Gaza City Blast Kills 1, Injures 10, Shakes Crowded Area

FILE: A Palestinian sells socks on a stall near the rubble of his old store that has been destroyed in an Israeli air strike, ahead of Eid Al-Adha holiday, in Gaza City, on July 14, 2021. FILE/Reuters
FILE: A Palestinian sells socks on a stall near the rubble of his old store that has been destroyed in an Israeli air strike, ahead of Eid Al-Adha holiday, in Gaza City, on July 14, 2021. FILE/Reuters
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Gaza City Blast Kills 1, Injures 10, Shakes Crowded Area

FILE: A Palestinian sells socks on a stall near the rubble of his old store that has been destroyed in an Israeli air strike, ahead of Eid Al-Adha holiday, in Gaza City, on July 14, 2021. FILE/Reuters
FILE: A Palestinian sells socks on a stall near the rubble of his old store that has been destroyed in an Israeli air strike, ahead of Eid Al-Adha holiday, in Gaza City, on July 14, 2021. FILE/Reuters

One person was killed and 10 injured Thursday when an explosion tore through a house in a popular market, the interior ministry said.

It was not immediately clear what caused the explosion.

The blast in the Al-Zawiya area collapsed large parts of the house and damaged dozens of buildings and shops nearby, according to the statement.

Police explosives engineering teams continue to investigate the causes of the explosion. Civil defense teams and the police were able to control the resulting fire.

The blast shook the neighborhood on the third day of Eid al-Adha, a Muslim holiday.

The Israeli army signaled it wasn’t involved, calling the crisis an “internal” matter in Gaza, The Associated Press reported.

Gaza City already was struggling with heavy damage it sustained from an 11-day war in May between Israel and Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers. At least 254 people were killed in Gaza during the conflict, including 67 children and 39 women, according to the Gaza health ministry. Hamas has acknowledged the deaths of 80 militants. Twelve civilians, including two children, were killed in Israel, along with one soldier.

The World Bank earlier this month said rebuilding Gaza would cost $485 million, including up to $380 million to repair the physical damage alone.



UN Chief: UNIFIL Uncovered Over 100 Hezbollah Arms Caches in South Lebanon

This handout picture provided by the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL), shows UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (R), shaking hands with UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander General Aroldo Lazaro Saenz (L), upon his arrival at the forces' headquarters in Naqoura in southern Lebanon near the Israeli border on January 17, 2025. (Photo by Pascual Gorriz / UNIFIL / AFP)
This handout picture provided by the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL), shows UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (R), shaking hands with UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander General Aroldo Lazaro Saenz (L), upon his arrival at the forces' headquarters in Naqoura in southern Lebanon near the Israeli border on January 17, 2025. (Photo by Pascual Gorriz / UNIFIL / AFP)
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UN Chief: UNIFIL Uncovered Over 100 Hezbollah Arms Caches in South Lebanon

This handout picture provided by the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL), shows UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (R), shaking hands with UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander General Aroldo Lazaro Saenz (L), upon his arrival at the forces' headquarters in Naqoura in southern Lebanon near the Israeli border on January 17, 2025. (Photo by Pascual Gorriz / UNIFIL / AFP)
This handout picture provided by the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL), shows UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (R), shaking hands with UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander General Aroldo Lazaro Saenz (L), upon his arrival at the forces' headquarters in Naqoura in southern Lebanon near the Israeli border on January 17, 2025. (Photo by Pascual Gorriz / UNIFIL / AFP)

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday the UN peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL, has uncovered over 100 weapons caches belonging to Hezbollah or other armed groups since the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel went into effect on Nov. 27.

He reiterated that Lebanese government forces as well as UN peacekeepers are the only sides who should have armed presence south of the Litani river near the border with Israel. He said the presence of other forces, an apparent reference to Hezbollah, “undermine Lebanon’s stability.”

Guterres made his comments Friday during a visit to the UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura in south Lebanon near the border with Israel.

Speaking about military operations by Israeli troops inside Lebanon since the announcement of the 60-day truce, Guterres said: “They must stop.”

He said such operations were in violation of Security Council resolution 1701, adding Israel must withdraw from Lebanese territories.

Addressing the assembled leadership of the UN mission, he emphasized the critical role of peacekeepers, stating: “You are not just on the Blue Line of Lebanon but on the frontline of peace. The UNIFIL mission is the most challenging environment for peacekeepers anywhere.”

After returning to the capital Beirut in the afternoon, the Secretary-General held discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron, who was also visiting the Lebanese capital.

The Secretary-General's visit will continue on Saturday, with a full day of meetings in Beirut.

He is scheduled to meet President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam, and Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri.