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Oct 31, 2024
A Region on Fire - Issue 35
النسخة العربية

A Region on Fire
Issue 35 - November 1, 2024 


The two U.S. presidential envoys returned from Israel directly to Washington without stopping in Beirut.


Just days before the U.S. presidential elections, and amid intense efforts for a ceasefire, two American envoys went to Israel to discuss a "political solution" in Lebanon and "ways to end the conflict in Gaza," according to the U.S. State Department. However, their direct return to New York from Israel, without stopping in Lebanon’s capital, suggests that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu did not respond to the U.S. ceasefire proposal.

In a related development after the Knesset's decision on UNRWA, Israel's ambassador to the UN demanded the resignation of UN independent expert Francesca Albanese, after she denounced the eradication of Palestinians from their land as “genocide.” The ambassador labeled her presence at the UN as a “disgrace and a betrayal of all moral standards”.
 

Battlefield Developments in Lebanon: Attacks on Medics

The Israeli army continued airstrikes on southern Lebanon and the Bekaa, targeting Islamic Health Association centers and ambulances, injuring medics. Vehicles and motorcycles were also hit in various locations.

The Israeli army issued new evacuation orders for residents in Baalbek, Ain Bourday, and Dours for the second day. The governor of Baalbek-Hermel urged people not to return home, as the area remains under threat of bombing. Ten villages in southern Lebanon, including the Rashidieh Palestinian refugee camp, were ordered to evacuate, causing heavy displacement.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported Thursday that soldiers were stationed at border observation points to detect drones early.

Hezbollah continued to strike Israeli army positions and settlements in northern Israel, claiming it hit an Israeli gathering in Wati al-Khiam, southern Lebanon, three times, and launched a rocket attack on the Metula settlement in Upper Galilee, killing five Israeli soldiers.

The Israeli army reported 11 soldiers injured in southern Lebanon over the past 24 hours. Five soldiers were killed in Metula, with two more deaths in a rocket attack near Haifa. This brought the total Israeli military deaths over the past day to 18.

In the last 24 hours, 68 airstrikes targeted various areas in Lebanon, mainly in the south, Nabatieh, and Baalbek, bringing the total attacks since the conflict began to 11,647.

Lebanon’s Ministry of Health reported 45 killed and 110 injured over the last 24 hours, raising the total casualties to 2,865 deaths and 13,047 injuries since the start of the hostilities.

 

The Ministry’s Emergency Health Operations Center announced six medics killed and four injured in recent Israeli airstrikes, bringing the total medic casualties to 178 deaths, 279 injuries, and 246 targeted vehicles since the conflict began.

The Health Minister reported 55 attacks on hospitals, including 36 direct strikes, leading to the forced closure of eight hospitals and partial operation at seven others.

 

Political Developments in Lebanon

Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced on Wednesday that he was informed by US presidential envoy Amos Hochstein that he would seek a ceasefire solution in "Israel" to pave the way for discussions on the full implementation of Resolution 1701.

However, Mikati expressed skepticism due to Israel's ongoing escalations and threats, especially in the near future. The Prime Minister condemned the Israeli attacks on UNIFIL forces and instructed the Foreign Minister to investigate the rocket strike on the Austrian battalion’s UNIFIL base.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Lebanon's UNESCO delegation is working to secure enhanced protection for cultural and historical sites after Israel’s threats to bomb Baalbek, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The delegation requested an emergency meeting to discuss heritage protection and sought a UNESCO statement urging the safeguarding of these sites. Heavy bombing in the historic city of Tyre also threatens its archaeological areas.


Humanitarian Response

The Ministry of Public Health issued a report on aid provided to displaced citizens, along with a list connecting each shelter center with designated primary healthcare facilities across Lebanon.

 

According to the government’s emergency committee, 1,130 centers have been opened to accommodate displaced people, with 948 centers reaching full capacity. The total registered displaced population is 189,174 (43,766 families), mainly concentrated in Mount Lebanon and Beirut, though actual numbers may be much higher. Between September 23 and October 30, 2024, General Security recorded the border crossing of 358,133 Syrian citizens and 172,604 Lebanese citizens into Syria.

The President of the Union of Municipalities of Deir al-Ahmar reported that tens of thousands fled from Baalbek and nearby areas to Deir al-Ahmar. He urged government and humanitarian agencies to launch an emergency response, especially for diesel fuel and blankets. The President of the Union of Municipalities of Baalbek also called on people to stay and appealed for support for local municipalities facing severe resource shortages.

UNICEF announced that since September 23, 2024, it has reached over 9,600 children and caregivers with psychological first aid, providing psychosocial support to around 10,000 children. The organization reported that since October 4th of this year, at least one child has been killed and 10 injured daily.

UNICEF’s Executive Director Catherine Russell noted that the ongoing war is severely impacting children's lives, with many suffering physical injuries and deep psychological scars. According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health, 166 children have been killed and at least 1,168 others injured since October 2023, with these tragic numbers increasing daily.

The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre continues distributing relief assistance, including food and shelter supplies, to families displaced from Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and the South. More than 4,500 individuals benefited from the relief aid provided through the Saudi air bridge to meet their basic needs.

 

 

International Developments

UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti announced that the international forces have been targeted over 50 times during October. According to Tenenti, these include one incident involving the conflicting parties south of the Litani River and seven deliberate attacks by Israel.

Axios reported Negotiations for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah have made significant progress in the last 24 hours, although Washington clarified that a leaked draft on Lebanon does not reflect the current state of negotiations. The site, citing Israeli and American officials, added that the U.S. has agreed to send a message to Israel regarding a potential agreement with Hezbollah. This message outlines a monitoring mechanism and commits the U.S. to support Israel if a threat arises from Hezbollah.

The Times of Israel quoted an Israeli official saying an agreement is unlikely before the U.S. presidential elections.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot expressed shock over far-right Israeli ministers calling to resettle Gaza, labeling these comments as "extremely dangerous" and a clear violation of international law.

Israeli media reported that the U.S. reprimanded Israeli officials over aid to Gaza, noting that the current level of aid is well below the U.S. request of around 350 trucks per day.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that "good progress" has been made in ceasefire negotiations for Lebanon, as well as in implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701. He added that Israel has made some progress on humanitarian aid to Gaza, though it remains insufficient.

Iran warned of a "harsh" response to Israel’s recent attacks on its military facilities, with the Supreme Leader's office labeling the strikes as a desperate move, promising a severe response from Iran. Axios also cited Israeli sources suggesting Iran is preparing to attack Israel from Iraqi territory in the coming days.

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister confirmed his country’s efforts to facilitate a ceasefire, expressing Russia’s readiness to contribute to peace through mutually agreeable terms.

The Omani Foreign Minister highlighted the Western powers' moral responsibility to pressure Israel to halt its attacks in the Middle East, urging them to take a more active role beyond mere persuasion.
The U.S. Defense Secretary indicated an opportunity for a shift in the situation on the northern front, expressing hope for a resolution sooner rather than later.

 


Gaza Update: 95 Martyrs in 24 Hours
 

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Hamas attempted to assassinate Israeli Army Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi, by targeting a home he had recently left in northern Gaza. According to the report, an anti-tank shell was fired at the house where Halevi had been assessing military operations with Israeli forces. The Israeli army acknowledged the attack resulted in the deaths of four soldiers from the 888 Multidimensional Unit in Jabalia Camp.

On the 391st day of the assault on Gaza, medical sources reported that 95 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes since Thursday morning, including 75 in northern Gaza. The Ministry of Health stated that Israel committed six massacres in Gaza within the past 24 hours, raising the total number of martyrs since October 7, 2023, to 43,204, with 101,641 injured.

WHO Director Tedros Adhanom condemned an attack on Kamal Adwan Hospital, injuring some staff, and described the health situation in northern Gaza as appalling. He call on everyone to protect hospitals and fully comply with international humanitarian law.

UNICEF stated that hospitals in Gaza are struggling to care for newborns, with only pain relievers available for some due to severe medicine shortages.

The Gaza Ministry of Health reported that the Kamal Adwan Hospital attack destroyed medical supplies provided by WHO. The Ministry claimed the Israeli army aims to kill as many people as possible within shelters and markets, adding that hospitals in Gaza can only provide basic first aid due to resource limitations.

Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, said that medical teams have had to leave patients and injured people to die due to halted surgeries. He requested ambulance access to transport the wounded, acknowledging the limited prospects for success. He described the situation as catastrophic, with only minimal treatment available.

The Gaza Civil Defense announced that its services have been forcibly suspended across northern Gaza for nine days due to ongoing Israeli strikes, leaving thousands of people in northern Gaza without essential medical and humanitarian support.
 

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