Middle East Latest: Human Rights Watch Accuses Israel of War Crimes in Gaza Strip

Jerusalem: Human Rights Watch says Israel is committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza Strip, including massive forced displacements that amount to ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from parts of Gaza.

Palestinians have been killed while evacuating under Israeli orders and in Israeli-designated humanitarian zones, where hundreds of thousands are crammed into squalid tent camps, according to report released Thursday by New York-based rights watchdog.

report said widespre, deliberate demolition of homes and civilian infrastructure throughout Gaza, particularly in a military ro that cuts Gaza in half as well as a buffer zone along border, was likely to "permanently displace" many Palestinians.

Israel said report distorts facts and leaves out important context, blaming civilian casualties on Hamas operating in residential areas and emphasizing that Israel does not deliberately target civilians.

Israel's blistering 13-month war in Gaza has killed over 43,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to local health officials who do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

Israel has also been striking deeper inside Lebanon since September as it escalates war against Hezbollah. After 13 months of war, more than 3,300 people have been killed and more than 14,400 wounded, Lebanon's Health Ministry says.

Israel-Hamas war began after Palestinian militants stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducting 250 ors. Lebanon's Hezbollah group began firing into Israel on October 8, 2023, in solidarity with Hamas in Gaza. Since n, fighting has left some 76 people de in Israel, including 31 soldiers.

Here's latest: Israeli strike kills at least 12 Lebanese rescuers in a civil defense centre Beirut: An Israeli airstrike on a civil defence centre in eastern Lebanon killed at least 12 emergency rescue workers on Thursday, Health Ministry said.

In a statement, Lebanon's civil defense said strike completely destroyed its centre in Douris in Baalbek province with a number of members inside, "rey to receive calls for relief and immediate intervention to provide assistance to citizens".

Three members were wounded in strike, statement said, ding that rescue operations were ongoing to look for more people under rubble.

re was no immediate comment from Israeli army. Lebanon's civil defense forces have no affiliation with militant group Hezbollah, and provide crucial rescue and medical services in one of world's most war-torn nations.

Health Ministry condemned what it called a “barbaric attack on a Lebanese state-run health center,” ding that “it is second Israeli attack on a health emergency facility in less than two hours.” In South Lebanon, an Israeli strike on Arabsalim village targeted Health Authority Association, a civil defense and rescue group linked to Hezbollah, killing six people, including four paramedics, Health Ministry said.

ministry said that since October 8, 2023, 192 medical and rescue workers have been killed while 308 have been wounded. ditionally, 88 medical and ambulatory centres have been affected, along with 65 hospitals, while 218 medical organisations have been targeted.

Elsewhere in Baalbek-Hermel province, Israeli strikes killed four more people in two different villages, Health Ministry said.

In sourn Lebanon, Israeli strikes killed 11 more people in six different villages in Tyre province, according to ministry.

Lebanon's Health Ministry said Thursday that death toll in Lebanon since war began on Oct. 8, 2023 has reached 3,386 while number of wounded climbed to 14,417. This includes 658 women and 220 children killed.

A top aide to Israel's Netanyahu is investigated over altering October 7 phone records Jerusalem: Israeli media say that a top aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is suspected of altering official phone records connected to October 7 Hamas attacks to benefit his boss.

Multiple reports on Thursday said that Netanyahu's chief of staff, Tzachi Braverman, is suspected of changing time stamp of a conversation prime minister held with his military secretary in first minutes of attack.

reports were confirmed by an Israeli official who spoke on condition of anonymity due to ongoing investigation.

According to reports, Netanyahu spoke to military official at 6:29 am on a standard phone line and n again at 6:40 am on a special secure line.

Braverman is suspected of changing time stamp of second conversation, in which extent of attack became clearer to two men, to 6:29 a.m.

It was not immediately clear why Braverman me change. He was reportedly questioned for three hours on Thursday. Netanyahu's office h no immediate comment.

allegations come as anor Netanyahu aide, Eli Feldstein, is suspected of leaking classified documents to foreign media. Critics have said leaks were meant to bolster Netanyahu as cease-fire talks with Hamas were collapsing.

Netanyahu, who alrey is on trial in a series of corruption cases, has not been named as a suspect in latest scandals.

Associated Press writer Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed.

UN peacekeepers in sourn Lebanon are shot at by unknown individuals; no casualties reported Beirut: Unknown individuals opened fire on a convoy of United Nations peacekeepers in sourn Lebanon on Thursday, UN force said.

None of UN peacekeepers or ir vehicles were harmed by around 30 shots fired in ir direction, according to a statement from mission known as UNIFIL. patrol returned fire from ir vehicles and was able to leave area.

attack came shortly after peacekeepers discovered a cache of ammunition near roway and informed Lebanese Armed Forces, UNIFIL said. patrol h stopped to clear debris from ro in Qalaouiyeh village in Bint Jbeil province, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) east of port city of Tyre.

Despite ongoing combat between Israeli troops and Hezbollah militants, UN remains committed to keeping UNIFIL in all of its positions in sourn Lebanon, UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix told reporters in Lebanon on Thursday.

peacekeeping mission urged Lebanese authorities to ensure safety of its peacekeepers, requesting a thorough investigation into episode.

UNIFIL has monitored escalating violence along Blue Line despite Israeli calls for a 5-kilometer pullback. In recent weeks, mission has reported that Israeli forces allegedly destroyed UN observation equipment, and several peacekeepers have been injured in ongoing crossfire.

Hospital director in norrn Gaza tells of desperate conditions during Israeli siege Deir Al-Balah (Gaza Strip): director of recently raided and barely functioning Kamal wan Hospital in norrnmost Gaza described dire conditions on Thursday as Israeli forces conduct a major offensive and allow virtually no food or humanitarian aid into area.

“We cannot provide even a single meal to patients, which prolongs wound healing, nor can we offer a meal to healthcare workers who work around clock,” said Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya in a statement.

hospital is seeing cases of both kids and ults who are malnourished and dehydrated, he said, and is running extremely low on medical supplies. Last week, experts from a panel that monitors food security said famine is imminent in north or may alrey be happening.

Abu Safiya said hospital gets phone calls from civilians trapped alive under buildings destroyed by Israeli bombardments, but re's no way to rescue m because re aren't any ambulances or equipment.

“Sly, next day, ir voices were gone, and y were counted among de, with ir homes becoming ir graves,” doctor said. “This scene is repeated daily.” UN says an aid convoy in Gaza was fired on and food stolen in an episode of lawlessness United Nations: United Nations says 14 trucks in a 20-truck convoy carrying humanitarian aid were shot at and food stolen in central Gaza, injuring three drivers.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters Thursday trucks collected aid from newly opened Kisufim border crossing with Israel and were heing to a warehouse in Deir Al-Balah when shots rang out.

He called it a “law and order” episode — not result of firing from eir of parties to war in Gaza.

Dujarric said six or trucks reached warehouse.

“As we've said repeatedly, it is also critical that Israeli authorities facilitate movement of aid workers and supplies across Gaza Strip,” he said.

“For months we've been calling for opening of more land routes, both into and within Gaza,” Dujarric said. “But we also need increased access and security assurances as well as more supplies so y can quickly reach all people across Gaza at necessary scale.” U.N. spokesman said “It is also vital that essential commercial goods enter Gaza Strip.” Freed Israeli hostages meet with Pope Francis, calling for a deal to free loved ones held in Gaza Rome: A delegation of former Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and ir relatives met Thursday with Pope Francis and expressed hope that incoming and outgoing US ministrations would work toger bring remaining 101 hostages home.

former hostages included Yelena Troufanov, who was released last November but whose son Sasha is still in Gaza and appeared in a video released Wednesday by Palestinian Islamic Jih group.

“You see in picture how my child has changed over course of this year,” Yelena Troufanov told a press conference in Rome after papal audience. “I am very worried about his condition, I see that he is not in a good mental state and not in a good physical state.” She and or former hostages and relatives renewed ir calls for a deal to bring remaining hostages home, especially with winter approaching. y said y hoped incoming Trump ministration would work with Biden ministration to push process forward.

Israel-Hezbollah war has cost Lebanon USD 8.5 billion in physical damages and economic losses, World Bank says Beirut: World Bank estimated Thursday that Lebanon has been hit by USD 8.5 billion in physical damages and economic losses from 13 months of Israel's war against Hezbollah militant group.

Damages to physical infrastructure alone were valued at USD 3.4 billion, while economic losses totalled USD 5.1 billion, according to World Bank's assessment. Housing has borne brunt of destruction with nearly 100,000 units damaged, totalling USD 3.2 billion in destruction and losses.

Lebanon was alrey reeling from a severe economic crisis that has gripped country since 2019. war is expected to shrink Lebanon's real GDP growth by at least 6.6 per cent in 2024, worsening an alrey dire economic situation after five consecutive years of steep recession, report said.

World Bank's report also said that approximately 166,000 individuals have lost ir jobs, resulting in an estimated USD 168 million in lost earnings.

Or sectors have suffered as well, with commerce losses nearing USD 2 billion due to disrupted businesses and agricultural losses reaching USD 1.2 billion as crops, livestock, and farmers have been severely impacted, report said.

In comparison, after month-long war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006, World Bank h estimated damage from hostilities at USD 2.8 billion, “with indirect damages accounting for anor USD 700-USD 500 million in losses.” Peacekeeping chief says UN remains committed to operating in Lebanon Beirut: United Nations peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix said UN remains committed to keeping its peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL, in place in all of its positions in sourn Lebanon despite intense battles between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants.

UNIFIL has continued to monitor escalating conflict between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah across boundary known as Blue Line despite Israeli calls for peacekeepers to pull back 5 kilometers (3 miles) from border. UNIFIL has accused Israel of deliberately destroying observation equipment, and 13 peacekeepers have been injured in fighting.

Lacroix visited some of wounded peacekeepers during his trip to Lebanon Thursday.

UNIFIL forces “continue to be deployed in all positions, and we think it is very important to preserve that presence everywhere,” LaCroix said. He ded that h UNIFIL vacated its positions, y might have been taken over by one of warring parties.

“We have a responsibility to make sure that UN continues to be seen as neutral and impartial,” he said.

Lebanon reports 9 killed in airstrike on eastern city; strikes continue targeting Beirut suburb Beirut: An Israeli airstrike hit a building in Baalbek city in eastern Lebanon, killing at least nine people and wounding five ors, Lebanon's state media said.

strike on Baalbek came without warning. Israeli military did not immediately comment and target was not clear.

Israeli warplanes intensified airstrikes on Thursday, targeting various areas in sourn and eastern Lebanon, including outskirts of sourn port city of Tyre city and Nabatieh province, National News Agency said.

Throughout day, sporic airstrikes targeted Beirut's sourn suburbs in a clear uptick in attacks on area over past two days, with Israeli army issuing evacuation warnings for several locations and buildings in suburbs.

Israeli military said it carried out strikes on Hezbollah targets in Dahiyeh area, including weapons storage facilities and command centres.

Lebanon's Health Ministry said death toll in Lebanon since war began on October 8, 2023 has reached 3,365 while those wounded are 14,344. Nearly 1.2 million people have been displaced in Lebanon.

Before war intensified on Sept. 23, Hezbollah h said that it h lost nearly 500 members but group has stopped releasing statements about ir killed fighters since.

2 Israeli airstrikes in Syria kill at least 15, state media report Damascus (Syria): Syria's state news agency says Israel carried out two airstrikes on a western neighbourhood Damascus and one of capital's suburbs, killing at least 15 people.

One of strikes targeted an office of Palestinian Islamic Jih group. Sixteen people were also wounded in airstrikes, state news agency SANA said, quoting an unnamed military official.

SANA said airstrikes on Mazzeh neighborhood in Damascus and suburb of Qudsaya northwest of capital struck two buildings. An Associated Press journalist at scene in Mazzeh said a five-story building was damaged by a missile that hit basement.

An official with Palestinian Islamic Jih Group said strike in Mazzeh targeted one of ir offices, and that several members of group were killed. official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to media about group's affairs.

SANA said Syria's air defences were activated against a “hostile target” south of central city of Homs. It gave no furr details.

Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria targeting members of Lebanon's Hezbollah and officials from Iranian-backed groups.