The Lebanese army has condemned Israel's airstrikes on suburbs of Beirut, warning that such attacks are weakening the role of Lebanon's armed forces that might eventually suspend cooperation with the committee monitoring the truce that ended the Israel-Hezbollah war. The army's statement Friday came hours after the Israeli military struck several buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs that it said held underground facilities used by Hezbollah for drone production. The Lebanese army said it started coordinating with the committee observing the ceasefire after Israel's military issued a warning and sent patrols to the areas that were to be struck to search them.
The main Palestinian rescue service in Gaza has condemned Israel's probe into the killings of 15 medical workers last month, calling it a "fabricated investigation." The army announced the results of its investigation on Sunday, saying it had found "professional failures" and dismissing a deputy commander in what it described as an accident. A total of 15 people were killed in the March 23 incident — including eight medics with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, six members of the Hamas government's Civil Defense unit and a U.N. staffer. The PRCS says the investigation underscores "the occupation's persistence in shielding the truth from the world."
News that three high-profile hostages are expected to be released has brought excitement and trepidation to Israel on Friday. The men include Yarden Bibas, who is the father of the youngest captives held in Gaza. He, Keith Siegel and Ofer Kalderon have all become household names in Israel since their abduction. The men's release would be the fourth since a ceasefire paused the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas this month. In its first phase, 33 Israeli captives are expected to be freed in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
