2 killed, 1 injured in Israeli strike near timber factory south of Sour | LIVE

We are now closing our LIVE coverage of the region for tonight.

We will be back tomorrow morning with more news updates.

Israeli drone was found in village of Markaba

An Israeli drone was found in the village of Markaba, in the Marjayoun district.

According to our correspondent, the drone crashed a few days ago and was handed over to the Lebanese Army.

Gaza: 'Classroom of children killed every day for 2 years,': UNICEF

For the past two years, the Gaza Strip has been "the most dangerous place in the world for a child," the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) told Al Jazeera.

This statement is explained by "the staggering number of children killed, injured, displaced, separated from their families or who have lost a loved one," Tess Ingram, a UNICEF spokesperson in Gaza, told Al Jazeera.

"A classroom of children has been killed every day for two years in this conflict, and the scars of what children have endured will last for many, many years to come," she added, speaking from the al-Mawasi area of ​​southern Gaza.

According to the Gaza Media Office, approximately 20,000 children have been killed in Israeli bombardments since October 2023.

Hamas announces will return remains of 16th hostage to Israel on Monday

Hamas' armed wing announced that the remains of a 16th hostage held since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack in the Gaza Strip would be returned to Israel this evening, AFP reports.

In a message on their Telegram channel, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades stated that the remains would be handed over "today in the Gaza Strip at 9 p.m."

Hamas released the last 20 hostages alive on Oct. 13.

It was also supposed to return the 28 bodies of the captives it is holding by that date, but has so far only returned 15, citing difficulties in finding remains in the war-torn territory.

2 years of war more than doubled number of people needing mental health care in Gaza: WHO

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), two years of war have more than doubled the number of people needing mental health care in Gaza, from approximately 485,000 to over 1 million.

Before the start of Israel's war on Gaza in October 2023, UNICEF estimated that approximately 500,000 children in Gaza needed psychological and psychosocial support.

Today, almost all children are in need, according to the organization.

Lebanese Health Ministry confirms 2 killed in Israeli strike south of Sour

The Lebanese Health Ministry has confirmed two people killed in an Israeli drone strike south of Sour.

3 Palestinians injured after wall collapses near Gaza Port

Three Palestinians were injured after a wall collapsed near the Gaza Port, the Wafa news agency reported.

Thousands of displaced people are crowded into makeshift tents in the coastal area after fleeing eastern Gaza City and the north.

Many of the remaining buildings have been weakened by Israeli bombardments.

Israeli forces opened fire, wounded Palestinian north of occupied East Jerusalem

Israeli forces opened fire and wounded a Palestinian in the town of Ar-Ram, north of occupied East Jerusalem, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.

The medical organization said its teams responded to a young man with a leg injury and transported him to the hospital.

Trump must seize 'opportunity' to promote Barghouti's release: Palestinian leader's son

The son of Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, imprisoned in Israel since 2002, calls on U.S. President Donald Trump to seize the "opportunity" of the cease-fire in Gaza to promote the release of his father, who he believes is the only figure capable of unifying the Palestinians for possible peace talks.

In an interview with AFP, his son, Arab, called on the international community, and primarily Trump, to pressure Israel to secure his release, which he believes could revive discussions on the two-state solution, meaning a viable Palestine alongside Israel.

His release "represents a great opportunity for the international community to demonstrate that it is serious in its support for the two-state solution," adds Arab Barghouti in this English-language interview with Donald Trump.

"I really hope he can pressure the Israelis to release my father, because he is a partner for peace," Barghouti urged, adding that he and his family "really welcome" Trump's statement.

Paris condemns Israeli fire targeting UNIFIL detachment in Lebanon on Sunday

The French Foreign Affairs Ministry issued a statement condemning "the Israeli fire targeting a detachment of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon [UNIFIL]" on Sunday, recalling that these "incidents" followed "those observed on Oct. 1, 2 and 11, when the Israeli army had already targeted UNIFIL positions."

"France reiterates that the protection of peacekeepers and the safety and security of U.N. personnel, property and premises must be ensured, in accordance with international law and U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701," the statement added.

"UNIFIL must be able to fully implement its mandate and exercise its freedom of movement," the statement continued.

The ministry also praised "the courage, professionalism, and continued commitment of UNIFIL personnel in this difficult context."

And to conclude: "France reiterates that respect for the ceasefire of November 26, 2024 is required by all parties without exception in order to guarantee the security of civilian populations on both sides of the Blue Line, and calls on Israel to withdraw from the entirety of Lebanese territory."

2 killed, 1 injured in Israeli drone strike near timber factory south of Sour

An Israeli drone raided the area near a timber factory in the village of Biyad, south of Sour, killing two people and injuring one, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

Ambulances were dispatched to the scene.

According to information gathered by our correspondent from village residents, the two victims were brothers.

Netanyahu's offices says one Hamas official permitted to cross 'Yellow Line' to aid in search for hostages' bodies

After reports in Israeli media that Hamas representatives were being allowed past the "Yellow Line" that demarcates Israeli military control in Gaza, Netanyahu's office told Times of Israel that only one Hamas official was operating in the Israeli-occupied areas.

An official from the Prime Minister's Office, said the official was operating alongside Red Cross teams and Egyptian crews assisting in the search and retrieval of hostages' bodies, directing where digging should take place.

An Israeli army spokesperson confirmed the presence of Egyptian and Red Cross teams over the "Yellow Line" for retrieval purposes and earlier today, Hamas reportedly told mediators that it had requested Israeli troops withdraw from specific areas where searches need to be carried out.

It has been almost a week since Hamas last returned a hostage's body to Israel.

U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus has arrived in Beirut from Tel Aviv, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) has reported.

Hamas says recovery underway for 7 to 9 hostages' bodies

Hamas informed mediating countries that it has begun recovery operations for somewhere between seven and nine bodies of deceased Israeli hostages still in the Gaza Strip, Haaretz reports, citing the Saudi Aaharq TV channel.

According to a source familiar with the matter, the group has confirmed the locations of the bodies in various areas in the Strip.

The source also said that Hamas has requested through the mediators that the Israeli army withdraw from certain areas on the Israeli-controlled side of the Yellow Line in order to complete the searches.

Gaza's civil defense spokesperson decries lack of support recovering estimated 10,000 bodies of Palestinians

Heavy equipment is transported into the Gaza Strip heading to one of the sites to begin work in the recovery of Israeli hostages killed during the Gaza war, as they drive along Salah al-Din Street, east of Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip on

The spokesperson for Gaza's civil defense has condemned the “double standards” of organizations bringing heavy equipment into the Strip for the recovery of Israeli hostages' bodies while Palestinians are left unaided to dig through the rubble for an estimated 10,000 people still buried underneath.

“It breaks our hearts that some agencies and organizations have brought in the necessary heavy powerful equipment and bulldozers only to search for the bodies of Israeli hostages, while no equipment are available for 10,000 bodies of Palestinian citizens to be recovered from under the rubble,” Mahmud Basal said in a statement cited by Al Jazeera.

“This represents a double standard that in no way reflects humanity. True humanity requires the same care to be given to Palestinian bodies as is given to Israeli bodies.”

Basal said that the retrieval of a single body can take 12 hours of work given the scale of the devastation and the lack of technical support. The process is also complicated by the issue of where to put the sheer mass of rubble.

“The issue requires the integration and cooperation of all parties so that we can immediately start working on this and recover the bodies of the martyrs,” Basal said.

Israeli attacks on Gaza have killed 8 and wounded 13 in the last 48 hours

At least eight Palestinians have been killed and 13 wounded in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip over the last 48 hours, Al Jazeera reports, despite the cease-fire entering into its third week.

Gaza's Health Ministry announced that Israel’s war on Gaza has now killed at least 68,527 people and wounded 170,395 since October 2023.

Israeli parliamentary committee approves $308 million for rehabilitation along border with Lebanon

The Israeli parliament's Finance Committee approved a long-awaited transfer of NIS 1.2 billion ($308 million) for rehabilitation and economic recovery programs in northern Israel, Times of Israel reports.

The approval came after months of delays caused by the Finance Ministry’s refusal to provide supplementary information requested by the committee’s legal advisers, the outlet states.

The funding will be used to implement two government resolutions from July to support towns within a two-kilometer radius of the Lebanese border, whose residents were evacuated, and to revive businesses and municipal activity up to nine kilometers from the border.

Approximately 60,000 residents of northern Israel evacuated their homes amid the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah from October 2023 to November 2024.

Following the November cease-fire, Israel had difficultly convincing residents to return to their homes, while residents protested what they saw as their government's failure to secure their safety.

In late July, the Israeli army announced that 74 percent of northern residents had returned, which was a sharp increase from a few months prior, when only 30-40 percent had returned.

State of emergency lifted in southern Israel for the first time since Oct. 7, 2023

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has decided that the emergency situation declaration for southern Israel, in place since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack, will be lifted, Times of Israel reports.

The “special situation” allowed the military’s Home Front Command to restrict gatherings and close off areas. It was declared on the morning of Oct. 7 in the entire country, but has since remained in place only in the South.

The order will expire tomorrow, according to the minister, who said he had “decided to adopt the [Israeli army’s] recommendation," meaning that for the first time in over two years, there will be no active “special situation” anywhere in Israel.

Katz said that “the decision reflects the new security reality in the South of the country," which he claimed was achieved thanks to the Israeli army's "determined and powerful actions" in Gaza over the past two years. Israel killed more than 68,000 people in its war on Gaza, where a cease-fire is now entering its third week.

Hostages and Missing Families Forum in Israel calls for second stage of truce to be put on hold until all bodies returned

A forum of families of Israeli hostages demanded that the next steps in the U.S.-brokered Gaza cease-fire be put on hold until Hamas returns the remaining bodies of deceased captives, AFP reports.

"Hamas knows exactly where every one of the deceased hostages is held. Two weeks have passed since the deadline set in the agreement for the return of all 48 hostages, yet 13 remain in Hamas captivity," the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said, as cited by AFP.

Both Hamas and several senior U.S. officials have made it clear that there are significant technical challenges involved in retrieving the bodies of deceased hostages, due to the extent of destruction across the Strip resulting from two years of Israeli bombardment.

Egypt has sent in excavators and equipment to aid in the search.

"The families urge the Government of Israel, the United States administration and the mediators not to advance to the next phase of the agreement until Hamas fulfills all of its obligations and returns every hostage to Israel," the forum said.

Price of gas cylinders in Gaza as high as $300 amid Israel's ongoing limitations on supplies

Palestinians in Gaza are scavenging for wood to fuel fires for cooking as Israel continues to constrain the flow of goods and humanitarian supplies into the enclave.

“A gas cylinder can cost up to $300, which I can’t afford,” a mother in Deir al-Balah told Al Jazeera. “Wood is less expensive and, for me, it is the only viable alternative.”

Under the cease-fire agreement, humanitarian assistance, including fuel such as cooking gas, is supposed to enter the Strip. But Israel is only allowing limited commercial shipments. These supplies are not enough to meet demand and priced far above what most people can afford.

UNICEF aims to get Gaza's 650,000 school-aged children back to school

Palestinian schoolboys listen to their teacher at a school in the Nuseirat refugee camp, in the central Gaza Strip, on Oct. 26, 2025. (Credit: Eyad Baba/AFP)

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) announced it is stepping up its humanitarian operations in Gaza following the cease-fire and is working toward getting 650,000 school-aged children back into the classroom.

"We are racing against time to save the lives of children threatened by preventable causes such as malnutrition, disease, and winter cold," said Édouard Beigbeder, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, in a statement. "After two lost years, families know that a return to proper education will provide the foundation for long-term learning, healing, hope, and social cohesion in their communities."

“UNICEF is setting up semi-permanent classrooms and repairing damaged schools, while preparing to rebuild inclusive schools that bring together multiple services under one roof — from access to clean water to mental health and psychosocial support, including child protection services — to promote the emotional recovery and safety of every child.”

Rubio says Israeli strike on Nuseirat strike did not violate cease-fire

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters aboard Air Force One that Washington does not view Israel's bombardment of Nuseirat refugee camp as a violation of the U.S.-backed cease-fire.

Israel claimed that the attack was targeting a member of Islamic Jihad who it accused of planning an attack on Israeli troops. Islamic Jihad denied it was planning any attack.

Speaking on Trump's plane during a trip to Asia, Rubio said: "We don’t view that as a violation of the ceasefire," Reuters reports.

Rubio stated that Israel has not surrendered its right to self-defense as part of the truce. "They have the right if there’s an imminent threat to Israel, and all the mediators agree with that," Rubio said.

The strike on a car in the refugee camp killed one person and injured at least four others, Al Jazeera Arabic reported, citing al-Awda Hospital.

Israeli soldiers enter al-Marj, in southern Lebanon overnight, build dirt barriers

Israeli soldiers, accompanied by construction vehicles and tanks, entered the area known as al-Marj, between the southern Lebanese villages of Odaisseh and Markaba, in Marjayoun district, in the early hours of this morning. Five excavators also crossed the border and entered southern Lebanon near Wadi Hounin.

In both places, according to our correspondent in the South, Muntasser Abdallah, the Israeli soldiers carried erected dirt barriers to restrict movement in the Lebanese villages, before retreating again over the border into northern Israel.

Israel confirms drone shot down by UNIFIL, says it was for intelligence gathering

The Israeli army announced this morning that the drone shot down by UNIFIL peacekeepers in Kfar Kila yesterday, which the patrol had said was acting in an "aggressive manner," was an surveillance drone carrying out "routine intelligence gathering and reconnaissance activity."

"A preliminary investigation has revealed that UNIFIL troops stationed nearby deliberately fired at the drone, despite it posing no threat," the statement, published on the X account of the army's Arabic-language spokesperson. "After the drone was shot down, [Israeli army] troops threw a hand grenade at the area where the drone was shot down. We confirm that no shots were fired at UNIFIL troops."

Earlier in the day, in Kfar Kila, before shooting down the drone, the UNIFIL peacekeeping patrol had been targeted by a grenade launched at them by an Israeli drone and by a shell fired at them by an Israeli tank.

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Good morning and welcome to today's live coverage of events in the region, notably the "cease-fires" in Gaza and in Lebanon during which, in both places, Israel continues to launch attacks, claiming to be acting against perceived threats.

☕ Read our Morning Brief in order to catch up on everything you need to know going into this week. 👈