Live blog: US reportedly submits draft proposal on ceasefire in Lebanon

Thursday, November 14, 2024

1844 GMT –– The United States ambassador to Lebanon submitted a draft truce proposal to Lebanon's speaker of parliament Nabih Berri to halt fighting between Hezbollah and Israel, two political sources told Reuters, without revealing details.

The US has sought to broker a ceasefire that would end hostilities between its ally Israel and Hezbollah, but efforts have yet to yield a result.

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1845 GMT –– US voices 'concerns' over Israeli strikes in Beirut suburbs

The US voiced concern after its ally Israel struck alleged Hezbollah sites in the Beirut suburbs, saying it opposed attacks in densely populated parts of Lebanon.

"Certainly we would have concerns," State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said when asked about the Israeli strikes.

"You've heard us say time and time again that we do not want to see these kinds of (military) operations in Beirut, especially as it relates to densely populated areas."

1824 GMT –– Israel to attack any attempt to bring arms to Hezbollah from Syria

Israel will attack any attempt to bring weapons to Hezbollah from Syria, Israeli forces said.

"We are identifying rockets and other weapons that Hezbollah is launching at Israeli territory that were manufactured in Syria," Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters. "We will attack every attempt to bring weapons from Syria to Hezbollah. And we will attack all infrastructure we identify in Syria whose purpose is to produce weapons for Hezbollah."

1810 GMT –– Unknown people fired shots in direction of peacekeepers: UNIFIL

The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said that unknown people fired approximately 30 shots in the direction of peacekeepers.

The incident happened when a UNIFIL patrol near Qallawiyah noticed a cache of ammunition near the roadway, a UNIFIL statement said. After informing the Lebanese Armed Forces of the discovery, peacekeepers continued on their planned route, it added.

"A short while later, they got out of their vehicle to remove some debris from the roadway. When getting back into their vehicles, two or three unknown people fired approximately 30 shots in their direction.

"The peacekeepers fired back from their vehicles and moved to safety," it said, adding it is "unclear" if the discovery of the weapons cache and the attack are directly linked.

UNIFIL said no one was hurt and there was no damage to the vehicles, and it launched an investigation.

1647 GMT –– Israel kills 21 more in Lebanon, death toll rises to 3,386

Twenty-one people more have been killed in Israeli attacks on Lebanon, raising the total number of killed since October last year to at least 3,386, with 14,417 wounded, the Lebanese Health Ministry said in a statement.

1617 GMT –– At least 17 Palestinians killed by Israeli army in northern Gaza

The Israeli army killed at least 17 Palestinians, including two sisters, in the ongoing onslaught on northern Gaza.

Eyewitnesses told Anadolu that three Palestinians, including two little sisters, were killed and others injured in Israeli artillery shelling of areas in Jabalia.

The Israeli army heavily struck the eastern areas of the Jabalia refugee camp and blew up homes and residential areas.

1614 GMT –– UN to bolster UNIFIL for post-truce support in Lebanon

The United Nations intends to bolster its peacekeeping mission in Lebanon to better support the Lebanese army once a truce is agreed upon but will not directly enforce a ceasefire, United Nations peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix said.

The peacekeeping mission known as UNIFIL is deployed in southern Lebanon to monitor the demarcation line with Israel, an area that has seen more than a year of hostilities between Israeli troops and Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters.

Diplomatic efforts to end the fighting have centred on UN resolution 1701, which ended the last round of conflict between the two heavily armed foes in 2006 and requires Hezbollah to remove fighters and weapons from areas between the border and the Litani River, which runs about 30 km (around 20 miles) from Lebanon's southern border.

1613 GMT –– Blocking UNRWA operations in Gaza risks violating international humanitarian law: EU

Blocking the operations of the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza risks violating international humanitarian law, the European Union foreign policy chief warned.

Sharing UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini’s concerns about the catastrophic consequences of the agency’s possible collapse in the region, Josep Borrell said the recent Israeli legislation to ban UNRWA "threatens access to essential aid for millions" of people.

"Protecting UNRWA is a collective duty," Borrell added.

1441 GMT –– Israel expects Trump to take a hard line on Iran: minister

Israel expects the incoming Trump administration to take a hard line against Iran and its nuclear ambitions, which will create an opportunity for more peace deals with Arab neighbours, a senior member of Israel's security cabinet said.

Energy Minister Eli Cohen, in an interview with Reuters, also said that Israel is closer than ever to reaching an agreement to end fighting in Lebanon and push Iran-backed Hezbollah away from the border while insisting that Israel maintains the right to act military should it be violated.

1432 GMT –– Iran tells UN nuclear chief willing to resolve 'ambiguities'

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told the visiting head of the UN nuclear watchdog that his government was willing to resolve doubts about its atomic programme.

"As we have repeatedly proven our goodwill, we announce our readiness to cooperate and converge with this international organisation to resolve the alleged ambiguities and doubts about the peaceful nuclear activity of our country," Pezeshkian told Grossi.

1358 GMT –– Israel is closer to reach deal on Lebanon: minister

An Israeli Security Cabinet minister stated that Israel is closer than ever to reaching an arrangement on the fighting in Lebanon since the war began.

"I think we are at a point that we are closer to an arrangement than we have been since the start of the war," said Energy Minister Eli Cohen in an interview with Reuters.

1238 GMT –– Israeli strikes on Syria's capital kill at least 15

At least 15 people have been killed and 16 wounded in Israeli attacks on a number of residential buildings in suburbs of the Syrian capital Damascus, Syrian regime media reported.

The buildings are located in the suburbs of Mazzeh and Qudsaya, both west of the capital, the SANA report said.

Israeli army radio said the targets of the attack in Damascus were the headquarters of the Palestinian group Islamic Jihad and what it described as other assets, without elaborating.

1226 GMT –– Initial reports of Israeli attack on Damascus suburb of Mazzeh

Syrian regime news agency reported initial accounts of an Israeli attack on the Mazzeh suburb of the capital Damascus.

1223 GMT –– Israel hits roughly 30 points over 48 hours in south Beirut

The Israeli forces said they struck around 30 points in the southern suburbs of Beirut over the past 48 hours.

1159 GMT –– Iran tells UN nuclear chief it won't negotiate under 'intimidation'

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Iran will not negotiate under "intimidation" as he held crunch talks with the UN nuclear chief weeks before US President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi said achieving "results" in nuclear talks with Iran was vital to avoid a new conflict in the region already inflamed by Israel's war in Gaza and Lebanon.

His visit comes just days after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Iran was "more exposed than ever to strikes on its nuclear facilities" giving Israel "the opportunity to achieve our most important goal".

Grossi said Iranian nuclear installations "should not be attacked" but Trump is expected to give Israel a far freer rein after he takes office in January.

1139 GMT –– Israel arrests 6 more Palestinians, illegal settlers attack farmers

The Israeli army arrested six more Palestinians in military raids in the occupied West Bank as illegal settlers staged new attacks on Palestinian farmers.

Army forces raided several towns in the West Bank, including Nablus, Jenin, Tubas, Ramallah, and Bethlehem, the Commission of Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners Society said in a joint statement.

Official Palestinian news agency WAFA said several homes were searched during the raids.

In the town of Bani Naim east of Hebron, Israeli forces searched several homes and questioned nine young people before releasing them, WAFA said.

1114 GMT –– Israel warfare methods 'consistent with genocide': UN committee

Israel’s methods of warfare in Gaza are consistent with genocide, including mass civilian casualties and intentional suffering imposed on Palestinians: UN Special Committee

1101 GMT –– Gaza death toll soars to 43,736 in Israel's ongoing offensive

At least 43,736 Palestinians have been killed and 103,370 wounded in Israel's military offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, the Gaza health ministry said in a statement.

1022 GMT — Israel reports rocket, drone attacks from Lebanon, Iraq

Israel reported the launch of rockets and drones from Lebanon, Iraq and Syria as regional tension continues to escalate over its devastating war on Gaza.

A statement said 10 rockets were fired from Lebanese territory, causing air-raid sirens to sound in Upper Galilee in northern Israel. It said some of the rockets were intercepted, while the remaining hit open areas. No information was provided about injuries or damage.

0735 GMT — Strike hits south Beirut after Israel evacuation order: report

An air strike hit the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital after Israel warned residents to leave parts of the Hezbollah bastion, AFPTV images showed.

A plume of grey smoke rose over the area after the latest strike since Israel sharply intensified its bombardment of Lebanon in September.

Shortly before the strike, Israel had issued a warning to residents to leave their homes.

0745 GMT — Israel bombs Gaza City, killing several Palestinians

Israeli bombardment has targeted the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood in Gaza City where civilians were located, killing at least three Palestinians.

In a separate attack on the outskirts of Hamama School, Israel has wounded 10 Palestinians, The Palestinian Information Center (PIC) said.

Israel also has intensified its attacks across Gaza, artillery shelling hit the southern and eastern areas of the Zeitoun neighbourhood.

0504 GMT — HRW accuses Israel of Gaza 'war crime' over 'forcible transfer'

Human Rights Watch said in a report Israel's repeated evacuation orders in Gaza amount to the "war crime of forcible transfer", and to "ethnic cleansing" in parts of the Palestinian territory.

"Human Rights Watch has amassed evidence that Israeli officials are... committing the war crime of forcible transfer", the HRW report said, adding that "Israel's actions appear to also meet the definition of ethnic cleansing" in the areas where Palestinians will not be able to return.

0450 GMT — Ben & Jerry's says parent Unilever silenced it over Gaza stance

Ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's said in a lawsuit filed that parent company Unilever has silenced its attempts to express support for Palestinian refugees, and threatened to dismantle its board and sue its members over the issue.

The lawsuit is the latest sign of the long-simmering tensions between Ben & Jerry's and consumer products maker Unilever.

"Ben & Jerry's has on four occasions attempted to publicly speak out in support of peace and human rights," according to the lawsuit. "Unilever has silenced each of these efforts."

Ben & Jerry's said in the lawsuit it has tried to call for a ceasefire, support the safe passage of Palestinian refugees to Britain, back students protesting at US colleges against civilian deaths in Gaza, and advocate for a halt in US military aid to Israel, but has been blocked by Unilever.

0224 GMT — 3 young siblings killed in Gaza as Israeli strikes in Lebanon kill 6

An Israeli strike on a home in northern Gaza killed three siblings aged 6 and under, among at least six people killed in air strikes in the war-ravaged territory, Palestinian medics said.

In Lebanon, an Israeli air strike on an apartment building south of Beirut killed at least six people and wounded 15, the Health Ministry said.

0041 GMT — Six Israeli troops killed, deadly strikes in Lebanon

Israel suffered one of the deadliest days of its ground offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon when six of its soldiers were killed in combat near the border.

The soldiers "fell during combat in southern Lebanon", the army said in a statement. Their deaths mean 47 Israeli troops have been killed in combat with Hezbollah since September 30, when Israel sent ground forces into Lebanon.

The army's announcement came after new Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said there would be no easing up in the war in lebanon.

2335 GMT — UN Council condemns attacks on peacekeepers in Lebanon

The UN Security Council (UNSC) condemned recent attacks on the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL), calling on all parties to respect the safety of members of that force.

In a statement, the Council condemned the attacks on October 29, November 7 and November 8, which wounded several Blue Helmets. They did not name who they believed to be responsible.

"They urged all parties to take all measures to respect the safety and security of UNIFIL personnel and premises," the Council said.

2131 GMT — South Africa condemns Israeli minister's call to annex West Bank

South Africa has condemned a statement by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich that 2025 will be the "year of annexation" of the occupied West Bank.

The department emphasised the need for a decisive response by the international community against Israel's settlement expansion in the Palestinian territories and its provocative policies.

2107 GMT — Spain slams Israeli statements favouring annexation of West Bank

Spain has strongly rejected statements by the Israeli government in favour of Israel's annexation of the occupied West Bank, the Foreign Ministry said.

Annexation by force is contrary to International law, it said in a statement.

"The International Court of Justice has ruled that the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories is illegal and must end as soon as possible," the ministry said, calling the settlements in the occupied territories "totally contrary" to international law.

2032 GMT — US says it secured 'further commitments' from Israel as Gaza aid situation deteriorates

The US has secured extra commitments from Israel in the last two days about the situation in besieged Gaza, the White House said.

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters he met with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer for a "detailed" and "constructive" discussion on the current situation in the Middle East.

Noting the US push to increase the amount of humanitarian assistance entering Gaza, Sullivan said: "We have made some progress in that regard. We extracted further commitments from the Israeli side over the course of the past couple of days."

"We want to see those commitments followed through on," he said.

1938 GMT — Death toll from Israeli strikes in Gaza 'safe zone' rises to 14

Israel has killed at least 15 Palestinians in its air strikes on southern and central Gaza, witnesses and medical sources said.

Israeli fighter jets hit a house in the al-Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis, leaving eight people dead, including children, witnesses and medical sources said.

One person was also killed, and several people were wounded in another strike near a tent encampment in al-Mawasi, which was designated by the Israeli army as a "safe zone" for displaced civilians in Gaza, it added.

Five more Palestinians were killed and others injured in an Israeli airstrike targeting a gathering of civilians in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza, witnesses told Anadolu Agency.

For our live updates from Wednesday, November 13, 2024, click here.