Israel accused of “blatant violation” of ceasefire by Lebanese parliament speaker
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, an ally of pro-Iranian Hezbollah, accused Israel on Monday of «violation flagrante» of the ceasefire with Lebanon which entered into force on November 27. In a statement, Nabih Berri called on the committee overseeing the truce, which includes the United States and France, “to urgently take action and force Israel to stop its violations and withdraw” of Lebanese territory. Since the truce came into force, the Lebanese national information agency has reported “repeated ceasefire violations” in the south of the country by IDF forces, notably targeting border villages. The head of French diplomacy, Jean-Noël Barrot, insisted Monday to his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar on “the need for all parties to respect the ceasefire in Lebanon”, said a press release from his ministry. Sponsored by the United States and France, the ceasefire agreement provides for the withdrawal within 60 days of the Israeli army from Lebanon. Hezbollah, for its part, must retreat to the north of the Litani River, around 30 kilometers from the border, and dismantle its military infrastructure in southern Lebanon.
IDF confirms strikes in southern Lebanon but denies violation of agreement
In a statement published on Telegram this Monday afternoon, the IDF confirmed having carried out drone strikes in southern Lebanon during the morning. Strikes which left at least two dead. A Lebanese army post in eastern Lebanon and a southern border village were targeted. “An enemy drone targeted an army bulldozer that was carrying out work at an army position,” injuring a soldier, the Israeli army said. However, the Jewish state immediately rejected accusations that it was violating the truce. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said in a statement: “We hear that Israel is violating the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon” entered into force on November 27. “On the contrary, Israel enforces it” in response “violations by Hezbollah which call for immediate action”, he said in a statement. Several Israeli strikes have targeted Lebanon since the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into force on November 27. On Sunday, the Israeli army said it had killed fighters in southern Lebanon and located a tunnel “containing weapons”.
At least 44,466 dead in Gaza since the start of the war
The Hamas government's Health Ministry for the landlocked Palestinian area of Gaza announced on Monday a new death toll of 44,466 in the Palestinian territory since the start of the war with Israel almost 14 months ago. At least 37 people have been killed in the past 24 hours, the statement said, adding that 105,358 people were injured in the Gaza Strip.
Gaza has the highest number of child amputees per capita in the world
The Gaza Strip, where the war between Israel and Hamas has raged for more than a year, counts “now the highest number of child amputees per capita in the world. “Many lose limbs and undergo surgeries without even anesthesia. What we are witnessing could well be one of the most serious international crimes.affirmed this Monday in Cairo the Secretary General of the UN, Antonio Guterres, during a ministerial conference in Cairo to accelerate humanitarian aid to this devastated Palestinian territory. “The catastrophe in Gaza is nothing short of a total collapse of our common humanity. The nightmare must end. We cannot continue to look away. It’s time to act,” he added. He urges the international community to “lay the foundations for lasting peace in Gaza and throughout the Middle East.”
The “very existence” of the International Criminal Court in danger according to its president
The president of the International Criminal Court declared on Monday that the threats weighing on the institution, in particular possible American sanctions and Russian arrest warrants against staff members, “endanger its very existence”, reports the Reuters agency. Speaking at an annual conference of the court's 124 members, President Justice Tomoko Akane did not name Russia or the United States. In May 2023, Russia issued an arrest warrant for ICC Prosecutor General Karim Khan, two months after the Hague Court issued an arrest warrant for the Russian president , Vladimir Putin.
Last June, the United States House of Representatives passed a bill to sanction the court in response to Karim Khan's request to issue an arrest warrant against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former chief of staff. defense, Yoav Gallant. “The Court has been the subject of attacks aimed at undermining its legitimacy and its ability to administer justice and uphold international law and fundamental rights; coercive measures, threats, pressure and acts of sabotage”, underlined Tomoko Akane, adding that other warrants had been issued against court employees.
