The Israeli military said it was aware of reports of around 100 casualties following a nighttime air strike on Beit Lahia in northern Gaza. However, it warned that the toll provided by Hamas authorities may not be accurate and that the incident was still under investigation. The Times of Israel reported that the IDF urged the media to carefully verify the information released by Hamas, stressing that Beit Lahia is an active combat zone.
In another piece of news, the Unifil mission in southern Lebanon confirmed that the rocket that hit the headquarters in Naqura and injured eight Austrian peacekeepers came from the north of the base. An official statement indicated that the rocket was likely launched by Hezbollah or an affiliated group. The incident is currently under investigation.
The Austrian Defense Ministry confirmed that the eight soldiers suffered only minor injuries and condemned the attack, although it did not specify its origin. Informed sources suggested that a Hezbollah rocket may have been intercepted by the Iron Dome before hitting the UNIFIL headquarters.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi expressed outrage at Europe for supporting the “genocide” in Gaza and for not taking action against Israel. Araghchi called on the UN to intervene to stop the violence in the region.
Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, expressed grave concern over Israel’s recent anti-UNRWA law, warning that it could jeopardize essential services for Palestinian refugees. He urged Israel to act in accordance with its international obligations and announced his intention to bring the issue to the attention of the UN General Assembly.
The Israeli parliament’s decision to ban the work of UNRWA has been described as “extremely worrying” by a spokeswoman for the European Commission, underlining the agency’s vital importance to millions of people in the region.
Finally, it was reported that the Israeli army announced the deaths of four soldiers during operations in the Gaza Strip. The names of the killed soldiers were released in an official statement, but no information was given about the circumstances of their deaths.
Trump’s Tariff Plans: A Day-One Agenda Against Drug and Human Trafficking In a bold move to combat drug and human smuggling, President-elect Donald Trump has announced plans to impose significant tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China immediately after his inauguration on January 20.
Government Unveils “Get Britain Working” Initiative to Combat Unemployment In a bid to rejuvenate the UK job market, the government has introduced its ambitious “Get Britain Working” initiative, promising extensive reforms aimed at reducing the benefits bill and increasing employment.