Israeli response to Gaza truce agreement expected 'before end of week' | LIVE

We are closing our LIVE coverage of events in the region for tonight. We will be back tomorrow with our Morning Brief and more news updates.

French President Emmanuel Macron responds to Netanyahu that “the Republic protects and will always protect” Jews, according to a statement from the French presidency reported by AFP.

Netanyahu's analysis linking recognition of Palestine and anti-Semitism is “abject” and “erroneous,” according to the French presidency, in comments reported by AFP.

France has 'no lessons to learn,' Paris responds to Netanyahu

France has “no lessons to learn in the fight against anti-Semitism,” French Minister for European Affairs Benjamin Haddad retorted on Tuesday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused French President Emmanuel Macron of “fueling anti-Semitic fire.”

"I would like to say very clearly and very firmly that the issue of anti-Semitism, which is poisoning our European societies, and we have seen an acceleration of violent anti-Semitic acts since the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, cannot be exploited,“ the minister said on French channel BFMTV, adding that the French authorities have ”always been extremely mobilized against anti-Semitism."

The Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister is meeting with the Syrian Foreign Affairs Minister in Paris tonight, according to Israel's Channel 12.

Netanyahu accuses Macron of “fueling anti-Semitism” and urges him to take action before the end of September

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused French President Emmanuel Macron of “fueling anti-Semitism” in France by calling for international recognition of the State of Palestine, according to an official letter to the French head of state.

“I call on you to replace weakness with action, appeasement with resolve and to do so before a clear date: the Jewish New Year, Sept. 23, 2025,” continues the letter signed by Netanyahu, dated Aug. 17, and sent to AFP.

An Israeli drone dropped a sound bomb on the outskirts of Wazzani (Marjayoun district), according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

Israel “has not changed” its policy and continues to “demand the release” of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza, a senior government source told AFP.

“We are in the final decisive phase against Hamas, and we will not leave any hostages behind,” the source added, repeating the same statement that has been repeated ad nauseam by the leading Israeli media outlets.

Gaza truce agreement: Israeli response expected 'before the end of the week'

Israel is preparing to respond to a new proposal from mediators for a truce in the Gaza Strip, linked to the release of hostages held in the Palestinian territory.

When questioned by AFP, a high-ranking Israeli political source simply commented: “Israel's position has not changed — the release of all hostages and compliance with the other conditions set out to end the war.”

According to the Israeli press, cited by the agency, the response to the proposal is expected “before the end of the week.”

Israel blocking UN shelter deliveries to Gaza

The U.N. said it has not been authorized to deliver shelters to Gaza after Israel announced plans to take control of Gaza City and nearby refugee camps.

Israel’s security cabinet approved the plan earlier this month, saying its goals are to defeat Hamas and free hostages taken during the group’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack.

Israel killed more than 62,000 people in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023.

Gaza’s Health Ministry said 60 Palestinians were killed by Israeli strikes in the past 24 hours — including two recovered from the rubble — and 343 others were wounded. The ministry put the overall death toll at 62,064 since Oct. 7, 2023.

Photos of the drone are circulating online. (Credit: Image provided by L'Orient Today's correspondent Muntasser Abdallah)

Israeli drone crashes on house in Bint Jbeil

An Israeli drone crashed on the roof of a house in the southern town of Bint Jbeil, our correspondent in south Lebanon reported. 

UN condemns Israel's Ben Gvir for taunting Palestinian prisoner Marwan Barghouti

The U.N.'s human rights office on Tuesday condemned far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir for taunting Palestinian prisoner Marwan Barghouti in his cell and sharing the footage online.

"International law requires that all those in detention be treated humanely, with dignity, and their human rights respected and protected," Kheetan added.

He warned that the minister's actions "may encourage violence against Palestinian detainees" and enable rights violations in Israeli prisons.

Find out more here. 👈

Hamas accepted Gaza truce plan 'almost identical' to Witkoff's plan, previously accepted by Israel

Hamas gave a "very positive response, and it truly was almost identical to what the Israeli side had previously agreed to," Qatar foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said.

The previous round of mediation for a deal in Doha broke down in July, with Israel agreeing to a truce proposal but then rejecting Hamas amendments.

"We cannot make any claims that a breakthrough has been made. But we do believe it is a positive point," Ansari added.

"We are at a decisive humanitarian moment. If we don't reach a deal now, we will face a humanitarian catastrophe that will make all those that preceded it pale in comparison," the spokesman added.

Negotiations in recent months have focused on a framework for an initial 60-day truce and the staggered release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, which was first proposed by U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.

Ansari confirmed the current proposal included the two-month truce as well as provisions to allow for the entry of aid. 

Find out more about the truce updates here. 

A UNIFIL vehicle in the village of Ebl al-Saqi, July 23, 2025. (Credit: Matthieu Karam/L’Orient-Le Jour)

Will the U.N. Interim Forces in Lebanon's mission come to an end?

Read Yara Abi Akl's focus piece exploring this question, as the U.N. Security Council prepares to decide the future of the peacekeeping forces. 

Netanyahu slams Australian PM over Palestine recognition

After Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced his country’s recognition of the State of Palestine last week, Israel revoked the visas of Canberra’s representatives to the Palestinian Authority on Monday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded on Tuesday by slamming his counterpart as "a weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews."

Read the full details here. 👈

UN warns Gaza faces widespread famine due to Israel's aid restrictions

The U.N. human rights office said Tuesday that Israel is allowing some supplies into Gaza, but not enough to prevent widespread starvation.

“In recent weeks, the Israeli authorities have only allowed aid in quantities well below what would be needed to avoid widespread famine,” OHCHR spokesman Thameen al-Kheetan told a Geneva press briefing.

He added that the famine risk is a “direct consequence of the Israeli government’s policy of blocking humanitarian aid.” Israel’s COGAT agency said it is making “considerable efforts” to distribute aid in the enclave.

Three elderly Palestinians die from malnutrition in Gaza

Three elderly Palestinians died in the past 24 hours from malnutrition due to Israel's restrictions on humanitarian aid, Gaza's Health Ministry reported. 

Israel urges halt to UNIFIL operations

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Israel wants UNIFIL’s activities in southern Lebanon stopped, Israel Hayom reported.

Sa’ar said the mission “has failed in its fundamental mission: to prevent Hezbollah from establishing itself south of the Litani River” and accused the force of “systematically presenting a false image of reality” to the U.N. Security Council.

Israel reportedly said it would accept an extension of UNIFIL’s mandate from six months to a year only to allow for an “orderly dismantling.”

Israel killed over two dozen Palestinians in Gaza overnight

More than two dozen Palestinians have been killed since midnight by Israeli strikes in Gaza, Al Jazeera reported, putting the toll at 21, while Al-Araby gave a slightly higher figure of 26.

Israeli drone spotted over Baalbeck district

An Israeli army drone is flying at medium altitude over the mountainous towns of Yahfoufa near Baalbeck, Janta and the Shaara mountainous plains, our regional correspondent.

Israeli families cross into Syria, returned by army

Haaretz reported that Israeli families crossed the border into Syria to push for the establishment of Jewish settlements before being escorted back by the Israeli army.

Aoun reaffirms support for UNIFIL

President Joseph Aoun told U.N. Interim forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) commander General Diodato Abagnara that Lebanon remains committed to keeping international forces in the south “for as long as necessary for the full implementation of Resolution 1701, as well as the full deployment of the Lebanese Army to the international borders.”

The statement added that Aoun emphasized “the importance of cooperation between the army, UNIFIL and residents of the towns and villages of the south,” amid several minor incidents in recent months between peacekeepers and locals.

Mitri backs Salam’s stance

On Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri responded to Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s post on X about his meeting with U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, saying: “The prime minister continues to reaffirm Lebanon's clear position regarding the cessation of hostilities and the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territories. And, of course, no attack or criticism changes this position.”

Salam has faced accusations from pro-Hezbollah media of serving “Israeli-Saudi” interests. He is now seen as a leading figure in the sovereigntist camp, positioning himself as the official voice for the state's monopoly on arms.

For more details on Mitri's comments, click here.👈

UN says 383 aid workers killed in 2024

A record 383 aid workers were killed this year, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Monday on World Humanitarian Day, calling it a wake-up call to protect civilians in conflict and end impunity.

Most of those killed were national staff serving their own communities, attacked either on duty or in their homes. OCHA said 308 workers were injured, 125 abducted and 45 detained in 2024.

Rights groups slam U.S. suspension of Gaza visas

The U.S.-based HEAL Palestine Foundation and other rights groups criticized Washington’s decision to suspend visit visas for Palestinians in Gaza, saying it would block injured children from receiving medical care in the United States, Reuters reported.

The State Department said Saturday it was halting all visit visas for Gazans while conducting “a full and thorough review” after far-right activist Laura Loomer claimed Palestinian refugees were entering the country.

HEAL Palestine said no refugee resettlement program exists, contrary to Loomer’s claim, and stressed its work is limited to medical treatment. It added that the program is funded by donations, not U.S. government money.

Find out more here. 👈

Australia criticizes Israel over visa revocations of its diplomats 

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong urged “dialogue and diplomacy” after Israel revoked the visas of Australian diplomats to the Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank, Reuters reported. The move came after Australia said it would recognize a Palestinian state and canceled the visa of far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman.

Wong called the decision an “unjustified reaction,” adding: “At a time when dialogue and diplomacy are needed more than ever, the Netanyahu Government is isolating Israel and undermining international efforts towards peace and a two-state solution.”

Cyprus sends 1,200 tonnes of aid to Gaza

Cyprus said today it has shipped 1,200 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Gaza by sea via Israel’s Ashdod port.

The Foreign Ministry said the cargo, already inspected, will not face further checks on arrival. It will be transferred under the supervision of World Central Kitchen, which will handle distribution.

"The entire undertaking is under the auspices of the U.N. delivery mechanism," the ministry said.

Read more, here. 👈

The head of Syria's commission for missing persons said Monday the number of people who went missing during decades of Assad family rule and the civil war may have exceeded 300,000, AFP reported. 

Read the full report here. 👈

Israeli vehicles cross border; Barrack concludes Beirut visit

- After 10 p.m., three Israeli vehicles — believed to be construction equipment — crossed the border east of Mais al-Jabal in the Marjayoun district, our regional correspondent reported. 

- Israeli drones also flew heavily over the area, prompting the Lebanese Army to send patrols into the village and nearby fields.

- Meanwhile, U.S. envoys Tom Barrack and Morgan Ortagus arrived in Beirut yesterday on a three-part mission. Their visit aimed to back Lebanon’s Cabinet decision to restore the state’s arms monopoly and adopt a U.S. road map, while reviewing how it will be put into practice. They are also discussing the renewal of UNIFIL’s mandate and exploring ways to push Israel to respond to what officials describe as Lebanon’s “first step.”

To find out more about their visit, read the wrap-up here. 👈

Hamas signals truce deal, as Israel weighs response, continues onslaught

Hamas says it has agreed to a cease-fire plan that includes U.S. guarantees to end the war, senior official Taher al-Nono told Qatar’s Al-Arabiya TV.

An Egyptian source confirmed to Reuters the proposal outlines a roadmap to a broader deal: a 60-day truce, the gradual release of hostages, and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners.

The plan, brokered by Egypt and Qatar and based on a U.S. envoy’s framework already accepted by Israel, has yet to receive an official Israeli reply. Israeli sources say it is being carefully reviewed.

Mediators — Egypt, Qatar and the United States — have so far failed to lock in a lasting cease-fire during the 23-month war. The United Nations warns Gaza faces “widespread famine,” and the humanitarian situation continues to worsen daily. 

Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel intends to seize control of Gaza but does not plan to govern it. He told Fox News the territory would eventually be handed to "Arab forces” to govern it.

The Gaza health ministry says more than 62,000 Palestinians have been killed since Oct. 7, 2023.

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the developments in the region. 

Want to catch up on yesterday's major events and know what to expect today? Don't miss our Morning Brief, click here.👈