Live blog: Israel violates Lebanon ceasefire again with drone hovering

Wednesday, January 1, 2025

1827 GMT — An Israeli drone flew over the Lebanese capital of Beirut and the southern city of Tyre, in a new violation of a ceasefire deal between Lebanon and Israel, Lebanese media has said.

The state news agency NNA said the drone was spotted flying over Beirut and its suburbs to Tyre City and its surrounding areas.

The broadcaster provided no further information.

Separately, Israeli soldiers set fire to multiple homes in the Al Baladiah neighbourhood of Aitaroun, in southern Lebanon's Bint Jbeil district, NNA reported later in the evening.

The latest breach brought the number of Israeli violations to 338 since the ceasefire came into force on Nov. 27, according to an Anadolu tally based on figures released by the Lebanese authorities.

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1848 GMT — Former Israeli Minister Yoav Gallant resigns from Knesset

Former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant resigned from Knesset, the broadcasting authority Kan has reported.

His resignation from the Israeli parliament as a member of the ruling Likud party came less than two months after being dismissed as defense minister by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

1835 GMT — Israeli army dictates new evacuation for Gaza civilians ahead of attacks

The Israeli army has dictated an immediate evacuation for Palestinian civilians in Jabalia and Gaza City ahead of a new offensive in the area.

Military spokesman Avichay Adraee said civilians in Jabalia in northern Gaza and areas designated as Blocks 763, 762, and 761 northwest of Gaza City must immediately leave their areas and head to the city centre.

1425 GMT — Israel considers occupying Gaza City: Report

The Israeli government is considering ordering the army to occupy Gaza City, local media has said.

Israeli pro-government Channel 14 said the move comes amid a stalemate in indirect negotiations aimed at reaching a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner swap deal with Palestinians.

According to the broadcaster, the far-right government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “satisfied” with the results of its military campaign in northern Gaza.

1413 GMT — Israeli attacks kill 23 more Palestinians in Gaza on first day of 2025

At least 23 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza on the first day of 2025, according to medical sources.

A fighter jet struck a residential apartment in the Shejaiya neighbourhood in eastern Gaza City, leaving six people dead, including two women and three children, a medical source said.

An Israeli drone hit a home in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, killing a woman and child and injuring several people, according to another medical source.

Israeli artillery also shelled the eastern and northern parts of the Bureij and Nuseirat camps, but no information was yet available about casualties.

Fifteen people also lost their lives and several others were injured, including children, in an airstrike on a house in the northern town of Jabalia, a medical source said.

1302 GMT — Palestinians report 22 Israeli settler raids on Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa complex last month

Illegal Israeli settlers staged 22 intrusions into the flashpoint Al Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem last month, Palestinian authorities have said.

"The Israeli occupation forces and settlers escalated their attacks on Al Aqsa Mosque in December,” the Awqaf Ministry said in a statement.

“These intrusions aim to create a new reality in the mosque by allowing settlers to perform Jewish religious rituals,” it added.

1046 GMT — Gaza death toll hits 45,553 in New Year amid Israeli attacks

At least 12 more Palestinians were killed in relentless Israeli attacks in Gaza, bringing the overall death toll since last year to 45,553, the Health Ministry in the enclave has said.

A ministry statement added that some 108,379 others were injured in the ongoing assault.

“Israeli forces killed 12 people and injured 41 others in two massacres of families in the last 48 hours,” the ministry said.

“Many people are still trapped under the rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them,” it added.

0907 GMT — Over 1,500 tents housing displaced Gazans inundated by rainwater

Heavy rains have inundated over 1,542 tents housing displaced civilians in Gaza in the past two days amid Israel’s genocidal war on the enclave, the Civil Defence Service has said.

“Hundreds of tents were flooded with rainwater at a level exceeding 30 centimeters,” the agency said in a statement.

“Many people were reported to be shivering from the cold as their belongings were damaged by the rainwater,” it added.

0823 GMT — Houthis say US drone downed in central Yemen

The Houthi group has claimed to have shot down a US drone in central Yemen.

Military spokesman Yahya Saree said a US MQ-9 drone was intercepted “while carrying out hostile missions” over Marib province.

He said the drone was shot down by “a domestically made surface-to-air missile."

The spokesman said the drone was the second to have been downed in 72 hours and the 14th since last year.

There was no immediate US comment on the Houthi claim.

On Saturday, the Houthi group said it shot down a US MQ-9 drone over Al-Bayda province in central Yemen.

0526 GMT — New Year for Palestinians starts with Israel killing 17 in Gaza

At least 17 people were killed and several others wounded in Israeli air and ground attacks on Gaza on Wednesday morning.

The deadly aggression on the first day of the New Year targeted Al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza and Jabalia town in the north, Palestine's official news agency Wafa reported.

According to Wafa, 15 Palestinians — many of them children — were killed after Israeli aircraft bombed a house in Jabalia al-Balad.

In a separate attack, two more Palestinians were killed when a residential home in Al-Bureij camp was hit by air strikes.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces destroyed residential blocks in the Beit Lahia town, Jabalia camp, and surrounding areas in northern Gaza.

1958 GMT — Israel holding bodies of 198 Palestinians killed in 2024: NGO

A Palestinian advocacy group reported that the Israeli military is withholding the bodies of 198 Palestinians killed in 2024.

The National Campaign to Retrieve Martyrs' Bodies, a non-governmental organisation, said, "Israeli occupation authorities are holding the bodies of 198 documented martyrs in 2024."

The group noted that the figure constitutes one-third of the 641 bodies held in Israel's "Cemeteries of Numbers" and morgues, as documented by the campaign.

The so-called "Cemeteries of Numbers" are unmarked graves bordered with stones, each bearing a metal plate with a number instead of the deceased's name. The numbers correspond to individual files kept by Israeli forces.

2050 GMT — Hamas proposes week-long ceasefire — report

Hamas has proposed a week-long ceasefire during which it would provide a list of Israeli captives held in besieged Gaza, Israeli media claimed.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority Kan, citing unnamed foreign sources, claimed in its report that Hamas had proposed the ceasefire without imposing any conditions, such as releasing captives, withdrawing Israeli forces from Gaza, or permitting displaced Palestinians to return to northern Gaza.

According to the report, Hamas would provide the list of captives on the fourth day of the ceasefire, as requested by Israel, after which Israeli authorities would decide whether to extend the truce or resume hostilities.

2246 GMT — WHO evacuates 55 patients from Gaza to UAE

The World Health Organization said 55 patients and 72 caregivers were evacuated from besieged Gaza to the United Arab Emirates for specialised medical treatment.

"Patients included those suffering from autoimmune and blood diseases, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, eye and renal issues, trauma injuries, neurological disorder, and skin diseases," the WHO said.

"More than 12,000 patients still need medical evacuation outside Gaza," the UN health agency added.

For our live updates from Tuesday, December 31, 2024, click here.