CAIRO: Israel carried out deadly airstrikes again on Saturday, targeting areas in Gaza and southern Lebanon, despite ongoing ceasefire agreements. At least 21 people were killed in Gaza and one in southern Lebanon. Palestinian resistance groups, however, maintain their commitment to the truce.
Local health authorities reported that the strikes in Gaza killed at least 21 people and injured several others, challenging the stability of the six-week-old ceasefire. Witnesses and medics said the first strike hit a car in the densely populated Rimal neighborhood, causing it to catch fire. It remains unclear whether all five victims were passengers or included bystanders. Numerous locals rushed to put out the flames and help the injured.
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Following the car attack, the Israeli air force conducted two more airstrikes targeting residential areas in Deir Al-Balah city and Nuseirat camp in central Gaza. Medics confirmed that at least four people were killed and several more were wounded in these strikes.
Ceasefire Challenges Persist:
Since the October 10 ceasefire, some respite has been felt, allowing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to return to Gaza and facilitating increased humanitarian aid. However, violence has not entirely ceased.
Palestinian health officials report that Israeli strikes have killed 316 people in Gaza since the ceasefire began, while Israel confirms that three of its soldiers have died during the same period. Analysts warn that Israel may be aiming to reassert control over the region, raising concerns about the durability of the truce.
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Attacks in Lebanon:
Violence continued in southern Lebanon on Saturday when an Israeli strike claimed the life of one person, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. The incident marks the latest breach despite a nearly year-long ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
The ministry said the fatality resulted from “an Israeli enemy strike” targeting a vehicle in Zawtar al-Sharqiyah. Local media, including the National News Agency, identified the deceased as Kamel Reda Qarnabash.
In a separate incident, the ministry reported that five people were injured after an Israeli drone dropped a grenade in the town of Shaqra.
The Israeli military has not immediately responded to the deadly strike in Zawtar al-Sharqiyah but stated that its forces had targeted “several Hezbollah launchers recently located within military sites in southern Lebanon.”
Lebanon has accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire established in November 2024, citing continued airstrikes and the presence of Israeli forces within its territory. The health ministry noted that since the ceasefire, over 330 people have died and 945 others have been injured in Lebanon.
These attacks come just days after an Israeli strike on the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon on Tuesday night, which left 13 people dead.
Canadian PM, UAE President Hold Talks:
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on November 20 in Abu Dhabi to strengthen bilateral relations and discuss a peace initiative for Gaza, according to a statement from the Canadian government on Saturday.
Commitment to Gaza Peace:
During the meeting, both leaders emphasized their shared dedication to achieving a “comprehensive, just, and lasting peace” in Gaza, centered on a two-state solution that would allow for an independent Palestinian state coexisting peacefully alongside Israel.
Support for International Efforts:
The leaders also expressed support for US President Donald Trump’s “comprehensive peace plan” aimed at resolving the conflict in Gaza. Additionally, they highlighted the importance of UN Security Council Resolution 2803 as a crucial framework for implementing these peace efforts.
Pakistan Strongly Condemns Israeli Attacks:
Pakistan has condemned, in the strongest possible terms, the attacks by Israeli occupying forces across Gaza, which have reportedly resulted in the deaths of several Palestinian civilians, including women and children, and have left many more wounded.
“Such actions constitute a blatant violation of international law, relevant UN resolutions, and the recently concluded peace agreement at Sharm el-Sheikh. These attacks also undermine international efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace and stability in the region,” said Foreign Office in its statement.
The Government of Pakistan has reiterated its call upon the international community to take immediate steps to end Israeli impunity and ceasefire violations, and to uphold international human rights and humanitarian law.
Pakistan has also reaffirmed its principled position in favor of the establishment of an independent, sovereign, viable, and contiguous State of Palestine, based on pre-June 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
