Thank you for joining us for today's live coverage of the Gaza war. Make sure to tune in again tomorrow for all the latest updates.
The United States has urged for urgency and flexibility to finalize a cease-fire agreement in Gaza following the death of six hostages, pledging to continue their efforts in the coming days.
"There are still dozens of hostages in Gaza who are waiting for an agreement to bring them home. It is time to finalize this agreement," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a press statement.
Latest updates from the Lebanese-Israeli border:
* Hezbollah announced that it targeted, at 6 p.m., a positioning point for Israeli soldiers at the Israeli site of Birkat Risha, facing the Lebanese village of Boustan (Sour district), inflicting "confirmed casualties."
* Israeli artillery shelling targeted the outskirts of Kfar Shuba (Hasbaya), residents told our correspondent in the South.
The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights has called for an "independent, impartial, and transparent" investigation into the "summary execution" of six Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip, according to a message on X.
"#Gaza: We are horrified by reports that Palestinian armed groups have summarily executed six Israeli hostages, which would constitute a war crime," the High Commissioner wrote.
In response to the Israeli attacks on Lebanese southern villages and houses, Hezbollah announced that it targeted a building used by Israeli soldiers in the village of Manara, facing the Lebanese village of Houla (Marjayoun district). The party added that the targeted building caught fire and that the attack left "confirmed casualties."
Hezbollah announced in a statement that at 2:55 p.m., it targeted a position of Israeli enemy soldiers near the "Samaka" site on the disputed heights of Kfar Shuba. In another statement, the party claimed to have targeted the "Radar site" in the disputed Shebaa Farms with artillery shells at 3:05 p.m.
Israeli artillery fire targeted the area around the village of Shebaa in the Hasbaya district with three shells, a resident told our correspondent.
Latest updates from the Lebanese-Israeli border:
* Citing the Israeli army, Haaretz reported that three anti-tank missiles were fired at Arab al-Aramshe in northern Israel, damaging a building.
* Rocket sirens have sounded twice in the past minutes in Northern Israel, according to Haaretz.
The U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) confirmed in a statement that a contractor working with peacekeepers was hit by gunfire near Sarda (Nabatieh district), close to Khiam, and was transported to the hospital. The man is currently in surgery, UNIFIL told L'Orient-Le Jour.
“This is the second incident in two days in which a contractor supporting our peacekeepers was attacked. Just yesterday, in the same area, gunfire from south of the town struck the ground near a passing Spanish patrol, causing stones to ricochet onto the vehicle,” the U.N. force said.
“Once again, we draw the attention of all stakeholders to the immense human cost of these exchanges of fire for civilians in southern Lebanon, including those who support the men and women working for peace. Attacks that injure civilians must stop. Attacks that directly or indirectly affect the ability of peacekeepers to carry out their important work under Resolution 1701 must stop. The violence that has plagued southern Lebanon and northern Israel since Oct. 8 must cease,” the statement said.
Hezbollah announced that it destroyed Israeli "spy equipment" at the Israeli site of Jardah, facing the Lebanese village of Dhayra (Sour), and at the Israeli Raheb site, facing Aita al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil), at 2 and 2:10 p.m. respectively.
More updates on the Israeli attack that targeted a UNIFIL contractor in Khiam:
The Lebanese Health Ministry announced that the Israeli army shot a citizen crossing the Khiam road in Tal Nahas (Marjayoun), wounding him in the left side of his chest. He was admitted to Marjayoun Governmental Hospital, where he underwent surgery.
Residents earlier told L'Orient Today that the injured man is a Lebanese United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) contractor.
The Israeli army said it "destroyed a kilometer-long (0.6 miles) tunnel that stretches over the Beit Lahia area in northern Gaza," according to Haaretz.
The military announcement added that the tunnel was "used for transporting equipment and electrical infrastructure" and that weapons were found inside.
At least 40,819 people have been killed and 94,291 wounded in the war in Gaza, AFP reported citing the enclave's health ministry.
Moreover, 33 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours, according to ministry figures.
🔴 A Lebanese United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) contractor was wounded by Israeli fire on the Khiam road in the Marjayoun district, local sources told our correspondent. The shots were reportedly fired at him from Metula in Israel.
Additional sources stated that the victim was from Ibl al-Saki, also in the Marjayoun district. The man was waiting in a vehicle to be transferred by a UNIFIL patrol to a UN force headquarters when Israeli fire erupted, striking him multiple times. He was then taken by UNIFIL to a hospital for treatment. UNIFIL has not yet responded to requests for information.
(Credit: Photo sent by al-Rissala Scouts Civil Defense to our correspondent, Muntasser Abdallah)
The Civil Defense of al-Rissala Scouts, affiliated to the Amal movement, said it had taken part in "clearing and fire-fighting operations" after the Israeli airstrike that targeted the village of Markaba (Marjayoun) earlier today.
Here are the latest updates in South Lebanon:
- An Israel airstrike targeted al-Rihan mountain in the Jezzine district, resident reported to our correspondent. Locals reported that the attack was particularly violent and houses were shaken by the explosion.
- The Israeli attack on the village of Markaba (Marjayoun), reported earlier, targeted a house and completely destroyed it, according to local residents. Ambulances were dispatched to the scene and evacuated casualties. The condition of the casualties is currently unknown.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted the UK's decision to suspend arms sales licenses to Israel, in a post on his X account.
"This shameful decision will not change Israel's determination to defeat Hamas, the genocidal terrorist organization that savagely murdered 1,200 people on October 7, including 14 British citizens," he wrote.
"Instead of standing by Israel, a democracy defending itself against barbarity, Britain's misguided decision will only strengthen Hamas," Netanyahu continued, reiterating that Israel is "fighting a just war" in his view.
"With or without British weapons, Israel will win this war," he concluded.
Yesterday, Britain had said it would suspend some arms exports to Israel, citing a "clear risk" that they could be used in a serious breach of international humanitarian law.
To find out more about the UK's partial suspension of arms exports to Israel, press here.👈
Two Israeli airstrikes targeted Markaba, in southern Lebanon's Marjayoun district, residents told our correspondent.
Two Israeli artillery shells targeted the area around Aita al-Shaab in south Lebanon's Bint Jbeil district, reported our correspondent in the region.
An official of the World Health Organization (WHO) told Reuters that targets for vaccinating Gaza's children against polio "were exceeded in the first few days."
On Sunday and Monday, around160,000 children received the first dose of polio vaccine in the enclave, according to the Gaza health Ministry, cited by Reuters.
Press here to learn more about the UN's polio vaccination campaign in Gaza.👈
A Kosovan national suspected of facilitating money transfers for Israeli intelligence services in Turkey was arrested in Istanbul on Friday, reported AFP citing Turkish state agency Anadolu which reported the incident today.
Turkish intelligence services (MIT), which had been monitoring the suspect since his arrival in the country five days earlier, observed him making transfers to individuals working for the Israeli Mossad in Turkey and Syria, according to Anadolu.
These money transfers, originating from Eastern Europe and specifically Kosovo, were reportedly used to fund drone image capture and "psychological operations against Palestinian politicians," the Turkish state news agency said.
Earlier in January, around 30 individuals suspected of espionage for Israel were arrested in Turkey, accused of planning kidnappings.
To find out more, press here.👈
Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri concurred with Biden's comments that Netanyahu was not doing enough for a Gaza cease-fire and stated that this was a U.S. acknowledgement that Netanyahu was undermining the efforts, reported Reuters.
Zuhri added that any proposal for a permanent cease-fire and complete Israeli withdrawal will be received positively.
To find out more about Biden's comments and the Hamas response, press here.👈
In response to Biden's comments, senior Israeli sources said yesterday that it was "remarkable" that Biden was pressuring Netanyahu over efforts to reach a hostage deal in Gaza rather than Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, reported Reuters.
They said Biden's statement that Netanyahu was not doing enough to reach a deal was dangerous because it came days after Hamas executed six hostages, including an American.
To find out more about Biden and the Israeli's comments, press here.👈
The Israeli army claimed to have "attacked missile launch sites" belonging to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon last night, according to a post on X by its Arabic-speaking spokesman, Avichay Adraee. He stated that "around ten launch sites" were targeted in Zebqine and Shihine in the Sour district. The spokesman also reported that another Hezbollah position was struck in Houla, in the Marjayoun district.
He noted that several rockets were fired at Arab al-Aramshe, a village in northern Israel, some of which were intercepted. "The others fell in an open area without causing any damage," he added.
Here are last night's updates in South Lebanon:
- Shortly after 9.30pm, Israeli fighter jets carried out five strikes on the outskirts of Shihine, Zebqine, Jibbein — all in the Sour district — and Yater (Bint Jbeil), our correspondent reported citing security sources.
- Israeli machine-gun fire targeted Kfar Kila (Marjayoun).
- The Israeli strike on Markaba (Marjayoun) left three people injured, according to the Health Ministry.
- The Israeli army shelled Aitaroun (Bint Jbeil caza).
- At 3 a.m., Israeli airstrikes targeted the Khiam (Marjayoun).
The anti-polio campaign began on Sunday in parts of central Gaza, aiming to vaccinate over 640,000 children under the age of 10 after the first case was detected.
On Sunday and Monday, around 160,000 children in Gaza received the first dose of the polio vaccine, reported AFP citing the enclave's health ministry. Meanwhile, Israeli bombardments continued in the territory, particularly in Gaza City and Jabalia (north), where at least seven Palestinians were killed, according to civil defense officials.
In Israel, mobilization intensified with new protests in several towns, strikes in various cities, disruptions at Ben Gurion Airport, and growing calls for Prime Minister Netanyahu's resignation.
"We want the Netanyahu government to cease to exist, we want elections, and above all, we want him to sign an agreement to free the hostages and end this war," Barak Hadurian, a protester in Tel Aviv, told AFP.
At the funeral of the 23-year-old the Israeli-American hostage found dead in Gaza, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said, "I am deeply sorry that we couldn’t bring him home."
On Monday evening, Hamas released a video showing one of the six hostages before she was killed.
Pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intensified yesterday after the deaths of six hostages held in Gaza, with U.S. President Joe Biden accusing him of not doing enough to secure a deal, AFP reports.
Hamas has warned that the remaining hostages in Gaza would be returned "in coffins" if Israel continues its military pressure "instead of reaching an agreement," according to Abu Obeida, the spokesman for the movement's armed wing.
Earlier, a Hamas official claimed that the six hostages were "killed by Israeli fire." However, Israel stated that they were shot by Hamas.
Be sure to read our Morning Brief to catch up on everything you missed yesterday and know what to expect today.
Good morning!
Thank you for joining our live coverage of the Gaza war and its implications on the region, particularly Lebanon.
Today also marks day 332 of Hezbollah opening its "support front" for Gaza and its Palestinian ally in the enclave, Hamas.
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