LEBANON FIGHTING
The Hamas attack that sparked the war resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed 43,552 people in Gaza, most of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry that the United Nations considers reliable.
Of 251 hostages seized by Palestinian militants during the Oct 7 attack, 97 remain in Gaza including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.
Israelis have protested every weekend, pressing their government to do more to secure the captives’ release. Crowds again demonstrated Saturday in commercial hub Tel Aviv.
Protester Ruti Lior said she was “very, very worried”.
Qatar pulling back from mediation “is further proof to me that (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu is not really serious” about reaching a deal, the 62-year-old psychotherapist told AFP.
The conflict has expanded to Lebanon, where Israel intensified its air campaign in September and later sent in ground troops after a year of cross-border clashes with Hamas ally Hezbollah.
Lebanon’s health ministry reported at least 20 killed in Israeli strikes on the east and another 13 in the south, including seven rescuers affiliated to Hezbollah and its ally Amal.
Hezbollah said Saturday it had attacked targets in northern Israel and downed an Israeli drone over south Lebanon.
More than 2,700 people have been killed in Lebanon since September 23, according to ministry figures.
