Live Updates: Israeli strikes kill 73 Palestinians in Gaza's Beit Lahia

Sunday, October 20, 2024

05:46 GMT — Israeli strikes kill 73 Palestinians in Gaza's Beit Lahia

At least 73 people have been killed in an Israeli air strike on a residential block in Beit Lahia, a town in northern Gaza, according to Gaza Media Office.

Many remain trapped under the rubble, and officials fear the death toll will rise. As rescue efforts continue, details of the attack are still emerging.

The attack comes amid a communications blackout in the area, with northern Gaza enduring a 16-day Israeli military siege. The siege has left residents cut off from food, water, medicine and essential services.

05:20 GMT — At least 7 killed in Israeli strikes across Lebanon

Israeli warplanes launched intense strikes on 24 towns in Lebanon that killed at least seven people, including a mayor and a paramedic, according to Lebanon's National News Agency.

At least 21 others were injured.

The strikes in southern Lebanon targeted the districts of Tyre and Jezzine, Nabatiyeh, Bint Jbeil, Marjayoun and Hasbaiyya.

In the east, air strikes targeted the Baalbek and western Bekaa. In central Lebanon, they focused on the Aalay district in Mount Lebanon.

04:46 GMT — Israeli army says it intercepted drones launched from Syria, east

The Israeli army said it intercepted two drones — one launched from Syria and the other from the east.

The army said it "intercepted a drone in the Golan Heights that was launched from Syria".

In a separate statement, it said that "the air force intercepted a drone heading toward the city of Eilat in the south before it crossed into Israeli territory."

It did not specify the source of the drone that approached from the east.

03:55 GMT — Netanyahu accuses 'Iranian proxies' for assassination attempt

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused "Iranian proxies" of attempting to assassinate him and his wife, following a drone attack on his private residence.

"The agents of Iran who tried to assassinate me and my wife today made a bitter mistake," said Netanyahu, according to the Times of Israel.

The prime minister's office said the drone from Lebanon targeted Netanyahu's private home in Caesarea in northern Israel. It added that the premier and his family were not home at the time of the attack.

03:20 GMT — Lebanon's Hezbollah strikes military bases, soldier gatherings in northern Israel

Lebanese group Hezbollah said it had targeted groups of soldiers in northern Israel and military sites near the border between the two countries with rockets and artillery.

Hezbollah said in a series of statements on Telegram that it fired rocket barrages at 15 gatherings of Israeli soldiers in settlements of Shlomi, Malakiya, Avivim, Abirim, Ayta Ash-Shaab, Beit Hillel , al-Marj, Zar’it, al-Bassa and Kfar Kila.

The group further said that it targeted military bases in Nasher area, east of Haifa, settlements in the Karyot region, and the cities of Safed, Rosh Pinna and Kiryat Shmona.

02:30 GMT — Egyptian president urges immediate end to wars in Gaza, Lebanon

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el Sisi on Saturday called for an immediate end to the fighting in Gaza and Lebanon, urging stronger efforts towards ceasefire and the exchange of hostages in Gaza.

His comments came in a meeting with a bipartisan delegation from the US House of Representatives, led by Congressman Tom Cole, chair of the Appropriations Committee, according to the Egyptian presidency.

The meeting focused on regional conditions, with Sisi addressing the US delegation on restoring peace and stability in the region while avoiding the expansion of the current conflicts into a broader war.

For our live updates from Saturday, October 19, 2024, click here.