Gaza truce proposal approved by Hamas 'almost identical' to previous plan accepted by Israel, Qatar says
The U.N. said it has not been authorized to deliver shelters to Gaza after Israel announced plans to take control of Gaza City and nearby refugee camps.
Israel's security cabinet approved the plan earlier this month, saying its goals are to defeat Hamas and free hostages taken during the group's Oct. 7, 2023, attack.
15:05 Beirut Time
Israel killed more than 62,000 people in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023.
Gaza's Health Ministry said 60 Palestinians were killed by Israeli strikes in the past 24 hours — including two recovered from the rubble — and 343 others were wounded. The ministry put the overall death toll at 62,064 since Oct. 7, 2023.
15:03 Beirut Time
Israeli drone crashes on house in Bint Jbeil
An Israeli drone crashed on the roof of a house in the southern town of Bint Jbeil, our correspondent in south Lebanon reported.
14:52 Beirut Time
UN condemns Israel's Ben Gvir for taunting Palestinian prisoner Marwan Barghouti
The U.N.'s human rights office on Tuesday condemned far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir for taunting Palestinian prisoner Marwan Barghouti in his cell and sharing the footage online.
"International law requires that all those in detention be treated humanely, with dignity, and their human rights respected and protected," Kheetan added.
He warned that the minister's actions "may encourage violence against Palestinian detainees" and enable rights violations in Israeli prisons.
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Hamas accepted Gaza truce plan 'almost identical' to Witkoff's plan, previously accepted by Israel
Hamas gave a "very positive response, and it truly was almost identical to what the Israeli side had previously agreed to," Qatar foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said.
The previous round of mediation for a deal in Doha broke down in July, with Israel agreeing to a truce proposal but then rejecting Hamas amendments.
"We cannot make any claims that a breakthrough has been made. But we do believe it is a positive point," Ansari added.
"We are at a decisive humanitarian moment. If we don't reach a deal now, we will face a humanitarian catastrophe that will make all those that preceded it pale in comparison," the spokesman added.
Negotiations in recent months have focused on a framework for an initial 60-day truce and the staggered release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, which was first proposed by U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
Ansari confirmed the current proposal included the two-month truce as well as provisions to allow for the entry of aid.
Will the U.N. Interim Forces in Lebanon's mission come to an end?
13:13 Beirut Time
Netanyahu slams Australian PM over Palestine recognition
After Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced his country's recognition of the State of Palestine last week, Israel revoked the visas of Canberra's representatives to the Palestinian Authority on Monday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded on Tuesday by slamming his counterpart as "a weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews."
13:09 Beirut Time
UN warns Gaza faces widespread famine due to Israel's aid restrictions
The U.N. human rights office said Tuesday that Israel is allowing some supplies into Gaza, but not enough to prevent widespread starvation.
'In recent weeks, the Israeli authorities have only allowed aid in quantities well below what would be needed to avoid widespread famine,' OHCHR spokesman Thameen al-Kheetan told a Geneva press briefing.
He added that the famine risk is a 'direct consequence of the Israeli government's policy of blocking humanitarian aid.' Israel's COGAT agency said it is making 'considerable efforts' to distribute aid in the enclave.
11:59 Beirut Time
Israel urges halt to UNIFIL operations
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Israel wants UNIFIL's activities in southern Lebanon stopped, Israel Hayom reported.
Sa'ar said the mission 'has failed in its fundamental mission: to prevent Hezbollah from establishing itself south of the Litani River' and accused the force of 'systematically presenting a false image of reality' to the U.N. Security Council.
Israel reportedly said it would accept an extension of UNIFIL's mandate from six months to a year only to allow for an 'orderly dismantling.'
11:21 Beirut Time
Israeli drone spotted over Baalbeck district
An Israeli army drone is flying at medium altitude over the mountainous towns of Yahfoufa near Baalbeck, Janta and the Shaara mountainous plains, our regional correspondent.
11:19 Beirut Time
Israeli families cross into Syria, returned by army
Haaretz reported that Israeli families crossed the border into Syria to push for the establishment of Jewish settlements before being escorted back by the Israeli army.
11:18 Beirut Time
Aoun reaffirms support for UNIFIL
President Joseph Aoun told U.N. Interim forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) commander General Diodato Abagnara that Lebanon remains committed to keeping international forces in the south 'for as long as necessary for the full implementation of Resolution 1701, as well as the full deployment of the Lebanese Army to the international borders.'
The statement added that Aoun emphasized 'the importance of cooperation between the army, UNIFIL and residents of the towns and villages of the south,' amid several minor incidents in recent months between peacekeepers and locals.
10:51 Beirut Time
Mitri backs Salam's stance
On Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri responded to Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's post on X about his meeting with U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, saying: 'The prime minister continues to reaffirm Lebanon's clear position regarding the cessation of hostilities and the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territories. And, of course, no attack or criticism changes this position.'
Salam has faced accusations from pro-Hezbollah media of serving 'Israeli-Saudi' interests. He is now seen as a leading figure in the sovereigntist camp, positioning himself as the official voice for the state's monopoly on arms.
10:46 Beirut Time
UN says 383 aid workers killed in 2024
A record 383 aid workers were killed this year, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Monday on World Humanitarian Day, calling it a wake-up call to protect civilians in conflict and end impunity.
Most of those killed were national staff serving their own communities, attacked either on duty or in their homes. OCHA said 308 workers were injured, 125 abducted and 45 detained in 2024.
10:45 Beirut Time
Rights groups slam U.S. suspension of Gaza visas
The U.S.-based HEAL Palestine Foundation and other rights groups criticized Washington's decision to suspend visit visas for Palestinians in Gaza, saying it would block injured children from receiving medical care in the United States, Reuters reported.
The State Department said Saturday it was halting all visit visas for Gazans while conducting 'a full and thorough review' after far-right activist Laura Loomer claimed Palestinian refugees were entering the country.
HEAL Palestine said no refugee resettlement program exists, contrary to Loomer's claim, and stressed its work is limited to medical treatment. It added that the program is funded by donations, not U.S. government money.
Australia criticizes Israel over visa revocations of its diplomats
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong urged 'dialogue and diplomacy' after Israel revoked the visas of Australian diplomats to the Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank, Reuters reported. The move came after Australia said it would recognize a Palestinian state and canceled the visa of far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman.
Wong called the decision an 'unjustified reaction,' adding: 'At a time when dialogue and diplomacy are needed more than ever, the Netanyahu Government is isolating Israel and undermining international efforts towards peace and a two-state solution.'
10:18 Beirut Time
Israeli vehicles cross border; Barrack concludes Beirut visit
- After 10 p.m., three Israeli vehicles — believed to be construction equipment — crossed the border east of Mais al-Jabal in the Marjayoun district, our regional correspondent reported.
- Israeli drones also flew heavily over the area, prompting the Lebanese Army to send patrols into the village and nearby fields.
- Meanwhile, U.S. envoys Tom Barrack and Morgan Ortagus arrived in Beirut yesterday on a three-part mission. Their visit aimed to back Lebanon's Cabinet decision to restore the state's arms monopoly and adopt a U.S. road map, while reviewing how it will be put into practice. They are also discussing the renewal of UNIFIL's mandate and exploring ways to push Israel to respond to what officials describe as Lebanon's 'first step.'
10:13 Beirut Time
Hamas signals truce deal, as Israel weighs response, continues onslaught
Hamas says it has agreed to a cease-fire plan that includes U.S. guarantees to end the war, senior official Taher al-Nono told Qatar's Al-Arabiya TV.
An Egyptian source confirmed to Reuters the proposal outlines a roadmap to a broader deal: a 60-day truce, the gradual release of hostages, and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners.
The plan, brokered by Egypt and Qatar and based on a U.S. envoy's framework already accepted by Israel, has yet to receive an official Israeli reply. Israeli sources say it is being carefully reviewed.
Mediators — Egypt, Qatar and the United States — have so far failed to lock in a lasting cease-fire during the 23-month war. The United Nations warns Gaza faces 'widespread famine,' and the humanitarian situation continues to worsen daily.
Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel intends to seize control of Gaza but does not plan to govern it. He told Fox News the territory would eventually be handed to "Arab forces' to govern it.
The Gaza health ministry says more than 62,000 Palestinians have been killed since Oct. 7, 2023.
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