Lebanon’s rescuers struggle to respond to Israeli offensive while under fire and using old equipment

Lebanon’s rescuers struggle to respond to Israeli offensive while under fire and using old equipment
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People and rescue teams search for victims after an Israeli airstrike hit two adjacent buildings, in Ain el-Delb neighbourhood east of the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, on Sept. 29, 2024. (AP)
Lebanon’s rescuers struggle to respond to Israeli offensive while under fire and using old equipment
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Residents and rescue teams inspect the damage following an overnight Israeli airstrike on the Ain al-Helweh camp for Palestinian refugees on the outskirts of the southern port city of Sidon early on October 1, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 03 October 2024
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Lebanon’s rescuers struggle to respond to Israeli offensive while under fire and using old equipment

Lebanon’s rescuers struggle to respond to Israeli offensive while under fire and using old equipment
  • An economic crisis that began in 2019 and a massive 2020 port explosion have left Lebanon struggling to provide basic services such as electricity and medical care
  • “We have zero capabilities, zero logistics. We have no gloves, no personal protection gear,” says Mohamed Arkadan, head of a local emergency response team

BEIRUT: When Israel bombed buildings outside the southern Lebanese city of Sidon, Mohamed Arkadan and his team rushed to an emergency unlike anything they had ever seen.
About a dozen apartments had collapsed onto the hillside they once overlooked, burying more than 100 people. Even after 17 years with the civil defense forces of one of the world’s most war-torn nations, Arkadan was shocked at the destruction. By Monday afternoon — about 24 hours after the bombing — his team had pulled more than 40 bodies, including children’s, from the rubble, along with 60 survivors.
The children’s bodies broke his heart, said Arkadan, 38, but his team of over 30 first responders’ inability to help further pained him more. Firetrucks and ambulances haven’t been replaced in years. Rescue tools and equipment are in short supply. His team has to buy their uniforms out of pocket.
An economic crisis that began in 2019 and a massive 2020 port explosion have left Lebanon struggling to provide basic services such as electricity and medical care. Political divisions have left the country of 6 million without a president or functioning government for more than two years, deepening a national sense of abandonment reaching down to the people the country depends on in emergencies.
“We have zero capabilities, zero logistics,” Arkadan said. “We have no gloves, no personal protection gear.”
War has upended Lebanon again
Israel’s intensified air campaign against Hezbollah has upended the country. Over 1,000 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since Sept. 17, nearly a quarter of them women and children, according to the Health Ministry.
On Wednesday, two Israeli strikes hit an Islamic rescue center, affiliated with Hezbollah, in Lebanon’s south, killing six medics and destroying the building, according to Lebanon’s National News agency. Before those deaths were reported, the ministry said it had documented the deaths of over 40 medics and rescuers.
Hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes, sleeping on beaches and streets.
The World Health Organization said over 30 primary health care centers around Lebanon’s affected areas have been closed.
On Tuesday, Israel said it began a limited ground operation against Hezbollah and warned people to evacuate several southern communities, promising further escalation.
Lebanon is “grappling with multiple crises, which have overwhelmed the country’s capacity to cope,” said Imran Riza, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator for Lebanon, who said the UN had allocated $24 million in emergency funding for people affected by the fighting.
Exhausted medical staff are struggling to cope with the daily influx of new patients. Under government emergency plans, hospitals and medical workers have halted non-urgent operations.
Government shelters are full
In the southern province of Tyre, many doctors have fled along with residents. In Nabatiyeh, the largest province in southern Lebanon, first responders say they have been working around the clock since last week to reach hundreds of people wounded in bombings that hit dozens of villages and towns, often many on the same day.
After the bombing in Sidon nearly 250 first responders joined Arkadan’s team, including a specialized search-and-rescue unit from Beirut, some 45 kilometers (28 miles) to the north. His team didn’t have the modern equipment needed to pull people from a disaster.
“We used traditional tools, like scissors, cables, shovels,” Arkadan said.
“Anyone here?” rescuers shouted through the gaps in mounds of rubble, searching for survivors buried deeper underground. One excavator removed the debris slowly, to avoid shaking the heaps of bricks and mangled steel.
Many sought refuge in the ancient city of Tyre, 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of the border with Israel, thinking it was likely to be spared bombardment. More than 8,000 people arrived, said Hassan Dbouk, the head of its disaster management unit.
He said that there were no pre-positioned supplies, such as food parcels, hygiene kits and mattresses, and moving trucks now is fraught with danger. Farmers have been denied access to their land because of the bombings and the municipality is struggling to pay salaries.
The humanitarian situation is catastrophic
Meanwhile, garbage is piling up on the streets. The number of municipal workers has shrunk from 160 to 10.
“The humanitarian situation is catastrophic,” Dbouk said.
Wissam Ghazal, the health ministry official in Tyre, said in one hospital, only five of 35 doctors have remained. In Tyre province, eight medics, including three with a medical organization affiliated with Hezbollah, were killed over two days, he said.
Over the weekend, the city itself became a focus of attacks.
Israeli warplanes struck near the port city’s famed ruins, along its beaches and in residential and commercial areas, forcing thousands of residents to flee. At least 15 civilians were killed Saturday and Sunday, including two municipal workers, a soldier and several children, all but one from two families.
It took rescuers two days to comb through the rubble of a home in the Kharab neighborhood in the city’s center, where a bomb had killed nine members of the Al-Samra family.
Six premature babies in incubators around the city were moved to Beirut. The city’s only doctor, who looked after them, couldn’t move between hospitals under fire, Ghazal said.
One of the district’s four hospitals shut after sustaining damage from a strike that affected its electricity supply and damaged the operations room. In two other hospitals, glass windows were broken. For now, the city’s hospitals are receiving more killed than wounded.
“But you don’t know what will happen when the intensity of attacks increases. We will definitely need more.”
Making do with what they have
Hosein Faqih, head of civil defense in the Nabatiyeh province, said that “we are working in very difficult and critical circumstances because the strikes are random. We have no protection. We have no shields, no helmets, no extra hoses. The newest vehicle is 25 years old. We are still working despite all that.”
At least three of his firefighters’ team were killed in early September. Ten have been injured since then. Of 45 vehicles, six were hit and are now out of service.
Faqih said he is limiting his team’s search-and-rescue missions to residential areas, keeping them away from forests or open areas where they used to put out fires.
“These days, there is something difficult every day. Body parts are everywhere, children, civilians and bodies under rubble,” Faqih said. Still, he said, he considers his job to be the safety net for the people.
“We serve the people, and we will work with what we have.”


Trump ‘not confident’ Gaza deal will hold

Trump ‘not confident’ Gaza deal will hold
Updated 59 min 5 sec ago
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Trump ‘not confident’ Gaza deal will hold

Trump ‘not confident’ Gaza deal will hold
  • Donald Trump however believes Hamas had been ‘weakened’ in the war

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Monday he was not confident a ceasefire deal in Gaza would hold, despite trumpeting his diplomacy to secure it ahead of his inauguration.

Asked by a reporter as he returned to the White House whether the two sides would maintain the truce and move on in the agreement, Trump said, “I’m not confident.”

“That’s not our war; it’s their war. But I’m not confident,” Trump said.

Trump, however, said that he believed Hamas had been “weakened” in the war that began with its unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

“I looked at a picture of Gaza. Gaza is like a massive demolition site,” Trump said.

The property tycoon turned populist politician said that Gaza could see a “fantastic” reconstruction if the plan moves ahead.

“It’s a phenomenal location on the sea — best weather. You know, everything’s good. It’s like, some beautiful things could be done with it,” he said.

Israel and Hamas on Sunday began implementing a ceasefire deal that included the exchange of hostages and prisoners.

The plan was originally outlined by then president Joe Biden in May and was pushed through after unusual joint diplomacy by Biden and Trump envoys.

Trump, while pushing for the deal, has also made clear he will steadfastly support Israel.

In one of his first acts, he revoked sanctions on extremist Israeli settlers in the West Bank imposed by the Biden administration over attacks against Palestinians.


Syria’s de facto leader congratulates Trump, looks forward to improving relations

 Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa. (AFP)
Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa. (AFP)
Updated 21 January 2025
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Syria’s de facto leader congratulates Trump, looks forward to improving relations

 Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa. (AFP)
  • In early January, Washington issued a sanctions exemption for transactions with governing institutions in Syria for six months in an effort to ease the flow of humanitarian assistance

CAIRO: Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa congratulated US President Donald Trump on his inauguration in a statement on Monday, saying he is looking forward to improving relations between the two countries.
“We are confident that he is the leader to bring peace to the Middle East and restore stability to the region,” he said.
The US, Britain, the European Union and others imposed tough sanctions on Syria after a crackdown by ousted President Bashar Assad on pro-democracy protests in 2011 that spiralled into civil war.
In early January, Washington issued a sanctions exemption for transactions with governing institutions in Syria for six months in an effort to ease the flow of humanitarian assistance.
Syria welcomed the move, but has urged a complete lifting of sanctions to support its recovery.

 

 


Over 900 aid trucks enter Gaza on 2nd day of truce: UN

Over 900 aid trucks enter Gaza on 2nd day of truce: UN
Updated 21 January 2025
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Over 900 aid trucks enter Gaza on 2nd day of truce: UN

Over 900 aid trucks enter Gaza on 2nd day of truce: UN
  • The ceasefire agreement calls for 600 trucks to cross into Gaza per day

UNITED NATIONS, United States: More than 900 trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered Gaza on Monday, the United Nations said, exceeding the daily target outlined in the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
“Humanitarian aid continues to move into the Gaza Strip as part of a prepared surge to increase support to survivors,” the UN’s humanitarian office (OCHA) said.
“Today, 915 trucks crossed into Gaza, according to information received through engagement with Israeli authorities and the guarantors for the ceasefire agreement.”
Throughout conflict in Gaza, the UN has denounced obstacles restricting the flow and distribution of aid into the battered Palestinian territory.
On Sunday, the day the ceasefire came into force, 630 trucks entered Gaza.
An initial 42-day truce between Israel and Hamas is meant to enable a surge of sorely needed aid for Gaza after 15 months of war.
The ceasefire agreement calls for 600 trucks to cross into Gaza per day.


Hamas ‘ready for dialogue’ with Trump administration, senior official says

Hamas ‘ready for dialogue’ with Trump administration, senior official says
Updated 21 January 2025
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Hamas ‘ready for dialogue’ with Trump administration, senior official says

Hamas ‘ready for dialogue’ with Trump administration, senior official says
  • Mousa Abu Marzouk, 74, currently based in Qatar, is native of Gaza, former resident of Virginia
  • It is unclear whether statement reflects broad consensus among militant group in Gaza Strip

LONDON: The Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip is ready to engage in dialogue with the US and its new administration under Donald Trump, according to one of its senior officials Mousa Abu Marzouk.

Abu Marzouk, who is a member of Hamas’ political office, told The New York Times on Sunday that the group was “prepared for a dialogue with America and to achieve understanding on everything.”

Abu Marzouk, 74, who is currently based in Qatar, is a native of Gaza and a former resident of Virginia.

His statement came hours after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect in the Gaza Strip, coinciding with the inauguration of a new administration in the White House.

It is unclear whether Abu Marzouk’s words reflect a broad consensus among the militant group in Gaza, which launched a cross-border attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

The US has classified Hamas as a terrorist organization since 1997.

Abu Marzouk told The New York Times that Hamas was prepared to welcome an envoy from the Trump administration to the Gaza Strip.

He said: “He can come and see the people and try to understand their feelings and wishes, so that the American position can be based on the interests of all the parties and not only one party.”

Abu Marzouk praised Trump for helping to secure the ceasefire agreement in Gaza between Hamas and Israel, adding that “without President Trump’s insistence on ending the war and his dispatching of a decisive representative, this deal wouldn’t have happened.”


Israelis want Trump to ‘make Israel normal again’

Israelis want Trump to ‘make Israel normal again’
Updated 21 January 2025
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Israelis want Trump to ‘make Israel normal again’

Israelis want Trump to ‘make Israel normal again’
  • During his first term, Trump broke with much of the international community and moved the US embassy to Jerusalem

TEL AVIV: For many Israelis yearning for a future free from war and for the release of hostages still held in Gaza, US President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House on Monday is a source of hope.
On the eve of his inauguration, three women hostages were released after 15 months in captivity by Hamas militants, after mediators Qatar, the United States and Egypt clinched a Gaza ceasefire agreement.
Trump, whose envoy took part in negotiations even ahead of his return to the presidency, claimed credit for the deal following months of fruitless negotiations.
But many Israelis have been looking forward to his return for a while, even ahead of the ceasefire.
In Tel Aviv’s Sarona commercial district, a massive banner bearing the president-elect’s image was erected weeks ago.
It shows Trump, his fist raised in defiance. The caption, a reference to the hostages, reads: “ALL OF THEM UNTIL THE 20.1 — OR THE FIRE OF HELL WILL OPEN.”
In early December, Trump warned of “hell” if, by his inauguration, Hamas did not release the dozens of Israeli hostages held since its October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the Gaza war.
With the first three releases on Sunday, 91 hostages remain in Gaza.

The Tel Aviv banner was the initiative of Tikva Forum, a campaign group of hostage relatives opposed to a deal with Hamas.
“Hamas has to realize that the rules are about to change in the Middle East and that it’s time to bring back the hostages immediately,” the group said in a statement.
Its members have been anticipating the US billionaire’s return to the helm in Washington, Israel’s closest ally and top military backer.
But it is not just Israelis opposed to a deal that are hopeful.
In the lead-up to the inauguration, his image has become a fixture at weekly rallies calling for the release of hostages.
Red caps handed out at protests alluded to the ones proudly worn by Trump supporters.
But instead of “Make America Great Again,” the ones worn in Israel read: “End this fuc*!ng war.”
Demonstrators carried posters that read: “Trump, thank you for handling this,” “President Trump, bring them home,” and “Make Israel normal again.”
“I know that when he’s going to be back, things will change, but I’m not sure to which extent,” said Gaya Omri, a protester at a recent rally in Jerusalem.
“My only hope is that he can finish this war. This is what we want,” she said.

During his first term, Trump broke with much of the international community and moved the US embassy to Jerusalem.
Israelis claim the city as their undivided capital, while Palestinians claim its eastern sector as theirs.
Trump oversaw landmark normalization deals between Israel and three Arab countries — Bahrain, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates.
He also recognized Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, again going against much of the world and numerous UN resolutions.
As a show of gratitude, an Israeli settlement in the territory, which Israel has occupied since 1967, was renamed Trump Heights.
“President Trump put us on the map,” said Yaakov Selavan of the Golan Heights Regional Council.
“He gave us the best PR campaign we’ve ever had, and we hope the new US administration will continue this,” he said.
This time round, some of Trump’s cabinet picks again suggest a favorable line for Israel.
The incoming president’s pick for US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, is a staunch supporter of Israeli annexation of the occupied West Bank.