LONDON: Britain’s foreign secretary said on Wednesday that his country, along with France and Algeria, had called an urgent meeting at the United Nations Security Council to discuss the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
“The humanitarian situation in Northern Gaza is dire, with access to basic services worsening and the United Nations reporting that barely any food has entered in the last two weeks,” David Lammy said.
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UN chidren’s agency says restrictions on aid to Gaza are ‘worst’ since Oct 7
The United Nations says restrictions on aid to Gaza are the worst since Israel’s war on the Palestinian territory began in October last year, Al Jazeera reported.
“We see now what is probably the worst restrictions we’ve seen on humanitarian aid – ever,” said James Elder, a spokesman for the UN’s children’s agency UNICEF.
He noted there were several days where no trucks were allowed into Gaza by Israel with Palestinians in the north cut off from food, water and medicine during a 12-day ground invasion and siege by Israeli troops.
Israel reviewing letter from US urging improvement in Gaza humanitarian situation
A letter from top US officials in which they told Israel to improve Gaza’s humanitarian situation or risk military aid is being reviewed by Israel, an Israeli official in Washington said late on Tuesday.
“Israel takes this matter seriously and intends to address the concerns raised in this letter with our American counterparts,” the Israeli official said.
Israeli strike hits Beirut suburbs for first time in days
An Israeli strike hit Beirut’s southern suburbs early on Wednesday morning, Reuters witnesses said, after days of the area being spared strikes.
Reuters witnesses heard a blast and saw a plume of smoke. It came after an evacuation order by the Israeli military for a building in the area.
US tells Israel to improve Gaza humanitarian situation or risk military aid
The United States has told Israel to take steps in the next month to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza or face potential restrictions on US military aid, US officials said, in the strongest such warning since Israel’s war with Hamas began a year ago, Reuters reported.
In a letter to Israeli officials on Sunday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin demanded concrete measures to address the worsening situation in Gaza amid a renewed Israeli offensive in northern Gaza, US officials said on Tuesday.
“We are particularly concerned that recent actions by the Israeli government … are contributing to an accelerated deterioration in the conditions in Gaza,” said a copy of the letter posted by an Axios reporter on X.
The letter comes as Israel imposed restrictions on commercial imports, denied most humanitarian movements between northern and southern Gaza, and imposed “burdensome and excessive” restrictions on what goods can enter Gaza.
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said the letter “was not meant as a threat” but reiterated the urgency of increasing humanitarian assistance in Gaza.
Two drones crossed from Lebanon into Israel: army
Two drones were identified crossing from Lebanon into Israel following sirens that sounded in Upper Galilee, the Israeli military said in a statement early on Wednesday, adding that no injuries were reported.
Fallen targets were identified in the area, the army said.
At least 10 people killed in Israeli strike in Qana, Lebanon
At least ten people were killed and many others were injured when Israel targeted a healthcare centre in Qana, Lebanon, according to Al Jazeera.
Rescue workers are currently working to save people trapped under the rubble. They also voiced concerns that the death toll may rise.
Following the attack, fires broke out in some of the houses, the Rescue workers said.
Netanyahu opposes ceasefire deal that would not halt Hezbollah from rearming
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he told French President Emmanuel Macron that he would not agree to a ceasefire deal that failed to stop Hezbollah rearming and regrouping.
Macron has called for a ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah as well as an end to arms exports used in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.
“The Prime Minister told President Macron that he opposes a unilateral ceasefire, which would not change the security situation in Lebanon and would return the country to its previous state,” a statement from his office said.
“He emphasised that Israel is operating against the Hezbollah terrorist organization to prevent it from threatening Israel’s citizens on the northern border and to enable them to return to their homes safely.”
Hezbollah says fired rockets at north Israel town of Safed
BEIRUT: Hezbollah said it targeted the north Israeli town of Safed on Tuesday and launched a “big rocket salvo” at a nearby base, more than three weeks into an intense Israeli air campaign on Lebanon.
Fighters launched “a rocket salvo” at Safed, it said and later added it launched a “big salvo of rockets” at a nearby base, saying both attacks were “in defence” of Lebanon and in response to Israeli attacks on the country.
Hezbollah says it will cause Israel pain but also calls for ceasefire
Hezbollah’s deputy chief Naim Qassem said on Tuesday the Iran-backed group would inflict “pain” on Israel but he also called for a ceasefire as a conflict rages between them in south Lebanon.
“The solution is a ceasefire, we are not speaking from a position of weakness, if the Israelis do not want that, we will continue,” Qassem said in a recorded speech.
“But after the ceasefire, according to an indirect agreement, the settlers would return to the north and other steps will be drawn up.”
US gives Israel 30 days to improve Gaza’s humanitarian situation or risk aid
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said Israel must take urgent steps to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza to avoid legal action involving US military aid, Axios reported on Tuesday.
“We are writing now to underscore the US government’s deep concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, and seek urgent and sustained actions by your government this month to reverse this trajectory,” they wrote in an October 13 letter to their Israeli counterparts, cited by an Axios reporter on X.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Hezbollah leader says Israel wants to ‘control all Muslims’
Hezbollah deputy leader Naim Qassem said that the group considers Israel “an aggressor” who represents a real threat to the region.
In a televised speech, Qassem said that Israel wants to expand its occupation and Palestine is not enough for Israel”. He said that it also wants to control all the “territory of the Arab states and all the Muslims”.
He said Israel carries out “a policy of massacres and it is depending on a policy of all sins that can be committed on Earth”.
