UN Security Council to hold emergency meeting Saturday to discuss Israel's Gaza plans | LIVE

Canada condemns Israel's blockade of Gaza and calls it to 'respect' Gaza's territorial integrity

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called for aid distribution Gaza to be handed back over to international organizations and condemned Israel of breaking international law in its blockade of Gaza, where Palestinians are currently suffering and dying from a famine manufactured by Israel.

"Canada condemns the Israeli government’s failure to prevent the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian disaster in Gaza," Carney wrote in a post on X.

"Israel’s control of aid distribution must be replaced by comprehensive provision of humanitarian assistance led by international organizations," which he added are in possession of Canadian-funded aid blocked from entering the Strip.

"This denial of humanitarian aid is a violation of international law," Carney wrote.

He also called on Israel to "respect the territorial integrity of the West Bank and Gaza."

The Lebanese Army has closed down the Riyaq-Baalbeck highway at the Tamin roundabout and at the intersection of the Riyaq hospital, as protests organized by Hezbollah supporters begin at the al-Mundhir intersection.

"We are concerned about civil peace, but after this decision, we don't know what guarantees there are for this civil peace," the head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc, Mohammad Raad said on al-Manar.

“I don't want to surrender my weapons: surrendering my weapons would be suicide," Raad told al-Manar. "I have a question: can someone tell me, if I surrender my weapons, who will ensure sovereignty and protect the country?”

“Either [Cabinet] revises its position or it faces the consequences,” he warned, criticizing the government's decision as hasty and imposed by foreign powers, threatening the country's sovereignty.

"The weapons of 'the Resistance' are those that protected Lebanon from 1982 to 2025, liberated the country, defeated the enemy, established a balance of deterrence, and thwarted the enemy's expansionist project," Raad insisted. "The aim of this decision could be to shift the conflict towards an internal problem rather than a Lebanese-Israeli one."

"It is possible that the enemy has developed new techniques, but to claim that these weapons have not protected the country is a distortion of reality."

Protests in support of Hezbollah and against Cabinet's decision to adopt an American plan for the party's disarmament are currently taking place in Baalbeck and in Beirut's southern suburbs, our correspondents in both regions report.

Raad tells al-Manar Israel is 'under pressure' having failed to meet its objectives

In an interview with al-Manar, the head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc said that Israel was also “under pressure” because it was unable to achieve the objectives of its overall strategy of regional domination, despite its “tactical victories,” which he said explained its insistence on disarming Hezbollah.

“The Americans and Israelis are insisting on a timetable to carry out what they have imposed on the government, because time is not on their side," Mohammad Raad said. "The enemy has not been able to resolve any of the fronts it has opened."

“The enemy's decision regarding the occupation of Gaza means that a new issue has been opened.”

Netanyahu says Israel not occupying Gaza, amid reports that cabinet decision wording is 'superficial'

Netanyahu insisted in a recent post on X that Israel is "not going to occupy Gaza," despite Cabinet's decision yesterday to expand military operations in the Strip. "We are going to free Gaza from Hamas," Netanyahu said in said.

"Gaza will be demilitarized, and a peaceful civilian administration will be established, one that is not the Palestinian Authority, not Hamas, and not any other terrorist organization."

The Israeli cabinet's decision specifically did not use the word “occupy,” and instead referred to “taking over,” Israel's Ynet news reported, but the choice of words, according to an Israeli official, is purely superficial and the result of legal reasons pertaining to Israel’s responsibility for civilian matters in Gaza.

According to that official, the cabinet's decision in fact relates to full military rule, but added that the occupation would allegedly stop if a hostage deal is reached.

UN Security Council to hold emergency meeting on Gaza

The United Nations Security Council will meet in a rare weekend session on Saturday to discuss Israel's plan to take control of Gaza City, three diplomatic sources told AFP.

The meeting at 7 p.m. GMT had been requested by several members of the Security Council, a member of the Council told AFP, as global concern mounts over Israel's plan to expand its operations in Gaza.

A pro-Hezbollah convoy made up mostly of mopeds and cars has gathered in Ghazieh, near Saida, as well as in Sour, our correspondent in the South reports.

Marches in support of the party, following yesterday's Cabinet decision to adopt a U.S. plan for its disarmament, are also taking place in Nabatieh

The Lebanese Army prevented a march by Hezbollah and Amal Movement supporters from entering the town of Maghdousheh, southeast of Saida.

Israel claims targeted bulldozer belonged to Hezbollah

An Israeli drone dropped leaflets on the town of Aitaroun, in Bint Jbeil district, on which a text is written claiming that the bulldozer the Israeli army had bombed earlier this evening in the same village was operating on behalf of Hezbollah.

L'Orient Today's correspondent in the South, however, reports that the bulldozer was used solely for civilian purposes by the village's residents.

Israeli army chief says ready to execute Israeli cabinet's plan for Gaza

Israeli army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir says the military is fully engaged in executing the plan for expansion in Gaza approved by the cabinet yesterday, following clashes between Zamir and PM Netanyahu, during which the former had warned, “You’re going to create a trap in Gaza.”

"We are advancing detailed preparations at the highest level, accounting for all possible outcomes," Zamir said during a briefing with commanders from the Southern Command. "As always, we will carry out the mission with utmost precision and determination."

The Israeli army claimed responsibility for this morning's air strike on the road linking Saida to Sour in southern Lebanon, claiming to have killed the head of intelligence within Hezbollah's elite Radwan unit.

“An Israeli Air Force aircraft struck earlier today in the Adloun area of southern Lebanon, killing Mohammad Hamza Shehadeh, who served as the intelligence chief of the Radwan Force,” wrote Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee in a post on X.

He claimed that Shehadeh had contributed to “strengthening the force and operational readiness of the Radwan unit.”

Qatar and Egypt drafting new cease-fire proposal

After yet another round of failed negotiations last month, two Arab officials have told the Associated Press that Egyptian and Qatari mediators are currently working on drafting a new framework for a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas.

According to the officials, one of whom is directly involved in deliberations, the proposal includes the release of all hostages (dead and alive) all in one go, in return for an end of the war and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Strip.

Discussions are underway about "freezing arms" to Hamas, which may see the group retaining but not using its weapons. The framework calls for Hamas to relinquish power in Gaza, which the group has already offered to do in several previous drafts, while maintaining that it would not disarm.

A Palestinian-Arab committee would run Gaza and oversee the reconstruction efforts until the establishment of a Palestinian administration with a new police force, trained by two U.S. allies in the Middle East, to take over Gaza, the one official said. It is unclear what role the Western-backed Palestinian Authority would play.

Photo sent to L'Orient Today by residents.

Israeli drone attacks bulldozer in Aitaroun

A bulldozer in the Bint Jbeil district village of Aitaroun was bombed by an Israeli drone, our correspondent in the South reports. No one was injured in the attack.

Lammy and Vance to discuss Gaza

British foreign minister David Lammy says he plans to discuss the situation in Gaza during a meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Reuters reports.

Speaking alongside Vance, who is on a trip to Britain with his family, he also said UK-U.S. relations were in a "wonderful place."

An Israeli drone is flying at low altitude over the Bekaa Valley, more precisely over Brital, Taybeh, Majdaloun, Hazine and Hosh, towards the west, according to L'Orient Today's correspondent in the region.

In southern Lebanon, an Israeli drone dropped bombs on Civil Defense response teams going to extinguish fires in Jibbain, where another drone had fired incendiary grenades an hour earlier.

The Israeli army announced that it had killed a fighter "from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine" in eastern Lebanon, Haaretz reported.

The man, Mohammad Wishah Abu Khalil, was "appointed to head the terrorist organization's military and security department in Syria, after Shantal al-Aal, his predecessor, was killed in a hideout in Beirut in September 2024," the Israeli army said.

According to the army, he "was responsible for coordinating with other terrorist organizations, strengthening ties and cooperation with the Shiite axis, and recently worked to prepare military operations against Israeli targets."

Saudi Arabia denounced the Israeli plan to take control of Gaza City, AFP reported.

Von der Leyen calls on Israel to 'reverse' its Gaza plan

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called on Israel on Friday to "reverse" its plan for Gaza.

"The Israeli government must reverse its decision to extend its military operation in Gaza," the head of the European Commission said on X. "A cease-fire is needed immediately," she said.

A call for a mobilization of Hezbollah supporters was launched on Friday, notably via social media, to denounce the decision taken on Thursday by the Salam government to regain the monopoly on arms, including Hezbollah's.

Find the details here.

An Israeli drone dropped a sound bomb in the center of Kfar Kila (Marjayoun), reported L'Orient Today's correspondent in the region.

Taking control of Gaza City will 'cost Israel dearly,' says Hamas

Israel is preparing to commit a "new war crime" with its plan to take control of Gaza City, "a criminal adventure that will cost it dearly," Hamas said. "The Zionist cabinet's approval of plans to occupy Gaza City and evacuate its residents constitutes a new war crime that the occupation army wishes to commit against the city and its nearly one million inhabitants."

"... This criminal adventure will cost dearly and will not be an easy journey" for the Israeli army, added the statement, posted on Telegram.

Germany announced suspension of arms exports that Israel could use in Gaza

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced a suspension of arms exports that Israel could use in Gaza, following the announcement of Israel's plan to take control of Gaza City.

It is becoming "increasingly difficult to understand" how the Israeli military plan would achieve its objectives in the Gaza Strip and, "under these circumstances, the German government does not authorize, until further notice, the export of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip," Friedrich Merz said in a statement.

China expressed "grave concern" over Israel's plan to take military control of Gaza City, urging Israel to "immediately cease its dangerous actions."

"Gaza belongs to the Palestinian people and is an integral part of the Palestinian territory," a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in a written response to AFP.

Turkey condemns Israel's plan

The Turkish Foreign Ministry strongly condemned Israel's plan to seize control of Gaza City, calling on the international community and the United Nations Security Council to act to prevent the plan from being implemented, Reuters reported.

The ministry said Israel must immediately halt its war plans, accept a cease-fire in Gaza, and begin negotiations for a two-state solution, adding that every action by the Israeli government aimed at continuing what Turkey has called Israeli genocide and occupation of Palestinian lands is a serious blow to global security.

The Health Ministry confirmed that this morning's strike in southern Lebanon killed one person. In a brief statement, the ministry said the bombing took place "on the Zahrani road, in the Nabatieh district." The victim was identified, according to L'Orient Today's correspondent, as journalist Mohammad Shehadeh, who runs the online news website "Hawana Lubnan."

UN demands 'immediate halt' to Israeli plan for military control of Gaza Strip

The Israeli government's plan "to achieve a complete military takeover of the occupied Gaza Strip must be immediately halted," said High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk in a statement reported by AFP. This plan "contradicts the International Court of Justice's ruling that Israel must end its occupation as soon as possible, the achievement of the agreed two-state solution, and the Palestinians' right to self-determination."

UK urges Israel to 'immediately reconsider' its Gaza plan

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called Israel's announced plan to "defeat" Hamas in Gaza a "mistake" and urged Benjamin Netanyahu's government to "reconsider it immediately," AFP reported.

"The Israeli government's decision to escalate its offensive in Gaza is a mistake, and we urge it to reconsider immediately. This action will do nothing to end the conflict or secure the release of the hostages. It will only lead to more killings," Starmer said in a statement.

One dead in Israeli drone strike on highway between Saida and Sour

One person was killed in an Israeli drone strike targeting a car on the highway between Saida and Sour, near Phoenicia University, L'Orient Today's correspondent reported.

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Cabinet approves plan to disarm Hezbollah; Israel sets out to fully occupy Gaza: Everything you need to know this Friday

Cabinet approves plan to disarm Hezbollah; Israel sets out to fully occupy Gaza: Everything you need to know this Friday

Satellite images show Israel building up forces

NBC News, cited by Reuters, reported that images obtained from a commercial satellite show the Israeli military amassing troops and equipment near the border with the Gaza Strip. In its report, published after the Israeli cabinet approved plans for the occupation of Gaza City, NBC News relied on comments from three U.S. officials and one former official who viewed the images.

The images show troop movements and formations that all four sources recognized as signs of an imminent major ground operation.

Israel develops plan to 'take control' of Gaza City

Overnight, the Israeli security cabinet approved a plan presented by Benjamin Netanyahu to "defeat" Hamas and "take control" of Gaza City, devastated by war and in the grip of a serious humanitarian crisis.

"The security cabinet – by majority vote – adopted five principles to conclude the war: the disarmament of Hamas; the return of all hostages – alive and dead; the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip; Israeli security control in the Gaza Strip; and the establishment of an alternative civil administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority," the statement said.

Hamas accuses Netanyahu of 'sacrificing' Israeli hostages for his own 'interests'

Hamas accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last night of "sacrificing" Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip for his "personal" and "political" interests, according to a statement from the Palestinian movement.

"Netanyahu's plans to intensify" Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip "confirm beyond a shadow of a doubt his desire to get rid of the hostages and sacrifice them in pursuit of his personal interests and extremist ideological agenda," said Hamas, which still holds 49 hostages, 27 of whom are presumed dead, since its bloody attack on Oct. 7, 2023, from Gaza into Israeli territory.

Palestinian Football Association announces death of player Suleiman Al-Obeid

The Palestinian Football Association announced the death of former Palestinian football star Suleiman Al-Obeid following Israeli gunfire during an aid distribution in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday. The player, originally from Gaza City, was 41 years old, married and the father of five children, according to the same source.

"Former national player and Khadamat Al-Shati star Suleiman Al-Obeid was killed following Israeli occupation fire targeting people waiting for humanitarian aid in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday," the association said on its website.

In Lebanon, two Israeli strikes on the Bekaa Valley on Thursday afternoon, one in Kfar Dan near Baalbeck and the other on the Masnaa road, near the border with Syria, left at least seven dead, according to the Health Ministry.

Drone and helicopter flights over southern Lebanon

A drone flew over the villages of Zahrani (Saida) in southern Lebanon this morning, after a night marked by the overflight of a helicopter over the border villages of Maroun al-Ras, Aitaroun, Blida and Mais al-Jabal, in the eastern and central sectors, reported L'Orient Today's correspondent.

Turkey vows to strengthen ties with Syria

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said yesterday that Syria and Turkey wanted to deepen their ties, welcoming the country's efforts since the overthrow of leader Bashar al-Assad in December.

Hakan Fidan, who was making his third trip to Damascus since December, met with President Ahmad al-Sharaa on Thursday. "In our discussions with Sharaa, we had the opportunity to discuss many topics such as trade, investment, transportation, and energy," he wrote on X. "We are committed to deepening cooperation between Turkey and Syria."

Australia urges Israel not to take military control of Gaza

Australia urged Israel "not to go down this path," after Prime Minister Netanyahu said Israel intended to take military control of Gaza. "Australia calls on Israel not to go down this path, which will only exacerbate the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza," Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement.

Wong said the ongoing forced displacement violated international law and reiterated her calls for a ceasefire, unhindered humanitarian aid, and the return of hostages. "A two-state solution is the only way to ensure lasting peace: a Palestinian state and the State of Israel, living side by side in peace and security within internationally recognized borders," she added.

Trump reportedly yelled at Netanyahu during phone call about Gaza aid

U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly shouted at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call after the latter said Hamas had fabricated reports of a famine in Gaza, U.S. network NBC News reports.

According to press reports, Netanyahu had demanded a phone call with Donald Trump after the U.S. president said that children in Gaza “looked very hungry” during his visit to Scotland, adding that “this cannot be faked.” During the call, which a former U.S. official reportedly described as “a direct, essentially one-sided conversation about the state of humanitarian aid,” Trump reportedly interrupted Netanyahu and began shouting, claiming that his aides had shown him evidence of starvation in Gaza.