Biden continues Gaza ceasefire push, Israel shells Lebanon
Lebanon, May 18: Israel fired shells towards Lebanon in response to rocket launches, as US President Joe Biden continued to press Israel and Hamas, which governs the Palestinian territory of Gaza, to agree to a ceasefire after a week of violence that has killed more than 200 people.
A Lebanese security source said Israel fired 22 shells towards Lebanon. Israeli security forces said six rockets had been fired from south Lebanon.
At least 212 people, including 61 children, have been killed in Gaza since violence erupted just over a week ago. Some 1,500 Palestinians have been wounded.
Israel has reported 10 dead, including two children.
Biden held his third phone conversation with Israeli caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he continued efforts to secure a ceasefire.
The White House said Biden “encouraged Israel to make every effort to ensure the protection of innocent civilians” and that the two leaders “discussed progress in Israel’s military operations against Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza”.
Amnesty condemns US approval of arms sales to Israel
Human rights group Amnesty has condemned US plans to sell weapons worth $735m to Israel in the midst of the latest conflict with Palestinian armed groups saying the approval undermines the US commitment to upholding human rights around the world.
“By supplying weapons that could be used to commit war crimes, the US government is taking the risk of fueling further attacks against civilians and seeing more people killed or injured by US weapons,” Philippe Nassif, Amnesty International USA’s advocacy director for the Middle East and North Africa, said in a statement urging Biden to reconsider the decision.
Israel shells southern Lebanon after failed rocket launches
Six shells were fired from Lebanon towards northern Israel on Monday but did not cross the border, the Israeli military said.
It said that in response, artillery was fired at “the sources of the launches” in Lebanon.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon said it had detected rocket fire around Rashaya Al Foukhar and urged all parties to “exercise maximum restraint”.
KV Network
