► Gaza: 11 dead, including 7 children, in Israeli strikes
Medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported that several Israeli strikes targeted the town of Khan Younes, in the south of the Gaza Strip, on Tuesday evening, January 7, killing 11 people, including seven children.
At least five strikes hit areas of Khan Yunis, including one in the Al-Mawasi area, where thousands of displaced Palestinians live in tents.
Four children were killed when a drone strike hit their tent in the Al-Mawasi area, reported the health ministry of Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist movement that has been at war with Israel since October 7, 2023.
► Qatar confirms the continuation of discussions on a truce in Gaza
Discussions on a truce in the Gaza Strip continue at a high level « technique »affirmed Qatar, which plays the role of mediator between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas.
“Technical meetings continue between the two parties”Qatar Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said, referring to discussions between representatives of the main negotiators on the details of an agreement.
There is no delegation of “higher level” right now, he added. “Many subjects are under discussion”indicated the Qatari official, who said he did not want to go into details “to protect the integrity of the negotiations”.
► Israel extends the closure of Al Jazeera offices in the West Bank
Israeli authorities have extended their order to close the Al Jazeera bureau in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, a few days after the Palestinian Authority suspended broadcasting of the Qatari channel there for four months.
Israeli soldiers posted the extension order Tuesday morning at the entrance to the building housing Al Jazeera's offices in central Ramallah, a city under the full security control of the Palestinian Authority.
The extension applies from December 22 for 45 days. In September, Israeli forces raided the channel's offices in Ramallah and issued an initial 45-day closure order.
The Israeli government previously approved a decision in May banning Al Jazeera from broadcasting from Israel and closed its offices for a similar period of 45 days, extended for the fourth time by a Tel Aviv court in September.
► Three Palestinians killed by the Israeli army in the West Bank
The Israeli army said it killed three Palestinian activists on Tuesday in raids. “counter-terrorism” in the northern occupied West Bank, with the Palestinian Authority reporting a teenager among them.
Two activists were killed when the air force struck a “armed terrorist cell” who opened fire on Israeli forces carrying out a raid in the town of Tammoun, the Israeli army said in a statement.
The Palestinian Red Crescent said its teams transported the body of a young man, 18, from Tammoun, killed “following a bombing”and that five other people were seriously injured during the Israeli raid.
In separate operation Tuesday, Israeli army says it killed activist “during close combat” in the village of Talouza, near the city of Nablus. The Palestinian Red Crescent said it had recovered the body of the man, aged 40.
► Lebanon: start of withdrawal of Israeli forces from a border town
US envoy Amos Hochstein, visiting Lebanon, announced that Israeli forces began their withdrawal on Monday from the border town of Naqoura, in the far south of the country, more than a month after the entry into force of the ceasefire between the Israeli army and Hezbollah.
“The Israeli army began its withdrawal from Naqoura (…) and returned to Israel, south of the Blue Line, today”declared the American envoy in reference to the border demarcated by the UN between the two countries.
“These withdrawals will continue until all Israeli forces completely leave Lebanon, and while the Lebanese army continues to deploy south to the Blue Line.”he added after his meeting with the President of Parliament, Nabih Berri, an ally of Hezbollah.
Since November 27, this is the second Israeli withdrawal in southern Lebanon.
