The Times of Israel is liveblogging Monday’s events as they unfold.
Security cabinet probing ‘new ideas’ for hostage deal, Netanyahu aide says as meeting ends
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s spokesperson says “new ideas” regarding a deal to free hostages held in Gaza were discussed by high-level officials overnight.
The spokesperson says in a statement the discussions were held during a high-level security cabinet meeting, which has now wrapped up, some eight hours after it was scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.
“During the meeting, new ideas were brought up to examine their feasibility for a hostage release proposal,” the statement reads.
An Israeli official told ToI ahead of the meeting, held in the Kirya Defense Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv, that Jerusalem was looking for an opportunity to wrap up the war in Gaza with a hostage deal following the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
The official described Sinwar’s body as “another bargaining chip” in negotiations.
Netanyahu’s office declined to confirm that was the case, saying instead, “We will not end the war until we achieve all of our goals.”
“We are continuing to pressure Hamas militarily,” a PMO official said earlier. “You can see the effects in Jabaliya. We are continuing to kill Hamas members. We are pushing for a psychological collapse.”
An Israeli official told ToI ahead of the meeting that it would deal with Israel’s response to Iran, as well as a drone attack on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s home, fighting in Lebanon and Gaza, and opportunities for progress on a hostage deal following Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar’s trip to Cairo for talks.
Sirens blare in towns on Lebanon border
Rocket sirens are sounding in communities near the border with Lebanon, as fighting appears to continue overnight after a day that saw some 200 projectiles fired by Hezbollah into Israel.
Sirens are heard in Malkieh, Avivim and Yaron, three eastern Galilee communities adjacent to the northern frontier.
There is no immediate comment from authorities on possible casualties or damage. There is also no immediate claim of responsibility.
Army says drone from Iraq shot down after crossing into Israel
An unmanned aircraft launched from Iraq was shot down by the air force, the Israel Defense Forces says, after drone alarms sounded in the northern Jordan Valley.
The army says the drone was intercepted after “crossing into Israel from the east,” which usually denotes an attack originating in Iraq.
A video posted online by Iraq’s Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces claims to show the drone being launched toward Israel as revenge for the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar last week.
Rare drone alert sounds in Jordan Valley, army investigating
The military says it is investigating moments after drone alert sirens were activated in the Jordan Valley, an area that has seen few attacks from Lebanon, Gaza or elsewhere.
The Home Front Command gives the all-clear after the drone alarms ring in the West Bank settlements of Mehola and Shadmot Mehola, south of the city of Beit Shean.
The siren comes a short while after Iraq’s Iran-backed Popular Resistance Committees claimed to have launched a drone at a sensitive military site in the Golan Heights.
Earlier, the army said a drone fired from Iraq was downed over Syria.
Video shows large building in Beirut crumbling to ground after apparent strike
Videos circulating on social media networks show an entire mid-rise building crumbling to the ground in southern Beirut’s Dahiyeh as Israel appears to target branches of al-Qard al-Hassan, which it says is used to finance Hezbollah.
– BREAKING – Israeli IAF air strike on a High-rise building in the Dahiyeh, Southern suburbs of Beirut
The building was reportedly used by #Hezbollah affiliated bank "Al-Qard Al-Hassan"
The air strike resulted in the collapse of the building https://t.co/zci62o21vI pic.twitter.com/B5XAPBbErG
— The Global Eye (@TGEThGlobalEye) October 20, 2024
Other pictures and videos show buildings on fire and heavy damage following strikes, which are reported across Dahiyeh and the Beqaa Valley in Lebanon’s northeast and areas of southern Lebanon, all Hezbollah strongholds.
⚡️???????? Update Lebanon
** Beirut Lifeline Damaged **
Israeli strikes in the Beirut Dahiyeh have targeted Al-Qard Al-Hassan, a financial institution regarded as a lifeline for many locals. This non-profit provides essential support to lower-income individuals and communities… pic.twitter.com/7sDdDw0Igo
— Veritas Global News (@Veritas_Nexus) October 20, 2024
https://twitter.com/joumana_gebara_/status/1848095844085756062
The pictures and videos cannot immediately be verified.
Drone alert in Kiryat Shmona declared false alarm
The Israel Defense Force’s Homefront command issues an all-clear following a drone alert that sounded moments ago in Kiryat Shmona and nearby towns.
The military says sirens that sounded were a false alarm, without providing details.
The alert came about an hour after the army said a drone launched from Iraq was shot down over Syrian airspace.