Six people were killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, Lebanon's health ministry said in a statement , quoted by France Press and BTA.
The ministry indicated that an airstrike “by the Israeli enemy against the town of Beit Leif killed five people and injured five others”. In addition, “a drone strike on the city of Deir Seryan caused the death of one more person”, added the ministry.
Earlier yesterday, the Lebanese news agency NNA reported that “a drone hit a motorcycle in Deir Seryan”.
On November 27, a cease-fire agreement ended the more than two-month open war between the Lebanese Islamist movement “Hezbollah” and Israel, as a result of which nearly 4,000 people died in Lebanon and the strongholds of the pro-Iranian group were devastated.
Israel and “Hezbollah“ regularly accuse each other of breaching the agreement.
The ceasefire agreement provides for the Israeli army to withdraw from Lebanon within 60 days, and only the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers to be deployed in the southern part of the country.
"Hamas" released a video it claimed showed Israeli hostage Matan Zangauker held by the group, Reuters reported.
The footage shows a man identifying himself as Matan Zangauker, 24 years old. He is appealing to Israeli leaders to strike a deal to free the hostages the Palestinian Islamist group is still holding in the Gaza Strip.
Israel last month signed a ceasefire agreement with "Hezbollah" in Lebanon. Mediating countries, including Qatar, note that momentum has since intensified for a possible deal that would allow the release of the 100 hostages held in Gaza in exchange for dozens of Palestinian prisoners.
US President-elect Donald Trump this week sent his representative to Qatar and Israel, Reuters reports. Trump's goal is to step up his diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of the hostages before his official inauguration, scheduled for January 20.
In the course of the ongoing 15 month war in Gaza "Hamas" posted several videos of hostages begging to be released. Israeli authorities, however, said the short and processed videos were part of a propaganda tactic to pressure the government, Reuters notes.
According to the Hostage Families Forum – organization of relatives of those kidnapped by "Hamas" Israelis, the video released today by "Hamas" is proof that their loved ones are alive. The video "is further proof that after more than 420 days in captivity, there are hostages who are still alive and suffering greatly," the non-governmental organization said.