Live blog: Israeli air strike on civil defence building in Lebanon kills 12

Friday, November 15, 2024

0320 GMT –– At least 12 people were killed Thursday in an Israeli air strike that destroyed the civil defense center building in the town of Douris in Baalbek district in eastern Lebanon.

The air strike "targeted the town of Douris, causing the collapse of the Civil Defence Center and the destruction of the adjacent building,” Lebanon’s National News Agency reported.

The initial death toll from the air strike was seven. The bodies of the victims were recovered and transferred to the morgue at Baalbek Governmental Hospital, the agency added.

“The Civil Defence Center in Baalbek was targeted while more than 20 civil defense personnel were inside,” Baalbek-Hermel Governor Bachir Khodr said on X.

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0229 GMT –– Canada warns of 'catastrophic' humanitarian conditions in Gaza

Canada's foreign minister expressed deep concern about "catastrophic" humanitarian conditions across Gaza and warned about "the life-threatening levels of acute malnutrition."

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly cited a November 8 report by the Famine Review Committee that found a strong likelihood that famine is occurring or imminent in areas within northern Gaza. The committee has previously found that 133,000 people in Gaza were facing catastrophic food insecurity.

"This means that civilians - men, women and children - are dying because of the lack of humanitarian assistance allowed into Gaza," she said in a joint statement with International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen.

0203 GMT –– Israel’s attorney general calls on Netanyahu to reassess Ben-Gvir’s role as security minister

Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reassess National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's role due to his alleged political interference in police operations, Israel’s Haaretz daily reported.

Baharav-Miara said "the combination of the alleged improper interventions in police operations and the dependency of police officers on the minister for their promotions undermines the assurance that the police will act in loyalty to the public rather than the politicians.”

She noted in a letter sent to Netanyahu following a petition to the High Court of Justice against Ben-Gvir's position that incidents presented in the petition as well as incidents that precede it "create a rare, severe and ongoing pattern of law violations, breaches of duty and harm to fundamental governance principles, alongside the politicization of police work."

0124 GMT — Hamas official says group ready for immediate ceasefire deal

A senior member of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas stressed that it is ready for a ceasefire deal and the release of the Israeli hostages as part of a "serious" prisoner exchange.

Basem Naim, a Palestinian physician, politician and a leader in Hamas' politburo, said the last "well-defined, brokered deal" was on July 2.

"It was discussed in all details, and I think we were near to a ceasefire… which can end this war, offer a permanent ceasefire and total withdrawal and prisoner exchange," he said in an interview with Sky News.

Naim said that "unfortunately, (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu preferred to go the other way" and recalled that Israel "committed at least two to three big massacres" in Khan Younis and Gaza City after that.

Referring to the assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in July, he noted that after that, they did not receive "any serious proposals."

0044 GMT — Amsterdam city council urges Dutch government to take clear stance against Gaza war

Amsterdam's city council adopted a motion calling on the Dutch government to take a clear position against Israel's war on Gaza, warning of a "real and imminent genocide" in the enclave, local media said.

The motion, which was submitted by several parties, including Denk, De Vonk, Lijst Kabamba and the Party for the Animals, also calls on the government to take responsibility and provide support to aid organisations in Gaza.

The council feels that the Dutch government is suppressing attention to the Palestinian cause and wants to make a counter-voice heard that many Palestinian Amsterdammers also express.

0003 GMT — Blast from drone launched from Lebanon injures 2 Israeli soldiers

Two Israeli soldiers were injured from an explosion of a drone launched from southern Lebanon toward northern Israel, according to the army.

The drone fell and exploded in the Eliakim base south of Haifa after being chased by Israeli air defences for nearly 40 minutes, the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported.

2145 GMT — Israel kills 7 people in Lebanon's civil defence centre

Lebanon said at least seven people were killed in an Israeli strike targeting the main civil defence facility in the eastern Baalbek area, with the rescuers counting eight members among the dead.

"The Israeli enemy strike on a civil defence centre in Douris killed 12 people" with body parts recovered and rescue operations ongoing, the Lebanese Health Ministry said.

It condemned "the second Israeli attack on a health emergency facility in less than two hours" after an earlier attack killed Hezbollah-affiliated rescuers. Civil Defence said, "Eight personnel from the... Baalbek regional centre were killed".

2026 GMT — US knows 'not enough' aid getting in Gaza: Pentagon

The US is aware that "not enough" aid is getting into besieged Gaza, a Pentagon official said.

"We know how dire the humanitarian situation is in Gaza, and that's why every single day, not just here at this department, but the interagency, continues to work with our Israeli partners to get more aid in, because we know not enough is getting in," spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters.

Singh said that "not enough has been done in Gaza," but the US would continue to urge a ceasefire and more humanitarian aid to get into the enclave.

2000 GMT — US lawmaker calls on Blinken to resign for not changing policy on arming Israel

A US congresswoman urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken to resign for not changing the policy on arms supply to Israel.

"Secretary Blinken exposed his lie by announcing that there will be no change to any policy, despite admitting that the Israeli government has still failed to comply with all of their demands.

"Secretary Blinken has continued to lie to Congress and should resign," Rashida Tlaib said on the floor of the House of Representatives.

Tlaib said the Biden administration continues to ignore reports that Israel is blocking humanitarian aid into Gaza in violation of US and international law.

"US law is very clear: No nation blocking US humanitarian assistance can receive US weapons. The Biden administration cannot pick and choose when they comply with our own laws," the Palestinian-American lawmaker said.

For our live updates from Thursday, November 14, 2024, click here.