Rajji asks British parliamentary delegation to pressure Israel to cease attacks on Lebanon
Foreign Minister Joe Rajji stated that “there is no justification for Israel's presence on Lebanese territory and its continued attacks on civilians.”
Speaking to a British parliamentary delegation, he also emphasized the importance of international support for reconstruction.
Rajji explained to the delegation that the Lebanese government was maintaining its decision regarding the state's monopoly on weapons, considering it to be in the national interest, and that the Lebanese Army had made significant progress in disarming militias south of the Litani.
He also called to pressure Israel to immediately cease its attacks on Lebanon, withdraw unconditionally from the occupied territories, and release Lebanese prisoners.
South Lebanon
An Israeli drone dropped a sound bomb over Ras Naqoura, in the Sour district, according to our correspondent.
Saudi Arabia denounces Ben Gvir's provocative visit to the Temple Mount
Saudi Arabia condemned the visit by far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben Gvir to the highly sensitive site of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem.
The kingdom condemns "the intrusion of Israeli officials and settlers into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound under the protection of the occupation forces," the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement, denouncing "the continued violations of the sanctity" of the site, the third holiest site in Islam and the holiest site in Judaism.
8 Palestinians killed and 61 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza in the last 24 hours
The Gaza Ministry of Health reported that eight people were killed by Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip in the last 24 hours, and 61 were wounded.
Since Oct. 7, 2023, 67,183 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli army attacks on the enclave, and 169,841 wounded.
Meeting on Gaza to take place in Paris, Thursday
Tomorrow's meeting on Gaza will bring together the foreign ministers of European and Arab countries to "specify the terms of a collective commitment" to "operationalize" a Palestinian state, French diplomatic sources said Wednesday.
"The topics to be discussed will include the international stabilization force, transitional governance in Gaza, humanitarian aid and reconstruction, the disarmament of Hamas, and support for the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian security forces," they said.
As negotiations are underway in Egypt to reach a cease-fire deal in Gaza, the ministers also want to show "their support" for the plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
➡️ Read more on the story here.
Gaza: Trump asked Turkey to 'convince' Hamas to negotiate peace, says Erdogan
U.S. President Donald Trump "expressly asked" Turkey to convince Hamas to negotiate a peace deal with Israel, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, according to AFP.
"During our visit to the United States and our last telephone conversation ... he expressly asked us to meet with Hamas and convince them," Erdogan told reporters, according to statements released by the Turkish presidency.
➡️ Read more on the story here.
Hamas 'optimistic' after lists of prisoners-hostages swap to be released
Taher al-Nounou, a senior Hamas official, said that Palestinian and Israeli negotiators had exchanged lists of names of prisoners and hostages who would be released if an agreement were reached at the end of the talks for a cease-fire in Gaza, currently underway in Egypt.
An Egyptian source familiar with the progress of the talks told Al-Sharq Al-Awsat that the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza could be finalized before Friday if the atmosphere currently surrounding the negotiations continues.
According to Haaretz, Hamas has included in its demands the recovery of the remains of former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and his brother Mohammad, who were killed in Gaza in Israeli strikes. Yahya Sinwar was one of the main masterminds behind the Oct. 7 attacks.
➡️ Read more on this story here.
Ben Gvir's visit to the Temple Mount sparks anger
Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel's Minister of National Security, visited the Temple Mount, Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem on Wednesday on the occasion of the Sukkot holiday, according to a spokesperson for the holy site's administration.
Videos released by a small Jewish organisation called the Temple Mount Administration showed Ben Gvir leading a group walking in the compound. According to a statement from his office quoted by Haaretz, Ben Gvir "prayed for victory in the war, the destruction of Hamas, and the return of the hostages."
The tour comes after the far-right minister publicly denounced the indirect talks taking place between Israeli representatives and Hamas to end the war in Gaza via a cease-fire deal, seeking an end-game only by force.
➡️ Read more on this story here.
Complete destruction of the coffee shop in Houla targeted by nighttime Israeli strike
Southern Lebanon: A coffee shop in Houla destroyed by Israeli nighttime strikes, intense drone flights overhead
As Lebanon marks two years since the opening of a "support front" for Gaza, the Israeli army continues to violate the cease-fire that came into effect on November 27.
During the night, Israeli drones repeatedly dropped bombs and a missile on a coffee shop in Houla (Marjayoun).
It was empty at the time of the attack and there were no casualties, but the building was completely destroyed, according to information received from our correspondent in southern Lebanon.
The coffee shop had already been targeted last Thursday. Machine gun fire was again directed at the outskirts of Kfar Shuba (Hasbaya).
In addition, drones were observed flying over various regions of the south throughout the night.
Hamas seeks the release of renowned prisoner Marwan Barghouthi, according to Egyptian media
Hamas demanded the release of Marwan Barghouthi, the most famous Palestinian prisoner, during indirect talks with Israel last night on the list of Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for Israeli hostages, according to Egyptian state media cited by AFP.
Al-Qahera News announced the start of talks through Egypt on "the lists of Palestinian prisoners to be released from Israeli prisons in accordance with the exchange agreement."
Among the names of prisoners mentioned in the list are Marwan Barghouthi and Palestinian figures Ahmad Saadat, Hassan Salame, and Abbas Al-Sayyed, according to the same source.
Boats from the new flotilla bound for Gaza intercepted by the Israeli army
Boats from a new international flotilla bound for Gaza were intercepted this morning off the coast of the besieged enclave by the Israeli army.
In a message published on X, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced a "futile attempt" to "enter a combat zone," specifying that "the ships and their passengers have been transferred to an Israeli port" and "should be expelled quickly."
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which helped organized the mission, said that "at least three" boats had been intercepted.
Diplomatic reinforcements in Egypt to push for an agreement on Gaza
Senior U.S., Qatari, and Turkish officials are expected to join indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel in Egypt on Wednesday aimed at ending the war in Gaza.
Qatari Prime Minister Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani will travel to Sharm el-Sheikh on Wednesday morning, where the talks are being held, according to Qatari diplomats.
Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner are also expected to arrive in Egypt later today, according to Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty.
Finally, a Turkish delegation led by intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin will also take part in the negotiations on Wednesday, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency.
➡️ Read more on this unfolding story here.
Today marks the second anniversary of the opening of Hezbollah's "support front" for Gaza, following Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, incursion into Israel and Israel's brutal onslaught on the Gaza Strip.
Indirect negotiations are currently underway between Hamas and Israel in Egypt, with delegations from the U.S. and Qatar present as chief negotiating parties, amongst others.
Read our Morning Brief for a wrap-up of yesterday's main events and what to expect today.
Good morning and welcome to today's live blog. We will be providing rolling coverage of news from Lebanon, Gaza, the occupied Palestinian territories, the rest of the region and beyond.
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