Gaza live: Several dead including Hezbollah commander after Israeli strike on southern Beirut

The managers of the University of Virginia’s (UVA) multi-billion-dollar endowment announced on Friday that they will not divest from Israel, a decision taken despite a February referendum passing a pro-boycott, divestment and sanctions resolution targeting Israel. 

Students and faculty had been engaged in a divestment campaign since the fall of 2023, among many other college campuses.

UVA’s investment management company, responsible for managing the school’s nearly $14bn endowment, has now officially rejected those calls to withdraw investments from companies linked to Israel on the basis of not “using divestment as a means of expressing political views”, according to Kristina Alimard, the company’s chief operating officer.

During a recent board of visitors meeting, Alimard stated, “We are not divesting from any investments in response to the student referendum that was passed earlier this year.”

She emphasised that the institution’s primary goal is to achieve strong financial returns.

Read more: US: University of Virginia refuses to divest from Israel despite student referendum

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy has called for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah following a week of escalating tensions that have pushed both sides closer to war.

"Tonight, I’m calling for an immediate ceasefire from both sides," Lammy told Reuters after discussions with his French, American, and Italian counterparts in Paris.

"We are all united in our desire for a negotiated political settlement, allowing Israelis to return to their homes in northern Israel and Lebanese to return to theirs."

Israel's response to the pause in negotiations has been to escalate tensions with Hezbollah, aiming to make it accountable for the bombing it has carried in support of Hamas, according to the Financial Times, a source reported.

Without a ceasefire in Gaza, and if the escalation in the north persists, no agreement with Hezbollah is likely.

As tensions mount and the potential for Hezbollah retaliation increases, Israeli leadership is considering the nature of the conflict. Israeli political and security officials view a military operation in Lebanon as inevitable.

Some Israeli officials advocate for a limited campaign in southern Lebanon, while others support a broader offensive.

Israeli forces have killed two more Palestinians during an extended raid on Qabatiya, south of Jenin in the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian news agency, Wafa.

One person was killed when Israeli forces bombed a vehicle near a commercial complex, setting it on fire. Another was shot dead near the town’s entrance.

Two more Palestinians, including a child, were wounded by gunfire.

Earlier in the day, three Palestinians were killed, and at least 10 others injured, when Israeli forces stormed Qabatiya, backed by military vehicles, bulldozers, fighter jets, and drones.

According to a letter from Lebanon’s mission to the United Nations, seen by Reuters, a preliminary investigation by Lebanese authorities found that explosives had been implanted in the communications devices before they entered the country.

The devices, including pagers and handheld radios, were triggered remotely via electronic messages, the letter revealed. The findings were shared with the UN Security Council.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa) has announced the reopening of its dental clinic at a health centre in Khan Younis, southern Gaza.

“Families in Gaza rely on Unrwa for essential dental treatments, as access to care is severely limited by a lack of equipment and facilities, coupled with the high cost of private healthcare,” the agency stated.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces continue to block key border crossings, preventing the entry of critical humanitarian aid such as food, medicine, and fuel. 

The Israeli army has announced the destruction of numerous Hezbollah rocket launchers, along with other infrastructure, during air strikes in Lebanon.

According to a military statement, the air force, guided by military intelligence, targeted and eliminated approximately “150 launcher barrels” that were prepared to fire rockets into Israeli territory. 

These strikes coincide with Israeli leaders’ warnings of a potential large-scale military operation against Hezbollah, emphasising their intent to halt the group’s attacks and enable tens of thousands of Israelis to return to their homes near the Lebanese border.

Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for Gaza's Civil Defence agency, reported that the death toll from the Israeli airstrike on the Azzam family home in Jabalia, northern Gaza, has risen to seven.

Basal added that “a number of wounded” individuals remain, though he did not specify the exact number.

This airstrike marks the deadliest attack in Gaza today.

France was among a handful of Israeli allies that voted in favour of a UN resolution demanding an end to Israel's occupation of Gaza and the occupied West Bank within a year on Wednesday.

The non-binding resolution, introduced by Palestine, was based on the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) back in July, which said Israel’s presence in the occupied territories was unlawful and had to end. 

A majority of the 193 members of the UN General Assembly voted in favour, while 14 countries, including Israel and the United States voted against it. Forty-three others including the United Kingdom abstained.

Although largely considered as an Israeli ally, France joined Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Belgium, which have all recently expressed a more critical stance on Israel in the context of its war on Gaza, to support the resolution.

Nicolas de Riviere, France’s permanent UN representative, told the General Assembly that his country was “committed to respecting international law” and reaffirmed “its full support for the International Court of Justice”.

Read more: 'Maintaining balance': Why France supported UN vote to end Israeli occupation

The Israeli army said it struck Hezbollah targets in Lebanon to "degrade" the movement's "capabilities and infrastructure" while Hassan Nasrallah was delivering a televised address on Thursday.

In his speech, Nasrallah vowed to "punish" Israel for the latest deadly attacks targetting communication devices used by members of Hezbollah across Lebanon. 

Middle East Eye's correspondent in Beirut, Nader Durgham, reported that "Israeli warplanes flew at very low altitude over Beirut during Nasrallah’s speech, making loud noises and causing windows to shake".

The Israeli army on Thursday said it killed two people who tried to plant a bomb near an Israeli military outpost on the Lebanese border. This comes after the army said two of its soldiers were killed by Hezbollah fighters in the north of Israel.

The Spanish foreign ministry on Thursday condemned the attacks targeting communications devices used by Hezbollah members in Lebanon, saying they violated international humanitarian law and threatened the region's stability.

"We call for restraint on the part of all actors," the ministry said in a statement. "It's necessary to avoid a further escalation of violence and the risk of open war with unforeseeable consequences."

The statement came hours after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met with Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Madrid.

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said in his televised speech on Thursday that his group will respond to the explosions of thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies. 

Nasrallah said his group would respond with "fair retribution" and that "punishment is under way" after blaming Israel for the twin attacks carried out on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said Israelis will not be able to return to their homes in the north without a ceasefire in Gaza.

"You will not be able to return the settlers and usurpers of land to the north. I challenge you," he said, addressing Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. 

"The only way to return them is ending the onslaught and aggression on Gaza and the West Bank," he said in his first televised speech since the blasts that targeted communication devices used by Hezbollah members this week.

"On the contrary, what you are doing will increase the displacement of people from the north, and you know that well," he added. 

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said his group will not end its military operations in support of Palestinians until a ceasefire is reached in Gaza.

"The Lebanon axis will not stop before a ceasefire. I say clearly, no matter the sacrifices and consequences," he said in his first televised speech since the blasts that targeted communication devices used by Hezbollah members this week.

"The resistance in Lebanon will not stop its support for the people of Gaza, the West Bank and those subject to injustice in the holy lands," he added.