Lebanon crises takes eyes off Israel’s war on Gaza

Palestinians fear the crisis in Lebanon is diverting the world’s attention from Gaza where Israeli attacks killed dozens more this week and diminished already dim prospects for a ceasefire.

“The focus is on Lebanon, which means the war in Gaza isn’t ending anytime soon,” said Hussam Ali, 45, a Gaza City resident.

With attention swinging to Lebanon, the war on Gaza risks being prolonged, said Ashraf Abouelhoul, managing editor of state-owned newspaper Al-Ahram in Egypt.

“The most dangerous thing isn’t that the media attention is going elsewhere. It is the fact that no one in the world is now talking about a deal or a ceasefire, and that frees Israel’s hand to continue its military offensive and plans in Gaza.”


_{Relatives of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks, carry their beloved one as the bodies are brought to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, Thursday}

Gaza death toll rises

At least 41,788 people have been killed and 96,794 wounded in Israeli military attacks on Gaza since October 7, the enclave’s Health Ministry says.

Of those, 99 Palestinians were killed and 169 wounded in the latest 24-hour reporting period, the ministry added.

Attack on Gaza’s Shati refugee camp

We are receiving reports of an Israeli raid on a house in the Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City. Civil defence teams are working to rescue the injured and retrieve bodies from under the rubble, according to footage verified by Al Jazeera.

One killed in Nuseirat amid central Gaza attacks

Our correspondents report one person has been killed and another wounded in a raid on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. The attack occurred in Deir el-Balah where an Israeli helicopter fired on a tent housing displaced people inside a school near the government clinic.

Intense artillery shelling was also reported in the Maghazi refugee camp, also in central Gaza.

‘No end in sight to the fighting in Gaza’

There has been less attention on Gaza because of the rapidly moving situation in Lebanon as Israel attacks. But the reality is, fighting is deepening day by day in Gaza – there’s been no significant change in fact.

The death toll among civilians continues to soar. People here believe the Israeli army is focusing on attacking evacuation centres. Since the beginning of October, at least three have been targeted and 27 Palestinians killed so far.

Fighting continues to rage in southern Rafah. This shattered city has seen heavy combat for more than four months. The military wing of Hamas yesterday released videos of fierce street battles ongoing there.

People have been trapped in a tiny patch of land called al-Mawasi that has seen all sorts of Israeli bombardment. The Israeli military is effectively operating on two fronts, indicating there’s no end in sight to the fighting.

‘The killing must stop’: Actor urges UK gov’t to end arms supply to Israel

British actor Juliet Stevenson has released a video statement calling on the UK government to end the supply of arms to Israel.

Stevenson said although the government in September suspended export licences for some weapons, it continues to license the supply of parts for F-35 fighter jets used in deadly attacks such as the one on the densely populated al-Mawasi camp in southern Gaza on July 13.

“The bombs which shredded some 90 people to bits were launched from F-35 jets,” she said, noting that the aircraft is made by the US and its closest allies, principally the UK.

“Building and maintaining the F-35s has been Britain’s biggest contribution to the war on Gaza – has been and still is,” Stevenson said, urging viewers to support a campaign by the Global Legal Action Network and Palestinian human rights group Al-Haq calling for the suspension of all UK weapons sales to Israel.

“Every day brings a new atrocity. This government, our government, cannot go on pretending this isn’t happening,” Stevenson said, adding that Britain “must not aid and abet war crimes”.


40 firefighters and ambulance workers killed in Lebanon over past 3 days, health minister says

Forty ambulance and firefighting staff have been killed in the past three days across Lebanon, Health Minister Firass Abiad said Thursday.

Abiad said 97 paramedics and firefighters in the country have been killed by Israeli strikes since October 8 last year, as the death toll across the country from the same date climbed to 1,974, of whom 127 are children and 261 are women.

Overnight, seven medics working for Hezbollah-affiliated Islamic Health Authority were killed by an Israeli strike on central Beirut.

“We know that there are international laws protecting medical institutions, ambulances and health care workers,” the health minister said.

Biden leaves door open to Israel striking Iran's oil reserves, but says no counterstrike planned for today


_{President Joe Biden speaks to the press as he prepares to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on October 3}

US President Joe Biden fielded questions on the ongoing Middle East conflict before departing the White House for Florida and Georgia Thursday.

Asked if he would support Israel striking Iran’s oil reserves in retaliation for the massive Tuesday missile strike against Israel, Biden left the door open, telling reporters, “We’re in discussions of that” but “there’s nothing going to happen today; we’ll talk about that later.”

Yesterday, Biden made clear he does not support an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear sites.

The president declined to outline what sanctions the US is considering against Iran, telling one reporter, “I’ll tell them before I tell you.”

He added that there was no update to share on the hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza.

Israel must respond to Iran "disproportionately," former US national security adviser argues

Former National Security Adviser John Bolton — who has called for Israel to destroy Iran’s nuclear weapons program in the wake of Iran’s ballistic missile attacks this week — criticized President Joe Biden for urging Israel to exercise restraint in retaliating against the attack.

“Even if that’s his opinion, why do you tell Israel’s adversary, and by the way, America’s adversary in Tehran, what you’re not going to do?, ” Bolton told Kasie Hunt on CNN This Morning of Biden saying Israel should respond to Iran’s attacks proportionately. “Let them worry about it.”

Bolton added that Biden’s “position itself is wrong” and argued that Israel must respond “disproportionately” to actually deter Iran by targeting its nuclear proliferation program.

“I think the administration is paralyzed by this fear of wider war … the wider war is already here,” he added.

Bolton continued, “Can you assure Israel that the next time Iran fires a ballistic missile from its territory, that under the nose cone of that missile there’s not going to be a nuclear weapon? … Is the threat of nuclear extinction a bigger or a smaller threat than a wider war?”

Can Iran even make a nuclear weapon without ever conducting any tests? (which would be noticed)

Striking out of fear is what got us here. The best way to ensure Iran doesn't fire missiles again is to stop attacking Iran...

Damn, now Israel wants to pick a fight with Russia as well? Is Netanyahu trying to start a World War on his own? Israel against the world. Who else can Israel attack. (That is in no position to pose a serious counter threat...)

Checking the news feeds in a bit, probably going to be a lot of condemnation and de-escalation calls again.


I guess Israel 'helping' Ukraine by giving Russia more headaches is some sort of silver lining.

WHO says 28 health workers killed in Lebanon over 24 hours

The World Health Organization chief says that 28 healthcare workers have been killed over the past 24 hours in Lebanon, where Israel has launched air strikes and sent troops to fight Hezbollah in an escalating conflict.

“Many [other] health workers are not reporting to duty and fled the areas where they work due to bombardments,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told an online press briefing.

“This is severely limiting the provision of mass trauma management and continuity of health services,” he said.

The global health agency will not be able to deliver a large planned shipment of trauma and medical supplies to Lebanon on Friday due to flight restrictions, he added.

_{Recsue teams are seen in front of damaged buildings after an Israeli airstrike on Beirut}

Israel ‘broadening’ Lebanon attacks

The strike on Bashoura district happened early this morning, about 1km away from the country’s parliament, here in the capital. This is an area in the heart of Beirut.

According to the Israeli army, its forces targeted a medical facility that was affiliated with Hezbollah. In this attack, at least nine paramedics were killed and 14 wounded.

We were at the site earlier today – there was absolute chaos and destruction. With this strike, Israel is showing yet again that it is going after targets that they say are affiliated with Hezbollah – no longer just actual Hezbollah targeted but anything that is affiliated with this organisation.

Also, earlier today, there was another air strike that took place in the village of Kayfoun in the area of Aley in Mount Lebanon – that’s about 20km (12.4 miles) southeast of Beirut – targeting the transmission tower for Hezbollah’s al-Manar TV.

So they’re going not only after the assets, weapons and infrastructure of Hezbollah’s military wing, but also all other aspects of this group’s infrastructure, including paramedics and media offices.

They are broadening out the attacks that they’ve been carrying out to further weaken Hezbollah, not only from a military point of view.

Berlin rally urges Germany to stop arms exports to Israel, Ukraine

On the 31st anniversary of the unification between East and West Germany, people are really coming together in Berlin calling for peace.

It’s a very unlikely coalition of groups. We have peace groups, trade unions, migrant organisations here who are calling for an end to the war in Ukraine, as well as Lebanon and Gaza.

They are calling on their own government to stop supplying weapons to Ukraine and Israel.

Germany is the second-largest supplier of arms to Israel. Until recently, Israel was receiving nearly 50 percent of its weapons from Germany. So, people here are really angry and very much concerned about escalation.


_{People hold signs during a protest against militarisation, delivery of weapons to Ukraine, Israel or other countries, stationing of US medium-range weapons in Germany, and in support of peace negotiations, in Berlin, Germany, Thursday}.

Hmm, don't they realize Russia is going to eradicate Ukraine without help. Unfortunately human kind is incapable of finding other ways to stop people like Putin. What alternative is there? Move everyone from Ukraine to Germany?

Failure to stop Israel’s war on Gaza ‘a green light to expand conflict’: Qatar emir

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani says Qatar supports Lebanon “against the brutal attacks they are being subjected to”.

“I have directed rapid action and the provision of all necessary resources to provide humanitarian and relief support to all displaced persons and those affected by this aggression,” he said on X.

“The failure of the international community to stop the war on Gaza was a green light to expand the conflict without the slightest degree of responsibility by the aggressors.”

Full-scale regional war may well happen: Lebanese envoy to Russia: Report

A full-scale regional war after the start of Israel’s ground operation in Lebanon is a possibility, Lebanon’s ambassador to Russia Shawki Bou Nassar has said in an interview with Russia’s state-owned TASS news agency.

“Nobody knows the intentions of this Israeli government and if it will be just a limited incursion into the Lebanese territory or it will be a wide operation, which will ignite a full-fledged war, not only with Lebanon, but with Lebanon and maybe with other countries in the region, including Iran,” he said.

“So let’s hope that the diplomatic efforts will succeed in containing this kind of escalation and lead all of us to a political solution which is the only way to guarantee the security and the stability in the region for all parties.”

Biden ‘discussing’ possible Israeli strikes on Iran oil facilities

US President Joe Biden has said he is discussing possible Israeli strikes on Iranian oil sites in response to Tehran’s missile barrage on Israel.

The brief comment came after he was asked by reporters at the White House if he supported Israel striking Iran’s oil facilities. This comes despite Iran’s warning that any Israeli attack would meet an “unconventional response” that includes targeting Israeli infrastructure.

After Biden’s remarks, oil prices soared, with WTI, the US contract, rising as much as 5 percent before paring back some gains to sit at about $73 per barrel, while Brent, the international benchmark, rose about 4 percent to $76.81.

Earlier, Biden said he did not expect Israel to strike Iran today.


Tehran’s patience is being tested by Israel

Tohid Asadi, a writer and specialist in Iranian affairs, tells Al Jazeera that Iranian officials are making “double-edged statements”. On the one hand, they claim they are not “warmongers”, and at the same time, they are saying, “we are not afraid of war”.

Asadi explained that this means if Israel demonstrates aggression towards Iran, there will be “tough consequences”. He said the message from Tehran is clear, that its patience has reached a limit.

He said Tehran is still seeking de-escalation, but if Israel “decides to continue this insatiable desire to expand the battlefield, there is going to be [a] crushing response”.

Further escalation could have ‘significant economic ramifications’: IMF

Julie Kozack, spokesperson for the International Monetary Fund, says the UN’s financial agency is closely monitoring the situation in southern Lebanon with “grave concern”, offering condolences for the loss of lives in Israeli attacks.

“The potential for further escalation of the conflict heightens risks and uncertainty and could have significant economic ramifications for the region and beyond,” she said.

Iran warns other countries to “refrain from entangling themselves”

The Iranian mission to the United Nations has sent out a new statement about its conflict with Israel.

It reads: “Our response will be solely directed at the aggressor. Should any country render assistance to the aggressor, it should likewise be deemed an accomplice and a legitimate target. We advise countries to refrain from entangling themselves in the conflict between the Israeli regime and Iran and to distance themselves from the fray.”

This comes about 24 hours after an important Security Council meeting that took place on Wednesday morning that lasted nearly three hours.

In that meeting, the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saied Iravani, sort of hinted or foreshadowed what we are hearing today. He said that the Iranian attack on Israel was self-defence in line with Article 51 of the UN charter.

He told the Security Council in open forum 24 hours ago, “Iran is fully prepared to take further defensive measures if necessary.”

Satellite images show 100 Israeli military vehicles near Lebanese border

Al Jazeera’s fact-checking agency has obtained exclusive satellite images from September 29, 2024, showing the presence of more than 100 Israeli military vehicles approximately three kilometres (about 1.9 miles) from the Lebanese border in the northern occupied Golan Heights, near Kfar Giladi.

The images, captured by Airbus, show that the same location was used to evacuate Israeli soldiers on October 2, 2024, following an incident that killed seven.

Israeli military striking medical facilities, TV stations in Beirut

Over the past few hours, there have been five air strikes on buildings in the southern suburbs of Beirut. The last one was just a few minutes ago. We saw plumes of smoke and, in the background, a Middle Eastern Airlines plane about to land. This shows how close the suburb of Dahiyeh is to the international airport in the capital.

We believe this to be another attempted assassination of Hezbollah members, but we have not received information from the group as of yet.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq says it targeted southern Israel

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed armed groups in the region, has claimed responsibility for an attack on southern Israel in a statement.

The Israeli military earlier reported that it had intercepted a UAV in southern Israel.

Hezbollah claims three more attacks

Israeli soldiers have been targeted with a rocket salvo in the Kafr Giladi settlement in northern Israel, the Lebanese armed group says. Hezbollah also claimed to have struck the military site and the settlement in Metula with 100 Katyusha rockets and six Falaq rockets.

The group’s fighters also hit the city of Safad with a salvo of rockets, the group’s statement said.

Colombian, French and Greek citizens evacuated from Lebanon amid hostilities

_{Greek and Greek Cypriot nationals onboard a Hellenic Air Force C130 as they are evacuated from Lebanon}

_{Passengers wave after disembarking a Colombian government evacuation flight from Lebanon at El Dorado international airport in Bogota}

El Canciller @LuisGMurillo en nombre del Gobierno Nacional le dio la bienvenida a todos los connacionales que se encontraban en Líbano y llegaron en el vuelo humanitario.

¡Seguiremos asistiendo a todos nuestros colombianos! pic.twitter.com/08SgicOqme

— Cancillería Colombia (@CancilleriaCol) October 3, 2024

Israel-Iran crisis presents ‘worst-case scenario’ for Biden, Harris before elections

We’ve been waiting for communication between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden. That still has not occurred. We are also expecting a Pentagon briefing in the next couple of hours.

This crisis is not good for the Biden administration. There is concern that it is spiralling into a broader Middle East conflict, a worst-case scenario for his vice president, Kamala Harris, who is also the Democratic presidential nominee, one month before elections.

Republicans have been saying on Capitol Hill that the reason the Biden administration finds itself in this situation is because it has not been more hawkish towards Iran in the past.

Did Iran oppress, kill and torture Palestinians for the past 76 years? The Biden administration is in trouble because Biden can't say no to Netanyahu. Republicans want war with Iran as much as Netanyahu... Trump's Abraham accords are a big part of why we are here now, next to moving the American embassy to Jerusalem and of course helping Netanyahu getting re-elected. Now Netanyahu is helping getting Trump re-elected.

Swedish FM escapes tomato, onion attack over Israeli occupation stance

Maria Malmer Stenergard ran out of a parliamentary debate over the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution that demands an end to Israel’s illegal occupation of “occupied Palestinian Territory” within a year.

According to various Swedish media outlets, a bag of tomatoes and red onions was thrown at her while one person shouted, “Stop Israel, they are terrorists”, while someone else called out, “The coward runs.”

Sweden was one of the 43 countries abstaining from the nonbinding measure, which passed in the UNGA with a 124-14 vote in September.

According to Member of Parliament Ann-Sofie Alm, the activists were literally caught red-handed, having painted their hands with red paint before entry.

A member of parliament raised concerns about security after it appeared the activists had allegedly smuggled the fruit and vegetables under their jackets.

Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has called for an investigation into the incident and stated that he now wants to see “powerful measures” introduced to ensure the safety of MPs.

Qatar condemns Israel’s efforts to politicise UN’s role

The Qatari Foreign Ministry expressed its support for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and “his role in promoting dialogue and consolidating international peace and security”.

The statement came a day after Israel declared Guterres “persona non grata” and barred him from entering the country, accusing him of failing to “unequivocally” condemn Iran’s missile attack on Israel.

Qatar condemned “any action aimed at politicising the role of the United Nations and affecting its mission to maintain security and stability”.

“We emphasise the necessity for Israel to respect its international obligations and cooperate with the international community to ensure that the United Nations performs its role without restrictions or obstacles,” Qatar’s foreign ministry said.

Israeli military promises Hezbollah will not ‘settle’ again in Lebanon

Israel’s military chief has pledged to deprive Hezbollah of any safe haven across Lebanon, saying it will pursue the group “in all areas”.

“The severe blows against Hezbollah in all areas — in Beirut, in the ([Bekaa] Valley, in south Lebanon — will continue,” Israel’s armed forces chief of staff Herzi Halevi said in a televised statement.

“We will not allow Hezbollah to settle itself in these places in the future”, he said.

Ninth Israeli soldier dies in fighting in southern Lebanon

Israel’s military has announced the death of another soldier in combat in southern Lebanon, bringing its total losses from fighting there to nine.

The soldier, 21-year-old Nitzanei Oz, was killed in combat yesterday, according to the military.

As we’ve been reporting, Israeli and Hezbollah forces are engaged in fierce fighting near the border, with Hezbollah setting off explosive devices at approaching Israeli troops.

Hezbollah claims 17 Israeli soldiers killed

Hezbollah claims its fighters have killed 17 Israeli soldiers, according to a statement issued via its official Telegram channel.

“The Islamic Resistance Operations Room confirms from its reliable field and security sources that the number of dead among the officers and soldiers of the Zionist enemy in the heroic confrontations that the resistance fighters fought today,” it stated.

The Israeli army has so far only admitted to nine combat deaths since its forces invaded south Lebanon on Wednesday.

Massive fire erupts at attacked Beirut apartment

As we’ve been reporting, Israeli air raids have been pounding the southern suburbs of Beirut in recent hours.

Footage verified by Al Jazeera’s Sanad fact-checking agency shows the aftermath of one of those raids, which hit a residential apartment in southern Beirut’s Chiyah area.

The footage shows Civil Defence crews responding to the attacked building, where a massive fire and plume of smoke rises.

مشاهد إضافيّة للغارة الإسرائيليّة التي استهدفت شقة في الشياح.#الضاحية_الجنوبية #الجنوب #جنوب_لبنان #الشياح #ليبانوس pic.twitter.com/NxzT67sc83

— Lebanos (@lebanosnews) October 3, 2024