Updates: Hamas-Israel ceasefire holds

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that the US was sanctioning two judges of the International Criminal Court for targeting Israel, raising the number of senior court officials under US sanctions to 11.

"Today, I am designating two International Criminal Court (ICC) judges, Gocha Lordkipanidze of Georgia and Erdenebalsuren Damdin of Mongolia, pursuant to Executive Order 14203," Rubio said in a statement, referring to an order President Donald Trump signed in February sanctioning the ICC.

"These individuals have directly engaged in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute Israeli nationals, without Israel's consent," he said.

The judges named were part of a panel that refused to overturn a lower court decision that the prosecution's investigation into alleged crimes under its jurisdiction could include events following the October 7, 2023 attacks.

French, Saudi Arabian and American officials held talks with the head of the Lebanese army on Thursday in Paris aimed at finalising a roadmap to enable a mechanism for the disarmament of the Hezbollah group, diplomats said.

Israel and Lebanon agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire in 2024, ending more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

Since then, the sides have traded accusations over violations with Israel questioning the Lebanese army's efforts to disarm Hezbollah. Israeli warplanes have increasingly targeted Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and even in the capital.

The Health Ministry in Gaza said that a Palestinian was killed while 13 others sustained injuries after Israeli soldiers opened fire in Gaza.

At least 395 have been killed and 1,088 injured in Israeli attacks since US-brokered Israel-Hamas ceasefire, it added.

With the latest casualties, the death toll in Palestine hits 70,669, with 171,165 injured over two years of war in Gaza.

Families, lawyers and supporters of the detained pro-Palestinian activists who are on hunger strike in Britain issued an urgent plea to the government on Thursday, warning that their loved ones face life-threatening danger.

Eight people have joined the hunger strike, some from its start in early November, and lawyers said the health of the remaining six, aged 20-31, was deteriorating and that death was likely unless the government intervenes. One of the six is on partial hunger strike due to diabetes-related health concerns.

Four of the activists were jailed over alleged involvement in a break-in at an Israeli-linked defence firm last year, while another four were accused of breaching a military air base in central England and damaging two aircraft in protest against Britain's support for Israel.

All have been charged with offences allegedly carried out on behalf of Palestine Action, before the group was banned and designated a terrorist organisation.

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer told reporters on Thursday the government was continuing to monitor the wellbeing of those on hunger strike.

BEIRUT: Israel launched several strikes on southern and eastern Lebanon, Lebanese state media reported, as the Israeli military said it targeted Hezbollah infrastructure including a military compound.

Despite a November 2024 ceasefire that was supposed to end more than a year of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, Israel has kept up strikes on Lebanon and has also maintained troops in five southern areas it deems strategic.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported several strikes on mountainous areas in the south and east.

The Israeli military claimed it targeted infrastructure "sites in multiple areas across Lebanon" including "a military compound used by Hezbollah to conduct training and courses" for the group's members.

In another statement, the military also said: "A short while ago, the IDF struck a Hezbollah in the area of Taybeh in southern Lebanon."

The attacks come as the ceasefire monitoring committee, which includes the US and France, are set to meet on Friday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he approved on Wednesday a major gas export deal with Egypt worth nearly $35 billion with fragile Gaza ceasefire barely holding.

"Today, I approved the largest gas deal in Israel's history. The deal is worth 112 billion shekels ($34.7 billion). Of this total, 58 billion shekels ($18 billion) will go to the state coffers," Netanyahu said during a televised address.

"The agreement is with the American company Chevron, with Israeli partners who will supply gas to Egypt," Netanyahu added.

Netanyahu said the money would "strengthen education, healthcare, infrastructure, security, and the future of the next generations", as well as bolster "Israel's status as a regional energy power".

The United Nations and aid groups warned on Wednesday that humanitarian operations in the Palestinian territories, particularly Gaza, were at risk of collapse if Israel does not lift impediments that include a "vague, arbitrary, and highly politicized" registration process.

Dozens of international aid groups face de-registration by December 31, which then means they have to close operations within 60 days, said the UN and more than 200 local and international aid groups in a joint statement.

"The deregistration of INGOs (international aid groups) in Gaza will have a catastrophic impact on access to essential and basic services," the statement read.

"INGOs run or support the majority of field hospitals, primary healthcare centers, emergency shelter responses, water and sanitation services, nutrition stabilisation centers for children with acute malnutrition, and critical mine action activities," it said.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani in Washington amid growing concerns that continued violations could jeopardise the fragile ceasefire framework in Gaza, Al Jazeera reported. 

According to officials, the talks focused on Qatar’s central role as a mediator and on efforts to push both sides toward the second phase of former US President Donald Trump’s proposed 20-point plan, aimed at sustaining the agreement and preventing further escalation.