Israeli Bombings Strike Lebanon as Negotiations for Gaza Truce Continue
Israeli airstrikes targeted Lebanon and Gaza on Saturday while U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned to Israel in an effort to finalize a ceasefire agreement for Gaza. Diplomats hope this deal could prevent further regional escalation.
The Lebanese Health Ministry reported that an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon killed 10 individuals, including a Syrian woman and her two children. This attack was one of the most lethal in the region since frequent exchanges of fire began between Israel and Hezbollah following the October outbreak of conflict in Gaza.
Israel’s military claimed the strike was aimed at a Hezbollah weapons storage site. In Gaza, an Israeli airstrike killed 15 members of a single Palestinian family in Al-Zawaida, central Gaza, contributing to a death toll now exceeding 40,000, according to the territory’s health authorities. Omar al-Dreemli, a relative, described the grim scenes in the morgue with dismembered bodies and severed limbs.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has led to widespread displacement, destruction of infrastructure, and the spread of disease in Gaza. The United Nations has called for temporary ceasefires to allow for the vaccination of children against polio, after a recent case of the disease was reported in Gaza for the first time in 25 years.
U.S. President Joe Biden expressed optimism about nearing a ceasefire on Friday, though past talks have failed to yield results. Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri dismissed Biden’s remarks as unrealistic.
The situation intensified following the deaths in July of Fuad Shukr, a Hezbollah operations chief, and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Their deaths prompted threats of retaliation from Hezbollah, Iran, and other groups allied with Tehran. Hezbollah has recently released a video showing its fighters handling large missiles in underground facilities.
The Israeli airstrikes on October 7 resulted in the deaths of 1,198 people, primarily civilians, and the seizure of 251 hostages, with 111 still held in Gaza. During a brief truce in November, more than 100 hostages were released.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to travel to Israel to finalize a ceasefire and hostage release agreement. Both Egyptian and Qatari mediators, along with the U.S., are working on bridging gaps in the proposed framework. Talks are expected to resume in Cairo next week.
Hamas has not attended recent negotiations in Doha, with a representative stating they would participate if a timetable for implementing agreements was set. The proposed ceasefire involves an initial truce, but Hamas has rejected any new conditions from Israel.
Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi has criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for hindering progress on the ceasefire, while Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and French counterpart Stephane Sejourne have discussed containment and efforts to achieve a ceasefire.
Netanyahu has denied obstructing the deal, attributing the stalemate to Hamas. The Palestinian health ministry reported a case of polio in Gaza, prompting calls for a ceasefire to facilitate vaccinations for over 640,000 children.
As negotiations continue, Israeli military operations have intensified in Gaza, including in Khan Yunis, with the military claiming to have neutralized militants attacking areas outside Gaza.
