By Usaid Siddiqui

     Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Israeli strikes on the country’s south killed at least 11 people, including six rescue workers, and 23 in the east. 

     Multiple Israeli attacks on Gaza kill at least 40 Palestinians from north to south since dawn, including a helicopter air strike on a hospital shelter for war displaced. 

     Qatar says reports of its withdrawal from mediation efforts not true but suspended until all sides show “willingness and seriousness” to end the war. 

     The independent Famine Review Committee of global food security experts warns action must be taken “within days” to avert famine in northern Gaza and “alleviate this catastrophic situation” during a month-long Israeli military siege. 

     Israel’s genocide in Gaza has killed at least 43,552 Palestinians and injured 102,765 since October 7, 2023. An estimated 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led attacks that day and more than 200 taken captive. 

     In Lebanon, at least 3,136 people have been killed and 13,979 wounded in Israeli attacks since the war on Gaza began.

    Qatar will resume mediation effort once all sides show ‘willingness, seriousness’

    Qatar’s Foreign Ministry has rejected media reports that it has pulled out of mediation efforts between Israel and Hamas but added that it has “stalled” its efforts until all parties show “willingness and seriousness” to end the war.

    In a statement on X, the ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said that Qatar had informed the relevant parties 10 days ago of its intentions.

    Al Ansari also said that reports regarding the Hamas political office in Doha were inaccurate, “stating that the main goal of the of the office in Qatar is to be a channel of communication between the concerned parties”.

    Danish ship denied entry to Spanish port amid allegations of weapons transport to Israel

    The container vessel has been denied entry to Algeciras, shipping company Maersk said, denying that the vessel is transporting arms to Israel.

    “The cargo to be transshipped through the port does not include any military weapons or ammunition,” Maersk said in a communique.

    Spanish daily El Pais earlier this week had cited Spanish government officials saying that the ship, as well as another also belonging to Maersk and due to dock later this month, “will not stop in Spain” because its cargo includes weapons being delivered to Israel.

    “To gain clarity for future operations, we have consulted the Spanish authorities to understand why entry was denied for cargo no different than previous shipments that have routinely been transshipped through this port without incident,” the Danish company said.

    “It is our understanding that Spain has in its discretion changed its criteria and is now rejecting vessels that carry anything military related going to, or from, Israel, notwithstanding such cargo being legal.”

    Spain, which is seeking to convince other European countries to recognise a Palestinian state, has refused docking to shops transporting arms to Israel.

    More on Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon

    According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, five people were killed in a strike on the southern village of Hanaway.

    The ministry also said that six rescuers were killed and two wounded in a strike on the village of Deir Qanun.