Live blog: Hezbollah confirms Israel killed group's senior official

Wednesday, October 23, 2024

1448 GMT — Hezbollah has confirmed that Israel killed Hashem Safieddine, the apparent successor of its slain leader Hassan Nasrallah, in a strike, without saying when or where it happened.

"We mourn... the head of the Executive Council of Hezbollah, his eminence the scholar Sayyed Hashem Safieddine," the Iran-backed group said in a statement, adding that was killed by "a criminal and aggressive Zionist raid" alongside other Hezbollah fighters.

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1446 GMT — US warns failure to safeguard Gaza civilians could haunt Israel

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that failure by Israel to safeguard civilians in Gaza could create a generational backlash and create more anti-Israel insurgents in the future.

Austin cited the need for Israel to be more precise during "military operations" against the Palestinian resistance group Hamas to limit civilian casualties and cited the need to get humanitarian assistance to the civilian population.

"Failure to do that will create a generation of Palestinians that really will continue to resist cooperating with Israel in the future. So you're actually increasing the numbers of insurgents ... if you fail to do that," Austin said.

1412 GMT — Israel may extend genocide from Gaza to West Bank, warns Jewish historian

Jewish historian Ilan Pappe has warned that Israel may extend its genocidal actions from Gaza to the West Bank unless Western powers reconsider their pro-Zionist policies.

Pappe explained that Israel had already implemented "incremental tools" of oppression through restrictions on food, medicine, and infrastructure access well before 2023.

"The whole idea that you deal with antisemitism in Europe by dispossessing the Palestinians is problematic, immoral, and as we can see now, 76 years later, it is not working too well," he stated.

Pointing to the increasing influence of an "extreme" form of Zionism originating from illegal Israeli settlers in the West Bank, he noted that: "These are the people who are now holding power in the government, in the police, and they're beginning to influence other sections of the society."

1400 GMT — Israel launches widespread arrest campaigns in northern Gaza: Palestinian group

The Israeli army has launched widespread arrest campaigns against Palestinians in northern Gaza, the Palestinian Prisoner Society said.

"Hundreds of Gaza detainees are still being forcibly disappeared in Israeli occupation prisons and camps," the NGO said in a statement.

Among the detainees are "dozens of women, children, and medical teams, who have been specifically targeted, along with hospitals, which have been a key target of the genocide," it added.

"Some detainees were executed on the field, while others were subjected to continuous torture, abuse, and humiliation around the clock to this day," the statement said.

1340 GMT — 22 more Israeli soldiers injured in Gaza, Lebanon: military

At least 22 more Israeli soldiers were injured in clashes in Gaza and southern Lebanon in the last 24 hours, the military said.

According to military figures released by the army, at least 752 soldiers have been killed and 5,056 others injured since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict on October 7, 2023.

1258 GMT — Israeli air strikes kill five in Lebanon's Bint Jbeil district

Five people have been killed in Israeli air strikes on the town of Srebbine, located in the Bint Jbeil district of southern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese news agency.

1258 GMT — 'Now is the time' to end Gaza war: US

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said "now is the time" to end the brutal war in Gaza, and urged Israel to avoid further escalation with Iran.

Blinken's visit to the region is his 11th since the start of the war in Gaza and his first since Israel-Hezbollah violence escalated to all-out war last month.

"Since October 7 a year ago, Israel has achieved most of its strategic objectives when it comes to Gaza... Now is the time to turn those successes into enduring, strategic success," Blinken said as he left Israel, following meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials.

1236 GMT — BRICS leaders call on Israel to stop targeting UN staff, ceasefire in Gaza

BRICS leaders have issued a joint statement urging Israel to stop targeting UN staff.

The call came during the 16th BRICS Summit, where the leaders adopted a declaration stressing the urgent need for an immediate, comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and an end to 'all aggressive actions.'

1210 GMT — Germany condemns Israeli official’s call for expulsion of Palestinians

Germany strongly condemned Israel’s national security minister for calling for Gaza to be emptied of Palestinians and saying Israel could resettle the war-stricken enclave.

The statements by Itamar Ben-Gvir are “an unacceptable provocation that the federal government clearly rejects. We condemn this in the strongest possible terms,” deputy Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Kathrin Deschauer told journalists in Berlin.

"The federal government rejects statements and projects of this type. Gaza belongs to Palestinian women and men. The federal government rejects an Israeli settlement (in Gaza), this would not only be contrary to international law but also certainly harmful to any political solutions, including with a view to a two-state solution," she added.

1126 GMT — Germany is 'in a dilemma' on arms exports to Israel

Germany's foreign minister said in Beirut her country was "in a dilemma" when it comes to exporting weapons to Israel, and added that Israel has a responsibility to abide by international law.

Annalena Baerbock added that all parties must protect the UN Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL).

1108 GMT — US-made MK-84 bombs in Gaza may prove humanitarian law violations: Harvard study

A Harvard University study has revealed that, in the 40 days following October 7, 2023, Israel struck areas "dangerously close" to hospitals in Gaza using US-made Mark-84 (MK-84) bombs.

Researchers from the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud (FXB) Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University examined craters caused by MK-84 explosions around hospitals in Gaza between October 7 and Nov. 17, 2023.

The study, which utilised satellite imagery, included a detailed analysis of 36 hospitals and 592 craters.

The proximity of US-made MK-84 bombs used by the Israeli military to hospitals in Gaza was measured as part of the study, published in the journal PLOS Global Public Health.

The study found that the MK-84 bombs, which have a blast radius capable of killing people within 360 meters and causing injuries and building damage up to 800 meters away, were detonated "dangerously close" to hospitals in Gaza.

1050 GMT — Israel intensifies assault on northern Gaza, dozens killed

Israeli strikes across besieged Gaza killed dozens of Palestinians in the past hours as Israeli forces stepped up its offensive on northern areas of the tiny enclave, according to medics and residents.

The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said that the overall death toll since October last year to rose to 42,792 after 74 more Palestinians were killed in the past 24 hours.

A ministry statement added that some 100,412 others were injured in the ongoing assault.

“The Israeli occupation has committed six massacres of families in the last 24 hours, resulting in 74 deaths and 130 injuries,” the ministry said.

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

1045 GMT — 2 Palestinian medics killed in Israeli drone strike in northern Gaza

Two Palestinian medics were killed in an Israeli drone strike in northern Gaza, a local health official said.

Doctor Mohammad Ghanem and Mohammad Salman, a nurse, were killed in the attack that occurred near Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia city, Director-General of Gaza’s Health Ministry Munir al Borsh told Anadolu Agency.

"The Israeli army continues to besiege hospitals in northern Gaza, kills and forcibly vacates people from shelters," he told Anadolu.

0955 GMT — Israel says 25 rockets fired from Lebanon ‘in just 2 minutes’

The Israeli army detected the launch of 25 rockets from Lebanon into northern Israel on Wednesday in a matter of two minutes.

A military statement said air-raid sirens sounded in Haifa Bay, Acre, and the settlements of Kiryat Shmona and Metula in northern Israel.

The army said the rocket barrage was fired in just two minutes, with most of the projectiles intercepted while others fell in open areas.

0945 GMT — Israel blocks humanitarian aid to northern Gaza: UN

Israel has permitted only four out of 66 planned humanitarian aid missions to northern Gaza during the first 20 days of October, with no food aid allowed for 14 days, the UN humanitarian office (OCHA) said.

OCHA spokesman Jens Laerke detailed a severe d eterioration in humanitarian access, revealing that Israeli authorities rejected 28 requests and blocked seven others for coordinated aid movements to Beit Hanoun, Jabalia, and Beit Lahiya regions in northern Gaza.

"For the first two weeks of October, 85% of the movements (aid attempts) were denied," Laerke told Anadolu in a written response, highlighting the increasingly dire situation in northern Gaza.

0800 GMT — Around 200 illegal settlers break into Al-Aqsa Mosque

Around 200 Israeli illegal settlers have stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque, under heavy protection of the Israeli forces, according to Palestine's WAFA news agency.

Local sources reported that groups of Israeli illegal settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque and performed Talmudic rituals in its courtyards, on the seventh day of the Jewish "Feast of Tabernacles".

Hundreds of settlers also performed Talmudic rituals at the Buraq Wall adjacent to Al-Aqsa Mosque from the western side.

There is a continuous increase in the number of illegal settlers storming Al-Aqsa Mosque, as their numbers did not exceed 5,000 annually several years ago, while this year they reached more than 60,000.

0752 GMT — Northern Gaza polio campaign postponed due to 'violence': WHO

The World Health Organization said that intense Israeli bombardments, mass displacements and lack of access in northern Gaza have forced the postponement of a polio vaccination campaign.

This final phase of an ongoing polio vaccination campaign, due to begin on Wednesday, aimed to vaccinate over 119,000 children in northern Gaza, according to the agency.

0750 GMT — Civilians flee Lebanon's Tyre after Israeli evacuation orders

Lebanese civilians fled the southern city of Tyre after the Israel army issued orders for residents to evacuate large parts of the city which is home to thousands of displaced.

"The situation is very bad, we're evacuating people," said Mortada Mhanna, who heads Tyre's disaster management unit.

Bilal Kashmar, the unit's media officer, told AFP that many were fleeing the city and heading towards the suburbs.

"You could say that the entire city of Tyre is being evacuated," he said, adding that the once vibrant southern hub had already been emptied of most of its residents.

0728 GMT — Blinken ends his visit to Israel, heads to Saudi Arabia: Media reports

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken departed Israel after meeting with top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to discuss the possibilities of ending the war in Gaza.

According to media reports, Blinken is heading to Saudi Arabia to meet with top officials.

He told reporters while preparing to leave for Saudi Arabia that "there are two things left to do, get the hostages home and bring the war to an end with an understanding of what will follow."

While citing alleged Israeli steps taken to ensure bringing aid to Palestinians in occupied Gaza, Blinken, however, said Israel needs to do more to allow aid into Gaza.

0700 GMT — Companies with arms offensively used in Mideast cannot display products at trade show: French foreign minister

Israeli companies whose equipment was not used in offensive actions in Gaza and Lebanon will expose their products at next month's Euronaval trade show, the French foreign minister said.

Amid a row between the countries’ leaders, France has reportedly banned Israeli companies from the Euronaval defence trade show, media outlets said last week.

“There has never been any question of banning the participation of Israeli companies in trade shows in France. Israeli companies, if they want, can attend Euronaval,” Jean-Noel Barrot told the lawmakers at the National Assembly on Tuesday.

Barrot noted that France’s position could not be considered a “boycott” against Israeli companies, and reiterated Paris’ firm support for Israel.

0315 GMT — Rocket attacks set off sirens as Blinken visits Tel Aviv

Israel's air force shot down two rockets from Lebanon that set off air raid sirens in Tel Aviv, the military said.

The downing of the rockets came shortly after Israeli forces intercepted two drones launched from the east targeting the Red Sea port city of Eilat, the military said.

0306 GMT — Blinken urges Israel to restore humanitarian aid to Gaza

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Israeli President Isaac Herzog during a meeting in Tel Aviv that it is "imperative" to restore sustained humanitarian aid to Gaza, according to the State Department.

"The Secretary noted the imperative to restore sustained humanitarian aid to Gaza and reiterated the importance of ending the war in a way that secures the release of hostages and creates the conditions for broader regional stability," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

Blinken and Herzog also discussed ongoing efforts to de-escalate regional tensions after the top US diplomat's previous ten trips to the region yielded no results.

0122 GMT — UN rights chief appalled by Israeli attack on Beirut hospital

The UN’s human rights chief expressed concern over an Israeli air strike near Rafik Hariri University Hospital in the Lebanese capital Beirut, saying the protection of civilians "must be the absolute top priority."

In a statement, Volker Turk said he was appalled by the deadly strike which killed at least 18 people, including four children, and reiterated that the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law concerning the protection of civilians must be respected.

He noted that the hospital, one of the main medical facilities in Beirut, which has received a large number of patients throughout the conflict, also appears to have been damaged in the strike.

1236 GMT — Israel launches more attacks in north of Gaza killing 3 people

Three Palestinians, including two children and their mother, were killed and six others were injured in an Israeli missile strike that targeted a house in the Zarqa area, north of Gaza City, WAFA News Agency has reported.

The wounded and martyrs were transferred to the Baptist Hospital in the city.

Israeli strikes on Jabalia camp and the Beit Lahia in northern Gaza coincided with the intensive artillery shelling targeting populated residential areas, which led to the destruction of many homes.

2315 GMT — Israel kills 19, wounds dozens in Lebanon strikes

Israeli air strikes in southern and eastern Lebanon killed at least 19 people and wounded 35 others.

The strikes targeted the districts of Nabatiyeh and Bint Jbeil in Nabatiyeh Governorate as well as the city of Sidon in South Governorate and Baalbek and Hermel districts in Baalbek-Hermel Governorate.

2148 GMT — Israel kills 3 Palestinians in Gaza City

Israel has killed at least three Palestinians and wounded several others in its drone strike in western Gaza City, according to medical sources.

Witnesses told Anadolu Agency that the strike occurred in front of Al-Sousi Tower in an industrial area.

2100 GMT — Israeli army claims Hezbollah's Executive Council head Safieddine killed in Beirut strike

The Israeli army has claimed that it killed Hashem Safieddine, the head of Hezbollah's Executive Council, in an air strike on southern Beirut earlier this month.

The army "can now confirm that Hisham Safieddine, Head of the Hezbollah Executive Council, and Ali Hussein Hazim, Commander of Hezbollah's Intelligence Headquarters, were eliminated by the IDF (Israeli army), along with additional Hezbollah commanders," a military statement said.

"They were eliminated in a strike carried out approximately three weeks ago in the area of Dahieh," it added.

For our live updates from Tuesday, October 22, 2024, click here.