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At least 10 firefighters have been killed in an Israeli strike on a municipal building in the town of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon, the local health ministry has reported.
Smoke could be seen billowing over parts of southern Lebanon as Israel resumed its airstrikes that it claims are targeting Hezbollah.
The Lebanese health ministry, a separate authority to the Iran-backed group, says 22 people were killed and 111 wounded in Israeli strikes across the south yesterday.
More than 2080 have been killed in total, and a further 9869 wounded, since Israel began bombing Lebanon a few weeks ago.
It comes as Israeli civilians mark the anniversary of Hamas’ deadly 7 October attack, during which they killed around 1,200 people and took 251 more hostage in Gaza, 101 of which remain in the enclave. Nearly 42,000 Palestinians have since been killed by Israel’s retaliatory air and ground attack in Gaza, according to the local, Hamas-run health ministry.
Families of the hostages marched to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem this morning to mark the terror attack.
Key Points
- Israel detects missile fired from Yemen
- Hamas fires five rockets at Tel Aviv and central Israel
- In pictures: Israel mourns a year after 7 October attack
- Gazans on their year of hell: ‘The pain is indescribable’
- Israel intensifies bombing of Gaza and Lebanon
Watch: Starmer’s blunt response to suspended Labour MP’s question on Israel arms sales
Sir Keir Starmer had a blunt one-word response to a suspended Labour MP when she asked him if the government would ban all arms sales to Israel.
Speaking as the House of Commons marked the first anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, Zarah Sultana — who lost the whip after supporting a motion to abolish the two-child benefit cap — asked the prime minister if he believes Israel’s right to self-defence “justifies” the death toll in the region, adding: “And will he do what is morally and legally right and end the Government’s complicity in war crimes by banning all arms sales to Israel.”
Sir Keir replied: “No... Banning all sales would mean none for defensive purposes.”
Starmer’s blunt response to suspended Labour MP’s question on Israel arms sales
Sir Keir Starmer had a blunt one-word response to a suspended Labour MP when she asked him if the government would ban all arms sales to Israel. Speaking as the House of Commons marked the first anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, Zarah Sultana — who lost the whip after supporting a motion to abolish the two-child benefit cap — asked the prime minister if he believes Israel’s right to self-defence “justifies” the death toll in the region, adding: “And will he do what is morally and legally right and end the Government’s complicity in war crimes by banning all arms sales to Israel.” Sir Keir replied: “No... Banning all sales would mean none for defensive purposes.”
Athena Stavrou7 October 2024 18:23 1728320511Vigils held for victims of Hamas attack
The victims of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel have been remembered at a vigil in Hove.
Their names were read out to a silent crowd who gathered in Palmeira Square on Monday, a year after the deadly attack and kidnappings.
A prayer was also said for the victims.
Athena Stavrou7 October 2024 18:01 1728319369Starmer denies government has ‘stepped back’ from Israel support
Sir Keir Starmer disputed claims that there had been a “stepping back” in the Government’s support of Israel.
The Prime Minister said: “There’s been no stepping back of support for Israel, we’ve been absolutely robust in that support.”
Tory MP Greg Smith (Mid Buckinghamshire) had asked: “Some of the decisions he has taken has led to a feeling that this Government has stepped back its support for Israel, not least in the restoration of the funding for UNRWA. Does the Prime Minister regret that and will he revisit that decision?”
Elsewhere, Conservative former minister Robert Jenrick said there had been an “explosion of antisemitism” in the UK since the October 7 attacks in Israel, adding: “We have to root out those who despise our country and our values.
“What will the Prime Minister do to revoke visas, where appropriate, of those in the UK who are conducting themselves in this manner, to encourage the police to enforce our existing laws without fear or favour, and defer the ban and proscribe those organisations such as the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps)?”
Sir Keir replied: “We are proud of the democratic right to protest in this country but supporting a proscribed terrorist group is unacceptable and we need to be very, very clear about that and give the police our full support in taking the action they need to take in relation to it, wherever it is in the United Kingdom.”
Biden marks anniversary of October 7 attacks with White House candle-lighting ceremony
President Joe Biden on Monday marked the grim anniversary of the October 7 attacks on Israel in a small White House ceremony accompanied by a prayer and a memorial candle, one year since Hamas militants killed at least 1,200 and took 250 hostages in the surprise attack.
Biden stood in the Blue Room of the White House alongside First Lady Jill Biden and Rabbi Aaron Alexander, the head rabbi at Washington’s Adas Israel Congregation, as Alexander offered a prayer in both Hebrew and English.
The prayer, known as “El Malei Rachamim” — or “God of Mercy:” in English — is a prayer for the soul of a person who has died that is recited during burial and memorial services.
The Independent’s White House correspondent Andrew Feinberg has the full story:
Biden marks year since October 7 attacks with White House candle-lighting ceremony
Biden says his administration ‘will not stop working to achieve a ceasefire deal in Gaza that brings the hostages home, allows for a surge in humanitarian aid to ease the suffering on the ground, assures Israel’s security, and ends this war’
Athena Stavrou7 October 2024 17:36 1728317799Starmer says stopping all UK arms sales to Israel will 'never’ be his position.
Sir Keir Starmer has ruled out a total ban on arms sales to Israel, amid claims such a move could aid Gaza ceasefire efforts.
The Prime Minister said a complete ban would cover arms being used for defensive purposes, adding this would be the “wrong position” for the UK to adopt given Iran’s recent ballistic missile attack on Israel.
The UK Government has previously suspended around 30 arms exports to Israel over concerns they could be used in violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza.
Sir Keir’s remarks came in response to calls for a total ban from independent MPs Richard Burgon and Zarah Sultana, who both lost the Labour whip in July for backing an SNP motion on welfare policy.
Sir Keir told the Commons: “If sale of weapons for defensive use by Israel were banned, that is a position that I could not countenance a year after October the 7th. It is not a position I could countenance in the face of attacks by Iran.
“The whole House saw the number of missiles coming over into Israel only the other day, and the idea that we could say we support Israel’s right to defend herself, and at the same time deprive her of the means to do so, is so wholly inconsistent that it will never be my position.”
Moment man destroys Jewish memorial before October 7 anniversary
Moment man destroys Jewish memorial before October 7 anniversary
A man was filmed damaging a Jewish memorial in Brighton ahead of the first anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Sussex police said they received a report on 4 October and were aware of a video circulating online relating to a man damaging the Jewish memorial in Palmeira Square, Hove. The incident is being treated as a hate crime. Detective Superintendent Ben Newman said: “An investigation is underway, and if you have information to help us identify the person responsible, we ask you to contact police online or by calling 101 quoting reference 158 of 04/10.” The incident came one day before a memorial event in Palmeira Square to commemorate one year since the October 7 attack.
Tom Watling7 October 2024 17:01 1728315916Watch: Israeli hostages’ families march to Netanyahu’s home on 7 October anniversary
Watch: Israeli hostages’ families march to Netanyahu’s home on 7 October anniversary
Families of Israeli hostages held captive by Hamas today marched to Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem to demand the prime minister sign a deal to bring the remaining 101 hostages home. At 6.29 am on Monday, the exact moment Hamas’s 7 October attack started a year ago - they played an air raid siren - and held a minute of silence to remember the victims and hostages. Among those marching included Shir Siegel, the daughter of American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel, who was seized by Hamas militants from Kibbutz Kfar Azar. Ms Siegel said: “I couldn’t have imagined in my worst nightmares that a year would pass and my father would not be home. “He has been sitting in the tunnels in Gaza and nobody has come to save him.”
Tom Watling7 October 2024 16:45 1728315346Israeli fighter jets hit 120 targets in southern Lebanon
The Israeli air force staged a massive attack on southern Lebanon using 100 fighter jets to hit more than 120 targets, the military has said.
The military said the jets attacked Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon for an hour.
“These attacks are added to a series of attacks designed to deepen the damage to Hezbollah’s command, control and firing capabilities, and to assist the manoeuvring ground forces to achieve their goals,” the military said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.
In pictures: Destroyed buildings seen in Lebanon following airstrikes
US issues new Hamas-related sanctions, Treasury Dept website shows
The United States issued new Hamas-related sanctions on the anniversary of the Palestinian militant group’s 7 October, 2023, attack on Israel, the Treasury Department website showed on Monday.
Tom Watling7 October 2024 16:03 Newer1 / 8OlderDisclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
