Israeli artillery shelling smoke covers Dahaira, a Lebanese border village with Israel, south Lebanon, Oct 16, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)
JERUSALEM/GAZA/BEIRUT/ANKARA/CAIRO/UNITED NATIONS- Israel began evacuating residents in the north on Monday amid escalating conflict with Lebanon's Hezbollah military group in the border area.
The Israeli-Lebanese border has seen an escalation of tensions since last week as Hezbollah fired tens of rockets at Israeli military sites on Oct 8 in support of an onslaught by the Gaza-ruling Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on Israel on Oct 7.
Hezbollah on Monday announced that it targeted five Israeli sites with rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns and inflicted Israeli injuries, to which Israel responded by firing seven missiles toward Hezbollah positions in the border town of Rmeish and shelling several Lebanese areas.
The Lebanon-based armed group and political party said in a statement that it targeted Misgav Am, Khirbat Al-Manara, Hermon, Risha, and Ramya sites in northern Israel, "leading to injuries in Israelis."
Meanwhile, Lebanese military sources reported that Hezbollah targeted surveillance cameras installed by the Israelis at the Al-Jardah site in southern Lebanon.
The military sources confirmed that Israeli drones responded by firing seven missiles toward Hezbollah positions on the outskirts of the border town of Rmeish.
The sources added that 155 mm Israeli heavy artillery fired dozens of shells targeting several Lebanese areas, including Rmeish, Debel, Ain Ebel, Al-Dhahira, Barakat Risha, Al-Bustan, Yarine, and Tayr Harfa.
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In a statement, the Israeli Defense Ministry told residents of 28 towns living within 2 kilometers of the Israeli-Lebanese border to evacuate, adding that the residents would stay in guesthouses subsidized by the state.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iran and its backed Hezbollah not to launch a war against Israel. "We have a message for Iran and Hezbollah: Do not test us in the north. Do not repeat your previous mistake because the price you need to pay will be much higher," Netanyahu said at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament.
Meanwhile, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Monday warned that opening a war front in southern Lebanon is "of no one's interest."
"It's of no one's interest to open a front from southern Lebanon because the Lebanese are unable to bear the repercussions of a new war," a statement released by the Lebanese Council of Ministers quoted Mikati as saying.
Israeli soldiers stand on the top a stationed tank near the Israeli border with Lebanon, on Oct 14, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)
In heavy Israeli attacks on Gaza, at least 2,808 individuals have been killed and more than 10,850 injured, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry
On the same day, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called on Arab and Islamic countries to cancel or freeze their normalization agreements with Israel in response to its continuous bombing in Gaza.
He made the remarks at an online emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to discuss the repercussions of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
Berri also warned against the plan to "move Palestinian people from the Gaza Strip to the Sinai Peninsula," saying that "if this plan is implemented, it will not only eliminate the Palestinians but also cause the fall of Arab."
ALSO READ: Egypt's Sisi: Israeli operation in Gaza goes beyond self-defense
Hamas attacks Tel Aviv, Jerusalem
Also on Monday, Al-Qassam Brigades - the armed wing of Hamas - launched rocket attacks on Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
In a brief statement sent to Xinhua, Al-Qassam Brigades said it fired a salvo of rockets at Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in response to the Israeli killing of civilians in Gaza.
Israeli media outlets reported that sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem during the opening of the winter session of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. Short videos circulating on Facebook showed some Knesset members leaving the hall and heading to shelters.
Lebanese citizens check a damaged room at a house that was hit by Israeli shelling, in Dahaira border village with Israel, south Lebanon, Oct 10, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)
So far, some 1,300 have been killed in Israel by the Hamas-led attacks. The Israeli police said about 615 of the fatalities have been identified
Earlier in the day, Al-Qassam also announced the bombing of the Israeli cities of Ashkelon and Ashdod and Israeli military sites near the Gaza Strip.
In heavy Israeli attacks on Gaza, at least 2,808 individuals have been killed and more than 10,850 injured, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
Among the dead in Gaza were also several senior Hamas members, including the regional head of Hamas' intelligence in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, the Israeli military said in a statement.
Failed resolution
Meanwhile, the UN Security Council on Monday failed to adopt a Russian-drafted resolution that calls for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.
The draft resolution obtained five votes in favor and four against, with six abstentions.
Four countries joined Russia in voting for the resolution -- China, the United Arab Emirates, Mozambique and Gabon. Four countries voted against it -- the United States, Britain, France and Japan. The other six countries abstained.
To be adopted, a Security Council resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no veto from any of the council's five permanent members.
Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said his delegation was deeply disappointed at the result of the vote.
"There is nothing in the (draft) resolution that can be contested because it is a purely humanitarian one. The only reason why the resolution didn't pass was because they do not want to support anything from Russia," he told reporters after the voting.
The Security Council has on its table another draft resolution on the same issue from Brazil. No date has been set for a vote.
ALSO READ:China calls for Gaza ceasefire in meeting with Russia
Also on Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken headed back to Israel after a regional tour, reaffirming in remarks to the media that Israel will "always have the support of the United States."
In joint statements alongside Blinken, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that "a long war" between Israel and Hamas lies ahead.
So far, some 1,300 have been killed in Israel by the Hamas-led attacks. The Israeli police said about 615 of the fatalities have been identified.
At least 11 Palestinian journalists were killed and 20 more others injured in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate said on Monday
Prisoner swap
Al-Qassam Brigades said on Monday that there are 200 to 250 Israeli captives held in Gaza.
In a televised speech, Abu Obaida, spokesperson of Al-Qassam Brigades, said the group has held 200 prisoners and "the rest are captured by other resistance factions in the Gaza Strip."
Obaida added that the ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza have killed at least 22 Israelis, including Guy Olives, a Tel Aviv-based Israeli artist.
He noted that the foreigners are not prisoners in Gaza, and they will be released once the current conflict ends.
The spokesperson also stressed that the armed group is willing to have a prisoner swap with Israel.
Separately, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed Monday the possibility of releasing hostages during a phone conversation with Politburo Chief of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) Ismail Haniyeh.
Fidan and Haniyeh discussed "the latest developments in Palestine and the possibility of release of civilians," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
On Monday, Hamas released a video of a female French-Israeli hostage on their Telegram channel, the first released video of about 200 hostages abducted by the group to Gaza since Oct 7.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in a cabinet meeting when the video was released and updated, his office said in a statement.
The hostage was identified as Mia Shem, 21 years old. In the video, Shem, speaking in Hebrew, said she had gotten medical attention in Gaza and undergone hand surgery.
A journalist's car burns after it was hit by Israeli shelling in the Alma al-Shaab border village with Israel, south Lebanon, Friday, Oct 13, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)
Journalists killed
At least 11 Palestinian journalists were killed and 20 more others injured in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate said on Monday.
In a press statement, the syndicate said 50 local, regional, and international media organizations were targeted in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, which have continued for 10 days.
Moreover, two journalists have gone missing as they were covering the escalation between Gaza-ruling Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Israel, the syndicate added.
It also noted that the continued power outage and internet problem in Gaza limited the ability of journalists to continue their coverage.
"Many journalists were subjected to direct threats and incitements from Israel on social media platforms," the syndicate said, calling on the international community to intervene to protect journalists.
Palestinians take shelter from the Israeli bombardment at a school in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip on Oct 16, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed Monday the possibility of releasing hostages during a phone conversation with Politburo Chief of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) Ismail Haniyeh
Palestinian president, British PM hold talks
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas discussed the latest development in Gaza during a phone call with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday, according to official Palestinian WAFA news agency.
Abbas condemned Israel's plan to force more than 1.1 million people to evacuate to the southern parts of Gaza, calling on Britain to prevent Israeli attempts to displace Palestinians.
He expressed his rejection of the killing of civilians on both the Palestinian and Israeli sides, emphasizing the importance of releasing civilians and prisoners detained on both sides.
The Palestinian leader said both sides must adhere to international legitimacy and previous agreements, stressing the need to stop attacks and create safe corridors for the entry of medical and food relief materials into Gaza and the provision of water and electricity to the enclave.
He underscored that peace and security would only be achieved by implementing the two-state solution based on international resolutions and the recognition of the state of Palestine.
For his part, the British prime minister extended his condolences to the families of the Palestinian victims.
He expressed Britain's commitment to the two-state solution, its readiness to provide urgent humanitarian aid, and to work with all parties to de-escalate the tensions.
Humanitarian aid convoy for the Gaza Strip is parked in Arish, Egypt, Oct 16, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)
Egypt, France discuss aid
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said in a joint press conference with his French counterpart that "since the beginning of the conflict, Egypt attempted to keep the Rafah crossing bordering with Gaza open to deliver aid in coordination with the United Nations"
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and visiting French Minister of Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna discussed on Monday the current situation of the Israel-Hamas conflict and its threat to the region's security and stability.
According to a statement from the Egyptian presidency, Sisi highlighted the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip and the need to provide urgent humanitarian and relief aid to the Gazans.
He also stressed the need for de-escalation and expressed rejection of exposing civilians to collective punishment, such as siege, starvation, or displacement.
Exchanging views on the military escalations in the Gaza Strip, the French minister praised Egypt's key role in dealing with this issue.
Following the meeting, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said in a joint press conference with his French counterpart that "since the beginning of the conflict, Egypt attempted to keep the Rafah crossing bordering with Gaza open to deliver aid in coordination with the United Nations."
Shoukry added that "the Israeli government has not taken any measure from the side of Gaza to allow access to aid."
For her part, Colonna stressed that France backs the principles of international law in terms of protecting the civilians in the coastal enclave, describing the situation there as "threatening the whole region."
She added France will allocate ten million Euros (about $10.5 million) for humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip.
Egyptian Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel Ghaffar inspected later on Monday the readiness of the hospital in Bir al-Abed of North Sinai, and the trucks loaded with aid near the Rafah crossing.
TV footage showed hundreds of foreigners and Palestinians stranded at the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing while aid trucks were staying on the Egyptian side waiting to pass.
