Israel-Hamas war: Hezbollah decries Saleh Arouri killing

The United States has criticized the case being brought against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) by South Africa.

The Hague-based court is set to begin public hearings next week after South Africa alleged that Israel is committing "genocidal acts against the people in Gaza."

But White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby called the filing "meritless, counterproductive and completely without any basis in fact whatsoever."

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller also cast doubt on the allegations: "We have not at this point seen acts that constitute genocide."

"Genocide is, of course, a heinous atrocity," Miller told reporters. "Those are allegations that should not make be made lightly."

South Africa, which has often condemned Israel's treatment of Palestinians, drawing comparisons with its own history of apartheid, accused Israel of acting "with the requisite specific intent... to destroy Palestinians in Gaza as part of the broader Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group."

It is seeking an order to compel Israel to cease its military operations in Gaza. Israel has said it will defend itself in the ICJ and accused South Africa of perpetrating ancient "blood libel" conspiracies.

Germany and France condemned comments made by two far-right Israeli ministers after they suggested the war in Gaza could result in the resettlement of the Palestinian people.

"We reject the statements made by the two ministers in the strongest possible terms. They are neither sensible nor helpful," the German Foreign Office said Wednesday.

The French Foreign Ministry said Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's comments were "irresponsible and fuel tensions."

"The future of the Gaza Strip and its inhabitants will lie in a unified Palestinian state living in peace and security side-by-side with Israel," it added.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell echoed the remarks by Germany and France and called the ministers' statements "inflammatory." 

"Forced displacements are strictly prohibited as a grave violation of IHL (international humanitarian law) & words matter," he said on social media. 

Israel's military confirmed Wednesday a 25-year-old hostage who had been held by Hamas militants in Gaza was killed during an Israeli special forces attempt last month to free him.

"At this stage, we are unable to determine the circumstances around his death and whether he was killed by (Israeli) fire or he was murdered by Hamas," the army said in a statement.

Sahar Baruch was taken from Kibbutz Be'eri during the terror attack by Hamas and other militant groups on Israel on October 7.

The army said it had notified Baruch's family that he was killed during "an attempt to rescue him on December 8."

Hamas, designated as a terrorist group by the European Union, as well as the US, Israel and several other countries, announced his death on December 9, saying he was killed during an attempt by the army to rescue him and released a video showing his remains.

Israeli authorities say there are still around 129 hostages being held by Hamas and other extremist groups in the Gaza Strip. 

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Wednesday warned Israel against waging war on Lebanon.

"If the enemy thinks of waging a war on Lebanon, we will fight without restraint, without rules, without limits, and without restrictions," Nasrallah said in a televised speech.

"We are not afraid of war," he added.

His warning comes a day after Saleh Arouri, a senior Hamas official, was killed in a drone attack in Beirut.

Arouri was a key contact for Hamas and Hezbollah, two Iran-allied groups that Israel, the United States, Germany and others have classified as terrorist organizations.

Nasrallah said Arouri's death represented "a major, dangerous crime about which we cannot be silent."

He blamed the attack on Israel, although the country has not confirmed whether it was behind Tuesday's strike.

Hezbollah and Israeli forces have exchanged rocket fire numerous times since the October 7 terror attacks by Hamas on Israel, sparking fears that Israeli military operations in Gaza could spread across the region. 

However, clashes have so far been largely limited to exchanges of fire over their shared border.

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said there ought to be a solution to the ongoing battle in Gaza.

"I believe that we have learned in these 30 years that the solution has to be imposed from outside because the two parties will never be able to reach an agreement," Borrell said at an event hosted by the Portuguese Foreign Ministry in Lisbon, warning also that "if this tragedy doesn't end soon, the entire Middle East might end up in flames."

Israel was on high alert for an escalation with Lebanon's powerful Hezbollah militia after a strike in the Lebanese capital killed Saleh Arouri, the most senior Hamas member slain since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7.

"What happened yesterday with the death of one of the leaders of Hamas is yet another factor that could push the conflict to escalate," Borrell said, adding he had plans to visit the Middle East, including Lebanon, to "explore ways out" of the conflict.

Borrell also said he would present to the EU member states a proposal to create a mission to contribute to security in the Red Sea.The proposal is set to be presented on Thursday and would require unanimity among member states for it to be implemented, he said.  

 

The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has said it is "deeply concerned" about the potential for escalation in the region following a strike in Beirut that killed senior Hamas official Saleh Arouri. 

UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel said an escalation could have devastating consequences for people on both sides of the Blue Line, which divides Lebanon from Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The UNIFIL mission has been monitoring the border area there since 1978.

"We continue to implore all parties to cease their fire, and any interlocutors with influence to urge restraint," Ardiel said in comments carried by the Reuters news agency.

Israel has neither confirmed nor denied that it was behind the strike that killed Arouri in the Lebanese capital on Tuesday. However, military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said Israeli forces were in a "very high state of readiness" and prepared for any scenario.

French President Emmanuel Macron also called for restraint late Tuesday in a phone call with Israeli minister and War Cabinet member Benny Gantz.

"It is essential to avoid any escalatory attitude, particularly in Lebanon," Macron said, according to a readout of the phone call. 

"France will continue to pass these messages to all actors involved directly or indirectly in the area."

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas militants has killed at least 22,313 Palestinians, with some 57,296 more injured, Hamas-run health authorities in Gaza said on Wednesday.

In the past 24 hours alone, some 128 people were killed and 261 more were injured, the authorities added.

International humanitarian agencies consider the numbers provided by the Hamas-run Health Ministry to be broadly reliable, although the ministry does not provide separate tolls for civilians and combatants.

Israel has disputed Palestinian casualty figures, saying it has killed 8,000 militants.

Hamas is designated as a terrorist group by the European Union, the United States and several other governments.

US spy agencies believe that militant group Hamas kept hostages at al-Shifa hospital in Gaza but evacuated the facility before Israeli troops arrived, sources told The Associated Press and Reuters news agencies.

Hamas is classified as a terror group by the US, EU, Germany and other governments.

"The US intelligence community is confident in its judgment on this topic and has independently corroborated information on Hamas and [Palestinian Islamic Jihad] use of the hospital complex for a variety of purposes related to its campaign against Israel," reads an assessment provided to the media under the condition of anonymity.

It said US officials believe Hamas "used the al Shifa hospital complex and sites beneath it to house command infrastructure, exercise certain command and control activities, store some weapons, and hold at least a few hostages."

An intelligence official said the US had independently confirmed the information, but did not present any proof.

The US State Department has urged two far-right Israeli lawmakers to "stop immediately" after they advocated for the resettlement of Palestinians outside of the Gaza Strip.

On Sunday, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called on Palestinian residents of Gaza to leave the territory while National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also said the fighting "presented an "opportunity to concentrate on encouraging the migration of the residents of Gaza."

"This rhetoric is inflammatory and irresponsible," the State Department said in a statement on Tuesday.

"We have been told repeatedly and consistently by the government of Israel, including by the prime Minister, that such statements do not reflect the policy of the Israeli government."

"We have been clear, consistent, and unequivocal that Gaza is Palestinian land and will remain Palestinian land, with Hamas no longer in control of its future and with no terror groups able to threaten Israel," the US State Department added.

The Al-Amal hospital in southern Gaza was hit by strikes on Tuesday, World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

The hospital in Khan Younis is run by the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS). Tedros said the "unconscionable" strikes killed five civilians and severely damaged a Red Crescent training center.

"The attacks, according to the PRCS, killed at least five civilians, including a 5-day old infant," Tedros said.

"14,000 people were sheltering at the hospital in the besieged southern Gaza city of Khan Younis. Many of them have now left, and those remaining are extremely fearful for their safety and planning to leave a place they had turned to for refuge and protection."

He added: "Hospitals, ambulances, health workers, and people seeking care must be protected, at all times, under international humanitarian law."

WHO staff visited the hospital on Tuesday and reported extensive damage and the displacement of civilians, he added.

Tedros added that "Hospitals, ambulances, health workers, and people seeking care must be protected, at all times, under international humanitarian law" and once again reiterated calls for an immediate cease-fire.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said late on Tuesday that it remains prepared to carry out offensive and defensive operations.

"The IDF is in a very high state of readiness in all arenas, in defense and offense," army spokesperson Daniel Hagari said in a statement on social media.

"We are highly prepared for any scenario. The most important thing to say tonight is that we are focused and remain focused on fighting Hamas."

Hamas is considered a terror group by the US, the EU, Germany and others.

The comments come after continued fighting on Tuesday and a strike in Beirut that killed senior Hamas official Saleh Arouri.

Israel has not issued a statement in response to Arouri's death in Beirut.

Arouri was considered number two in the Hamas heirarchy and was one of the founders of the group's military wing. He had led their organization in the West Bank.

lo,rmt, zc/wd, nm, kb (Reuters, AP, AFP, dpa)