Majority of Israelis don’t believe Hezbollah was defeated: Poll

A poll by Israel’s Channel 13 News has found that 61 percent of Israelis believe Israel has not defeated Hezbollah, with just 26 percent of them believing Israel did win. The rest were unsure, according to the poll published last night.

Meanwhile, 44 percent of Israelis polled support the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah, while 38 percent of people oppose the agreement. Nearly a fifth of the respondents, about 19 percent, did not know how to answer the question.

As for Israel’s war on Gaza, an even larger majority of the public polled, 66 percent, believes that the conflict there should end, with a return of the 101 Israeli captives still held there.

Finally, 67 percent of respondents said they would support the establishment of a state commission of inquiry into the events of October 7, 2023.

After ceasefire in Lebanon, Israeli opposition leader asks: Why not Gaza?

Speaking to Israel’s 103FM Radio, Yair Golan questioned why the government has not struck a deal to stop the fighting in Gaza. “The most important test is to end the war in the south [Gaza],” said Golan, who heads the opposition coalition the Democrats.

“If it is possible to reach an agreement with Hezbollah, why can’t we reach an agreement with Hamas and free the hostages?”

“The fighting continues only because Netanyahu is politically dependent on a fanatical and messianic group that wants to win the war,” he said.

Hamas hopes for Gaza ceasefire: Official

Reacting to the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire, Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters the Palestinian group “appreciates” Hezbollah’s right to strike a deal protecting its people.

Abu Zuhri also said Hamas is ready to reach a ceasefire with Israel to stop the fighting in Gaza.

Efforts to broker a lasting ceasefire to the 14-month war in Gaza have so far failed, with Israel rejecting multiple proposals. The only time fighting was paused during the war was during a weeklong truce in late November 2023.

Palestinians welcome Lebanese ceasefire, but feel their own plight is ‘abandoned’

There is a little bit of hope in Gaza. Some Palestinians believe they’re next [for a ceasefire].

But most people feel abandoned, that no one is hearing them. We’re talking about more than a year of continuous war, with over 40,000 Palestinians killed. People in northern Gaza are starving, forcibly displaced … and no one is listening.

But of course, Palestinians are very happy for Lebanon because they feel what war means, what it means to go through all of this aggression from Israeli forces.

Iran has right to react to Israeli strikes, but eyeing developments in region

Tehran reserves the right to react to last month’s air strikes on Iran, but it also considers other developments in the region such as the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said.

He told reporters in Lisbon that Iran welcomed Tuesday’s agreement and hoped it could lead to a permanent ceasefire.

Israel struck targets in Iran on October 26 and since then, Tehran has promised to retaliate.

‘Shocking nonsense’: France slammed after suggestion Netanyahu has ICC immunity

France has claimed the Israeli prime minister has immunity to actions by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is seeking his arrest for alleged war crimes in Gaza, arguing that Israel has not signed up to the court’s statutes.

The French government has taken almost a week to come up with a clear position after the court in The Hague issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Netanyahu, his former defence chief Yoav Gallant and Hamas commander Mohammed Deif.

After initially saying it would adhere to the ICC statutes, France’s Foreign Ministry fine-tuned that stance in a second statement on Friday amid concerns that Israel could scupper a ceasefire in Lebanon. It said then that the court’s decision merely formalised an accusation.

And today, the ministry said the Rome Statute, which established the ICC, states a country cannot be required to act in a manner incompatible with its obligations “with respect to the immunities of States not party to the ICC”.

“Such immunities apply to Prime Minister Netanyahu and other relevant ministers and will have to be taken into consideration should the ICC request their arrest and surrender,” it said.

Rights groups suggested France had tempered its response to maintain a working relationship with Netanyahu and his government.

“Some shocking nonsense from France here. No one gets immunity from an ICC arrest warrant because they’re in office – not Netanyahu, not [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, no one,” Andrew Stroehlein, European media director at Human Rights Watch, said on X.

He pointed to Article 27 of the Rome Statute on the “irrelevance of official capacity”.

Israeli cabinet approves proposal to cut links to Haaretz

As well as foreign media outlets in Israel, those inside the country that are critical of Prime Minister Netanyahu are now also facing a crackdown.

Netanyahu’s cabinet has approved a proposal to cut all government links with Haaretz – a move that could cripple the 105-year-old newspaper financially and force it to shut down.

Will free press survive in Israel?

UN says all attempts to reach besieged north Gaza this month blocked

The UN humanitarian agency, OCHA, says the UN has been unable to reach people in Jabalia, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoon, in the north of the Gaza Strip, as it continues to face denials from Israeli authorities.

“Between 1 and 25 November, the UN attempted to reach these besieged areas 41 times,” OCHA said in its latest update. “Thirty-seven of these attempts were outright denied, while four were initially approved, but then severely impeded on the ground such that the assistance could not be delivered to people trapped in the besieged area,” OCHA said.

“Coordinated aid missions to areas in [the] Rafah governorate, where there has been an ongoing Israeli military operation since early May, have faced similar challenges.”

Desperately hungry people in Gaza search through rubbish for food

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has said that people in Gaza are so hungry that they are increasingly “scavenging through weeks-old waste” to find something to eat.

The conditions in the enclave are set to deteriorate even further as cold winter weather sets in, according to the agency, which called for more “immediate humanitarian aid”.

Numerous human rights organisations have accused Israel of deliberately obstructing aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza during the conflict, thereby using starvation as a weapon of war.

North Gaza under Israeli siege for nearly two months

Death toll from al-Tabin School attack rises to eight: Report

The number of people killed in Gaza City’s al-Tabin School has risen to eight, reports Wafa, citing local medical sources. As we reported earlier, Israeli fighter planes bombed the school, which served as a shelter for displaced people.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces bombed a home in Gaza City’s Shujayea neighbourhood, injuring at least four people, according to Wafa.

Critical injuries at al-Ahli Hospital after al-Tabin School attack

Despite the announced ceasefire in Lebanon, the Israeli military has continued to scale up attacks across the Gaza Strip.

In overnight attacks, it continued to bomb schools, which are serving as evacuation centres housing hundreds of displaced families. That included a deadly attack on Gaza City’s al-Tabin School.

Many of those injured arrived at al-Ahli Arab Hospital in critical condition. As the hospital lacks adequate medical supplies, there is a high risk that many are going to lose their lives.

The Israeli military also carried out an operation early this morning at a school-turned-evacuation centre in Beit Lahiya. It detained every single man inside the school, blindfolding and handcuffing them. It took them to unknown areas to be interrogated. Meanwhile, Israeli forces pushed out all the women and children in the school, directing them to take Salah al-Din Street to the central area.

UNIFIL says ready to support implementation of ceasefire in Lebanon

The UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon has welcomed the ceasefire announcement, saying it will “cooperate with all relevant partners to make the cessation of hostilities work”.

UNIFIL said peacekeepers from 48 countries have remained in place and are ready to support in the implementation of Resolution 1701.

It also said it has already begun adjusting its operations to the “new situation”.

US should probe Israel’s use of its weapons in Lebanon: Rights group

Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), a US-based rights group, has called on Washington to investigate Israel’s use of its weapons to commit war crimes in Lebanon. This comes following the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon on Tuesday.

“Now that a ceasefire has gone into effect, the US should investigate Israel’s use of US-made weapons in apparent war crimes in Lebanon during this conflict,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, DAWN’s executive director.

“The Biden administration has a responsibility to ensure US arms have not facilitated violations of international law in incidents such as Israeli strikes on journalists in Hasbaya last month and white phosphorus attacks in Dhayra last year.”

The group also called on the Biden administration to prioritise securing a Gaza ceasefire, and to cease vetoing UNSC resolutions that call for one.

Biden administration planning $680m arms sale to Israel: Reports

The Biden administration is pushing ahead with a $680m arms sale package to Israel, a US official familiar with the plan is quoted as saying by Reuters.

The package, which was first reported by the Financial Times, includes hundreds of small-diameter bombs and thousands of kits that convert “dumb” bombs into precision-guided weapons, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

In his televised address on Tuesday on the ceasefire with Hezbollah, Netanyahu said one of the reasons for the deal was to “replenish stocks” of Israel’s weapons.

“I say it openly: It is no secret that there have been big delays in weapons and munitions deliveries. These delays will be resolved soon. We will receive supplies of advanced weaponry that will keep our soldiers safe and give us more strike force to complete our mission,” the Israeli prime minister said.

UN chief sees Lebanon ceasefire as first ray of hope

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah is “the first ray of hope” in the regional conflict after months of escalation.

“It is essential that those who signed the ceasefire commitment respect it in full,” he said in a short televised statement during a visit to his hometown, Lisbon, adding that the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon was ready to monitor the ceasefire.

He also reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

“I received an auspicious sign yesterday, the first ray of hope for peace amid the darkness of the past months,” he said, referring to the agreement. “It is a moment of great importance, especially for civilians who were paying an enormous price of this spreading conflict.”

ICRC welcomes ceasefire in Lebanon, urges civilian protection

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says the ceasefire must be upheld “on all levels of command” to ensure respite for affected civilians. In a statement, it said the agreement must also facilitate the uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid.

“Whilst the agreement brings a glimmer of hope, the region remains tense and the humanitarian situation in Gaza unacceptable,” ICRC added.

US senator warns nations not to enforce ICC warrants on Israeli leaders

Republican Lindsey Graham has promised to sanction countries that enforce arrest warrants against Israeli leaders. Speaking in Jerusalem, Graham called the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant “beyond outrageous”.

“I am going back to Congress and introduce legislation very soon that would sanction any country that tried to enforce the arrest warrant against Israel,” Graham said.

“So you can be a close ally, Canada, Britain, France, you name it, if you buy into this arrest warrant as legitimate, then you’re going to meet stiff bipartisan resistance in America.”

Netanyahu to notify ICC that Israel will appeal arrest warrants: Report

Israel has informed the International Criminal Court (ICC) that it will appeal against arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defence minister Yoav Gallant over their conduct of the Gaza war, Netanyahu’s office has said.

Netanyahu also said that US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham had updated him “on a series of measures he is promoting in the US Congress against the International Criminal Court and against countries that would cooperate with it”.

Last week, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant for alleged war crimes. The court said there were “reasonable grounds” to believe the dup “intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival”.

 
Amnesty: France should ‘confirm acceptance’ of Netanyahu’s ICC arrest warrant

The human rights group says France’s decision that the Israeli prime minister is “immune” from the International Criminal Court’s war crimes and crimes against humanity case against him is “deeply problematic”.

“Rather than inferring that ICC indictees may enjoy immunity, France should expressly confirm its acceptance of the unequivocal legal duty under the Rome Statute to carry out arrest warrants,” Amnesty said.

Earlier, we reported that France believes Netanyahu has immunity to actions by the International Criminal Court, which is seeking his arrest. France argued that Israel is not a party to the Rome Statute, which established the ICC.

France playing ‘a double game’ by claiming Netanyahu has ICC immunity

William Schabas, professor of international law at Middlesex University, says France’s argument that Netanyahu has immunity from ICC prosecution because Israel is not party to the Rome Statute is “flimsy”.

He told Al Jazeera that this contradicts France’s stance on the ICC since it encouraged the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is legally in a similar situation as Netanyahu.

“France is playing a bit of a double game” on this, Schabas said, adding that the argument has already been rejected by the judges of the court. “Only time will tell” whether Netanyahu is going to show up in court, Schabas said, because there is no appeal process for an arrest warrant – something that the Israeli leader said he was seeking.

Number of journalists killed in Gaza rises to 190, media office says

Gaza’s Government Media Office has identified the latest journalist killed in an Israeli attack on the enclave as Alaa Fawzi Barhoum. It said Barhoum worked as a news editor for multiple media outlets.

The office said in a statement it “condemns in the strongest terms the targeting, killing and assassination of Palestinian journalists” by Israeli forces. It called on the international community to hold the Israeli government accountable and to pressure it into halting its “genocide” in Gaza.

Israeli forces kill pregnant woman in Jabalia refugee camp

We know from civilians in the north that the situation for them has reached a critical point where a residential building has been targeted and there are lots of families buried under the debris that cannot be easily removed due to the lack of essential Civil Defence services.

One of the latest Israeli attacks on Jabalia refugee camp targeted a group of civilians where we got confirmation from Al-Awda Hospital saying that a pregnant woman was killed in that attack while five others have arrived at the hospital in critical condition.

The facility of Kamal Adwan Hospital has been an active area for Israeli attacks in the past couple of hours, where two Palestinians have been confirmed killed, while here, in the central areas of Gaza, people have been under constant threat of Israeli drones.

A Doctor's Testimony: The Reality of Gaza's Suffering by Dr. Tanya Haj Hassan

Dr. Tanya Haj Hassan, a pediatric intensive care doctor with Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP), shared a harrowing account of her experiences working in Gaza, where she bore witness to the devastating humanitarian crisis. She described the systematic targeting of civilians, healthcare workers, and infrastructure, emphasizing the unimaginable toll on Palestinian lives. Through poignant stories of patients and colleagues, she highlighted the loss of entire families, the suffering of children, and the resilience of healthcare workers who continue to serve despite constant threats and personal losses. Dr. Haj Hassan detailed how hospitals have become targets of military strikes and described the horrors of forced displacement, deprivation, and the relentless psychological and physical toll on Gaza's population.

She called for urgent global action, stating that silence in the face of such atrocities perpetuates impunity and signals the erosion of humanitarian law. Dr. Haj Hassan urged the international community to move beyond pity and praise, offering meaningful solidarity and tangible support for Palestinians. Citing the courage of healthcare workers in Gaza as an inspiring model, she asked the audience to reflect on their responsibility to act and to consider what they are willing to risk to prevent further atrocities.