieh al-Faouqa (Nabatieh), residents of these regions reported to L'Orient Today's correspondent.

– Today's bombings, in addition to their expansion, are distinguished by the fact that they hit for the first time the inner districts of Yohmor and the outskirts of Kfar Tebnit and Nabatieh al-Faouqa (Nabatieh), explains L'Orient Today's correspondent in South Lebanon.

– Hezbollah announced that in response to Israeli attacks, particularly against Yohmor al-Shaqif and Kfar Tebnit, its fighters attacked "the headquarters of Brigade 769 in the Kiryat Shmona barracks with a salvo of Katyusha rockets."

The Israeli army claimed to have identified "a saboteur who entered a military building of the terrorist Hezbollah" in Markaba (Marjayoun), according to the Arabic-language spokesperson of the Israeli army Avichay Adraee on X. The Israeli air force then struck the building in question, he added.

He also reported other attacks carried out by the Israeli air force in Rihane (Jezzine) on "surface-to-air missile launch pads" used to attack Israel. Adraee added that at least five missiles were fired from southern Lebanon and fell in Zarit, and three others on Mount Dov, in northern Israel. The warning sirens did not sound and no injuries were recorded, he said.

The head of the Mossad, David Barnea, left Doha after talks with Qatari officials over a hostage release deal and a truce in the Gaza Strip, a source close to the negotiations told AFP.

"An Israeli delegation led by David Barnea left Doha for Israel following meetings with Qatari mediators on Hamas's response to a cease-fire in Gaza," the source said on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the discussions. 

New British Foreign Secretary David Lammy has called for "an immediate cease-fire" in the war in Gaza, in his first speech since being appointed, AFP reports.

Lammy, who was appointed as foreign minister after Labour won the British general election on Thursday, said he would "work hard to support an immediate cease-fire [in Gaza] and get the hostages out." "I will do everything in my power to help Joe Biden get that cease-fire," he added from the Foreign Office.

Latest developments on the Lebanese-Israeli border:

– Hezbollah claims an attack on "a building used by Israeli soldiers" on the Shlomi site, located opposite Labouné (Tyre district).

– Israeli artillery fired at least seven shells at Khiam (Marjayoun), according to residents. The town of Blatt in the same district was also targeted.

Hamas expects an initial response from Israel by tomorrow regarding negotiations on a cease-fire in Gaza, AFP reported, citing a Palestinian movement official.

"We do not want to discuss these ideas in detail. We are waiting for an answer, probably today (Friday) or tomorrow morning (Saturday). If the answer is positive, we will discuss these ideas in detail," he said, assuring that the "good military capabilities" of his movement allowed it to "continue" the war.

The Palestinian Red Crescent (PRC) claims its emergency team was attacked by Israeli forces in the town of Beita, south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, in a post published on X.

Hamas said it rejects any statements and positions that support plans for foreign forces to enter the Gaza Strip under any name or justification, Reuters reported.

Latest developments on the Lebanese-Israeli border:

– Hezbollah targeted the Israeli site of Ramtha on the disputed hills of Kfar Shouba with rockets at around 12:30 p.m.

– The party also targeted the Israeli site of Samaka, also in the disputed hills of Kfar Shouba, with rockets at 12:45 p.m.

– Hezbollah said it fired artillery shells on the Israeli site of Ramia, located opposite the Lebanese village of Ramieh (Bint Jbeil) at 1:20 p.m.

– Israeli artillery, using large-caliber shells, targeted the outskirts of Ramieh, according to residents.

– Israeli jets launched two missiles on Mount Rihane (Jezzine), according to a security source quoted by L'Orient Today's correspondent.

Western countries must pressure Israel to accept the latest cease-fire proposal for Gaza, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said, according to reports by Haberturk and other broadcasters on Friday.

He expressed his belief that a lasting cease-fire is achievable.

"After U.S. President Joe Biden's phone call to Benjamin Netanyahu, I hope a final cease-fire would be secured in a couple of days so that Israel's recent massacres would come to an end," Erdogan was quoted as telling reporters on his flight back from Kazakhstan.

Mount Rehan (Jezzine) after being targeted by an Israeli airstrike. (Credit: Photo sent by local residents to L'Orient Today)

The latest updates on Israeli attacks on South Lebanon:

- Heavy caliber Israeli artillery shelling targeted the outskirts of the town of Ramieh (Bint Jbeil), as reported by residents.

- Two Israeli airstrikes targeted Jabal al-Rafee, located in Mount Rehan in the Jezzine district, a security source reported to L’Orient Today.

Hezbollah announced that it has conducted multiple attacks along the Blue Line, targeting:

- The Israeli Ramtha site in the disputed heights of Kfar Shuba with missiles at 12:30 p.m.

- The Israeli Samaka site in the disputed Kfar Shuba hills with missiles at 12:45 p.m.

- The Israeli Ramiah site, located opposite the southern Lebanese village of Ramieh (Bint Jbeil), with artillery shells at 1:20 p.m.

Five people were killed in an Israeli military raid on Jenin in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Authority health ministry said. 

"At least 12 Palestinians have now been killed in Israeli operations this week in the West Bank," reported AFP. 

Troops surrounded a building "where terrorists have barricaded themselves" and a gun battle started, an Israeli military statement said. 

To read more about the latest incident in the heightened attacks on the occupied West Bank, press here.👈

Here are the latest updates from South Lebanon:

- One person was injured in an Israeli drone attack that targeted the town square in Markaba (Marjayoun), reported residents. Ambulances were dispatched to the scene, they added. The strike hit an area near the ambulance center of the Islamic Scouts Association.

- Israeli artillery shelling targeted the town of Rashaya Fawqar (Hasbaya), locals reported.

Israeli human rights group B’Tselem has called for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza in a video posted on X, highlighting that "Israeli forces have killed a reported 14,000 children in Gaza, and 110 Palestinian children have been killed in the occupied West Bank.

“No child should experience the trauma of war,” the group said on X.

Smoke rises above southern Lebanon following an Israeli strike on May 5, 2024. (Credit: Ayal Margolin/Reuters)

Most fires in northern Israel have been brought under control today — following a barrage of over 200 Hezbollah attacks that set the area ablaze yesterday, Haaretz reported.

At least 70 thousand dunams (around 17,297 acres) burned since the cross-border attacks started, Haaretz added.

Biden told Netanyahu in a call yesterday, that it's "time to close" Gaza hostage/cease-fire deal, American news website Axios reported.

Axios added: 

- White House officials aim to capitalize on Hamas' "positive response" to the latest proposal to bridge remaining gaps and achieve an agreement.

- A senior White House official indicated that Biden and his team reviewed Hamas' response and determined it "moves the process forward," laying a foundation for reaching an agreement.

- The official characterized Hamas' response as "a breakthrough," noting the group's acceptance of the framework outlined by Biden in a speech in late May.

- According to the official, a "key point of contention" had been the transition between the first and second stages of the deal, and "now both sides agree to the framework." 

- Israeli officials stated that Hamas' response opens the possibility of reaching an agreement on Articles 8 and 14 — the primary points of contention between the two. 

"There is no news coming out of Gaza City’s Shujayea neighborhood, where an Israeli ground invasion is ongoing. The Israeli forces are not allowing ambulances, firefighters or journalists to reach the area," Hind Khodary, al-Jazeera's correspondent from Deir el-Balah, central Gaza reported.

"Heavy shelling and air strikes can be heard," according to Khodary.

The head of the WHO warned that the lack of fuel posed a "catastrophic" risk to Gaza's health system, already ravaged by the ongoing war in the Palestinian territory.

"Only 90,000 liters of fuel entered Gaza yesterday [Wednesday,]" wrote Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, on the social network X yesterday evening.

Hezbollah Secretary-General in a meeting with Hamas leadership. (Credit: Al-Manar)

In a statement released today, Hezbollah announced that its Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah met with a delegation from Hamas, headed by Dr. Khalil al-Hayya, where they discussed the latest security and political developments in Palestine, as well as the support fronts in Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq. They also discussed the latest updates on the ongoing cease-fire and hostage exchange negotiations. The statement added that both parties are committed to continued field and political coordination to achieve desired objectives. 

To read more about what came in the statement, press here.👈

A relative calm prevailed over the border villages in South Lebanon this morning, with the exception of Israeli warplanes flying over the western sector at 7 a.m. 

Israel returns to Qatar today for talks aimed at brokering a cease-fire and securing the release of hostages.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the Mossad chief to travel to Doha for new discussions on a cease-fire that could facilitate the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Mossad chief David Barnea is scheduled to meet today with Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, a key mediator in the Gaza conflict, according to a source close to the negotiations cited by AFP.

In Gaza, witnesses reported Israeli artillery fire overnight and airstrikes earlier in the south, in Khan Younis and Rafah, on the border with Egypt, where a violent shootout occurred, according to witnesses quoted by AFP.

Yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that "in the tough campaign against Lebanon we have established a principle - whoever harms us is a dead man," as he visited the operational headquarters of the Air Force, in Tel Aviv.

“We know the road is long, but we are determined to restore security to the north and return the residents safely to their homes,” he told IAF commander Tomer Bar and the service’s top brass, reported the Times of Israel

Lebanon's Hezbollah launched a barrage of more than 200 attacks at Israeli army positions yesterday, killing a Major in the army and setting fire to the northern region of Israel.

Nature reserves in northern Israel's Galilee and Golan Heights, such as Nahal Dishon, Gamla, Nahal El Al, and Meshushim, are at risk due to a fire sparked by a rocket barrage from Lebanon yesterday, reported Haaretz.

Firefighting, rescue team and other concerned personnel are working to extinguish the fire before it spreads to the nature reserves, added Haaretz. 

Here are last night's updates on the southern Lebanese front: 

At 10:00 p.m.: The central operations room of the Civil Defense in the Islamic Scout Association announced that they participated in firefighting operations after Israeli attacks on Wadi Hunin and the vicinity of the town of Qobriha in the Marjayoun district.

At Midnight: An Israeli airstrike targeted the Sadanah area between Hebbarieh, Kfar Hamam, and Kfar Shuba — in the Hasbaya district.

At 1:00 a.m.: An Israeli airstrike targeted and completely destroyed a house on the outskirts of the town of Tayr Harfa in the western sector of the Sour district — ambulances were dispatched to the area, reported L'Orient Today's correspondent.

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Thank you for joining our coverage of the Gaza war and its impact on the region, especially Lebanon.