Live blog: Israel continues attacking Lebanon, violating ceasefire

Saturday, January 4, 2025

1809 GMT — Lebanese authorities have reported 12 more Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement that was meant to end hostilities between the Israeli army and the Hezbollah group on November 27.

According to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA), the violations occurred in the districts of Marjayoun, Nabatieh, and Bint Jbeil in the Nabatieh Governorate, as well as in the Tyre district in the South Governorate.

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1626 GMT — Five Palestinians killed, dozens wounded due to Israel's onslaught in Gaza

Israeli warplanes bombed a residential block in Gaza City, killing five Palestinians and injuring dozens, the Gaza Civil Defence has said.

The Civil Defence teams recovered the bodies of five Palestinians with a large number of injuries, the agency said in a statement.

It added that “at least 10 people remain missing following the airstrike that completely destroyed a residential block in Gaza City.”

1622 GMT — Israeli hostage in Gaza criticises Netanyahu in video released by Qassam Brigades

Qassam Brigades has released a video of an Israeli hostage in Gaza, who expressed frustration with the Israeli government and military for ignoring her plight.

The Israeli captive, Liri Albag, 19, appeared in the footage addressing her family and government, saying: "I have been a captive in Gaza for 450 days. My life has been on pause. Today marks the beginning of a new year. While the whole world is celebrating, we begin a dark year, a year of isolation."

She added: "We are not a priority for our government or our military. Even the world has started to forget about us and doesn’t care about our suffering.”

Addressing the Israeli government, she said: "If it were your loved ones in captivity, would this war still be ongoing? I truly want to ask you: Do you want to kill us?"

1611 GMT — Hundreds rally in Swedish capital against Gaza genocide

Hundreds of demonstrators have gathered in the Odenplan district of Stockholm to demand an immediate ceasefire, an end to Israel’s attacks on Gaza, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the region.

Protesters carried banners with messages such as “Children are being killed in Gaza,” “Schools and hospitals are being bombed,” “Stop the genocide,” and “Forever Palestine.”

1455 GMT — Palestinian official condemns Israeli lawmakers’ call for intensified military offensive in Gaza

Rawhi Fattouh, the head of the Palestinian National Council, has denounced a call by far-right members of the Israeli Knesset to escalate the military offensive in northern Gaza, describing it as a "full-fledged war crime and a direct call for the genocide of the Palestinian people."

In a statement, Fattouh condemned the lawmakers, saying: "The Knesset has become a den for bloodthirsty extremists who are not content with turning Gaza into a mass grave for tens of thousands of children and women. Now, they are astonished that Palestinians in Gaza are still alive."

He called on the international community and global parliaments to "fulfil their moral and humanitarian responsibilities in confronting these racist and blood-soaked positions."

1252 GMT — UN warns Israeli ban could cut aid to millions of Palestinians

The UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) has issued an urgent warning about an impending Israeli ban that could cripple its ability to deliver essential services to millions of Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and East Jerusalem.

UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma told Ireland’s RTE that time is running out, as the ban is expected to take effect by the end of January following a decision by the Israeli Parliament last October.

“The clock is ticking for a possible ban on UNRWA to deliver essential services for millions of Palestine refugees,” Touma said, stressing that the UN has no plans to replace the agency in the occupied territories.

“What needs to happen is for the Israeli parliament to retract the decision,” she added.

1233 GMT — Dozens killed and many missing in Israeli strikes across Gaza

The death toll has risen to at least 30 Palestinians, with 14 others still missing, after Israeli air strikes targeted various areas in Gaza City, Deir al Balah, and the southern city of Khan Younis, according to a medical source.

1117 GMT — Israel set to extend southern Lebanon invasion after ceasefire deadline

Israel is reportedly preparing to notify the US of its intention to maintain occuyping southern Lebanon beyond the 60-day timeframe set in the recent ceasefire deal, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation has said.

“Under the ceasefire agreement, the Lebanese Army was supposed to deploy in the region, but it has done so at a very slow pace,” the report said.

The broadcaster also said Israel intends to tell the US that it will continue preventing residents of Lebanese villages near the border from returning to their homes.

1022 GMT — Death toll tops 45,700 after Israel kills 59 more Palestinians

At least 59 more Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza in the last 24 hours, bringing the overall death toll since October 2023 to 45,717, the Health Ministry in the enclave said.

A ministry statement added that some 108,856 others had been injured in the ongoing assault.

“Israeli forces killed 59 people and injured 273 others in four massacres of families in the last 24 hours,” the ministry said.

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

0900 GMT — 27 Palestinians killed, 14 missing from Israeli air strikes on Gaza

At least 27 Palestinians were killed and 14 others are missing after Israeli air strikes targeted various areas in Gaza City and the southern city of Khan Younis.

A medical source told Anadolu Agency that 11 Palestinians were killed and others injured in an airstrike on a home in the Shujaiya neighborhood of eastern Gaza City.

Palestinian Civil Defense said in a statement that its teams retrieved the bodies of six people killed when an Israeli strike targeted a civilian vehicle in the eastern Satar area of Khan Younis.

In a separate attack, three members of the Shubaki family – a man, his wife, and their unborn child – were killed when Israeli airstrikes hit their home in western Gaza City, according to another Civil Defense statement.

Medics confirmed to Anadolu Agency the death of a Palestinian man following an airstrike on the Intelligence Towers area in northwestern Gaza City.

0800 GMT — Palestinian health ministry says one dead in Israel West Bank raid

The health ministry in the occupied West Bank said one person was killed and nine injured in an Israeli raid on a refugee camp.

An 18-year-old man, Muhammad Medhat Amin Amer, "was killed by bullets from the (Israeli) occupation in the Balata camp" in the territory's north, the Palestinian health ministry said in a late-night statement, adding that nine people were injured, "four of whom are in critical condition".

According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, the raid began on Friday night and triggered clashes. The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Israeli troops entered the camp from the Awarta checkpoint and "deployed snipers on the rooftops of surrounding buildings".

0110 GMT — US plans '$8B arms deal' with Israel amid Gaza genocide

The Biden administration has informally notified the US Congress of a proposed $8 billion arms deal with Israel that includes munitions for fighter jets and attack helicopters alongside artillery shells, Axios reported.

US military backing to Israel has totalled more than $200 billion since the creation of the country on the historic Palestinian lands.

Washington doles out $3.8 billion in annual military funding to its longtime ally Israel, and the administration has so far resisted calls to condition any arms transfers even though senior US officials have criticised Israel over the high civilian death toll in Gaza, where Tel Aviv has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians and wounded nearly 110,000 others since October 2023.

2300 GMT — Israel kills civilians in Gaza's Nuseirat camp

Israel has killed three civilians and wounded many others in an air strike targeting a house in the Al-Da'wa neighbourhood north of the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, Palestine's official news agency WAFA reported.

2230 GMT — Israel threatens to bomb Al Awda Hospital

Israeli occupation forces have threatened to shell Al Awda Hospital in Jabalia camp in northern Gaza, WAFA news agency reported.

"The occupation forces threatened to bomb the hospital and issued a forced removal order of 96 patients and medical personnel, demanding everyone be cleared out immediately. Otherwise, the occupation forces would bomb the hospital," it said.

WAFA said the Israeli invasion and disruption of the hospital could deny 40,000 Palestinians healthcare services in the northern areas.

For our live updates from Friday, January 3, 2025, click here.