The Israeli army launched a series of airstrikes on southern Lebanon late Wednesday, targeting several towns and announcing the killing of a Hezbollah official. Israel also issued expulsion orders to three villages, and a Lebanese citizen was killed in a drone strike, amid ongoing violations of the ceasefire agreement in effect since November 2024.
The US Treasury Department, through the Office of Foreign Assets Control, announced new sanctions on six Palestinian charities it claims are linked to Hamas, without providing evidence. This move is part of a broader sanctions policy and coincides with the ongoing Israeli blockade on Gaza, which the US continues to support.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will skip Thursday’s launch of Trump’s “Board of Peace” at Davos after Switzerland confirmed it must cooperate with the ICC over a Gaza war crimes warrant. Despite his absence, his office confirmed Israel will join the initiative, which positions itself as an alternative to existing international bodies.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Israel he may refer it to the International Court of Justice if it fails to repeal anti-UNRWA laws and return seized property. Israel banned UNRWA operations, seized its East Jerusalem offices, and 382 of its Gaza employees have been killed amid war. UN officials consider UNRWA crucial to Gaza’s aid response.
Israeli MK Simcha Rothman boasted about Gaza’s destruction, claiming it will serve as a global model, referencing over 71,000 Palestinians martyred, starvation, and forced displacement. At a Knesset conference, ministers pledged to expand settlements and declared Gaza would be Jewish within ten years.
Dozens of artists joined doctors and humanitarian organizations in calling for the immediate restoration of medical care in Gaza, as Israel continues to block aid and entry of medical personnel. A letter to Israeli and world leaders stated that Israel’s attacks collapsed Gaza’s healthcare system and that denial of aid is part of a genocidal campaign.
Israel’s Channel 14 reported that foreign actors are arming Iranian protesters with firearms, resulting in hundreds of deaths. Iranian officials accused Israel and the U.S. of inciting the unrest, while Trump encouraged Iranians to keep protesting. Iran accused the U.S. of provoking violence and warned against foreign intervention.
US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff announced the start of phase two of Trump’s 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan, which includes disarmament, technocratic governance, and reconstruction. He claimed phase one maintained the ceasefire and delivered aid, despite over 1,000 Israeli violations causing hundreds of civilian deaths and blocking aid. All living captives and remains of 27 out of 28 deceased captives have been returned.
