Protests, Political Messages Between Aoun, Dahieh

 Road blocked on Monday morning across Lebanon (NNA)
Road blocked on Monday morning across Lebanon (NNA)
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Protests, Political Messages Between Aoun, Dahieh

 Road blocked on Monday morning across Lebanon (NNA)
Road blocked on Monday morning across Lebanon (NNA)

Sources from Lebanon's Free Patriotic Movement accused on Sunday the Amal Movement of standing behind popular protests that kicked off during the weekend from Beirut's Dahieh, the Hezbollah stronghold in the southern suburbs.

According to the sources, the protests which reached the Presidential Palace in Baabda, carried a political message to President Michel Aoun.

“It is well-known that protests coming from Dahiyeh are either pushed for by Hezbollah or the Amal Movement of Speaker Nabih Berri. Hezbollah does not carry out such actions. However, we known which party has "motorcycles,” the sources said, hinting at the Amal Movement.

“All these protests would not change any of our stances. They will only cause some tension and the block roads,” the sources noted.

Meanwhile, sources close to the Amal Movement firmly denied their link to the protests that started on Saturday night.

“The Amal Movement would announce if it supported any protest. There are legal measures to be taken before organizing such events,” the sources affirmed.

They also reiterated the position of Berri, who called on his supporters a few months ago to stop protesting in streets.

Hezbollah and Amal had also issued a joint statement on Sunday night denying having any links to the incidents.

During the weekend, protesters in Lebanon took to the streets, blocking roads with burning tires and lashing out at political leaders for failing to form a new government and causing a severe economic crisis.

The rallies continued until Monday morning. The National News Agency reported that protesters have cut off highways in Kosba, Byblos, Zouk Mosbeh, Mazraat Yachouh, Antelias, Sidon, Tyre, Adloun, Jiyyeh, Chekka and the Bekaa with tires and trash dumpsters.



Israeli Strikes on Gaza Kill at Least 27 Palestinians

Palestinian girls look at the rubble of the Abou Mahadi family destroyed in Israeli strikes in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip on APril 28, 2025. (Photo by BASHAR TALEB / AFP)
Palestinian girls look at the rubble of the Abou Mahadi family destroyed in Israeli strikes in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip on APril 28, 2025. (Photo by BASHAR TALEB / AFP)
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Israeli Strikes on Gaza Kill at Least 27 Palestinians

Palestinian girls look at the rubble of the Abou Mahadi family destroyed in Israeli strikes in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip on APril 28, 2025. (Photo by BASHAR TALEB / AFP)
Palestinian girls look at the rubble of the Abou Mahadi family destroyed in Israeli strikes in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip on APril 28, 2025. (Photo by BASHAR TALEB / AFP)

Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip overnight into Monday killed at least 27 Palestinians, according to local health officials. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

Israel has carried out daily strikes on Gaza since ending its ceasefire with Hamas last month. It has cut off the territory's 2 million Palestinians from all imports, including food and medicine, since the beginning of March in what it says is an attempt to pressure the militant group to release hostages.

The daily bombardment and widespread hunger is taking a heavy toll on Gaza's most vulnerable residents, including pregnant women and children. The United Nations' highest court began holding hearings on Monday into Israel's obligation to facilitate humanitarian aid to the territories it occupies.

Israel says the International Court of Justice is biased against it. It says enough aid entered during the ceasefire to sustain the population and accuses Hamas of siphoning it off.

Humanitarian workers say supplies are running desperately low, with most people eating one meal or less a day. They say the UN closely monitors aid distribution and deny any significant diversion.

Strikes hit three homes

An airstrike hit a home in Beit Lahiya, killing 10 people, including a Palestinian prisoner, Abdel-Fattah Abu Mahadi, who had been released as part of the ceasefire. His wife, two of their children and a grandchild were also killed, according to the Indonesian Hospital, which received the bodies.

Another strike hit a home in Gaza City, killing seven people, including two women, according to the Gaza Health Ministry's emergency service. Two other people were wounded.

Late Sunday, a strike hit a home in the southern city of Khan Younis, killing at least 10 people, including five siblings as young as 4 years old, according to the Health Ministry. Two other children were killed along with their parents, according to Nasser Hospital, which received the bodies.

Israel says it makes every effort to avoid harming civilians and blames Hamas for their deaths because the militants operate in densely populated areas. Palestinians say nowhere in blockaded Gaza is safe.

No end in sight to the 18-month-old war

The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Hamas is still holding 59 hostages, 24 of whom are believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed over 52,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were fighters or civilians. Israel's bombardment and ground operations have destroyed vast areas of Gaza and left most of its population homeless.

The Health Ministry says 2,151 people, including 732 children, have been killed since Israel shattered the truce on March 18.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the offensive until all the hostages are returned and Hamas is either destroyed or agrees to disarm and leave the territory. He says Israel will then implement US President Donald Trump's proposal to resettle much of Gaza's population in other countries through what the Israeli leader refers to as "voluntary emigration."

Palestinians say the plan would amount to forcible expulsion from their homeland after Israel's offensive left much of Gaza uninhabitable. Human rights experts say it would likely violate international law.

Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in return for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, as called for in the ceasefire that Israel ended.