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Blinken to Israel: Keep Hope of Palestinian State Alive

Smoke rises during Israeli military operations in the east of Al Maghazi, Al Bureij and Al Nuseirat refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, 08 January 2024. (EPA)
Smoke rises during Israeli military operations in the east of Al Maghazi, Al Bureij and Al Nuseirat refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, 08 January 2024. (EPA)
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Blinken to Israel: Keep Hope of Palestinian State Alive

Smoke rises during Israeli military operations in the east of Al Maghazi, Al Bureij and Al Nuseirat refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, 08 January 2024. (EPA)
Smoke rises during Israeli military operations in the east of Al Maghazi, Al Bureij and Al Nuseirat refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, 08 January 2024. (EPA)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday urged Israeli leaders to avoid harming civilians in the war in Gaza and to seek a path towards the creation of Palestinian state as a way to resolve the long-running wider conflict.

Blinken was making his fourth visit to the Middle East since the war between Hamas and Israel erupted in October.

International concern has been growing over the huge Palestinian death toll from the Israeli assault on the enclave as well as a humanitarian crisis enveloping hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza.

The United States and other countries are also anxious to prevent the war from spreading through the wider Middle East.

Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Tel Aviv's Kirya military base on Tuesday and then with his war cabinet.

He stressed "the importance of avoiding further civilian harm and protecting civilian infrastructure in Gaza," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.

Blinken also repeated the Biden administration's support for Israel's right to prevent a repeat of the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas in southern Israel which killed 1,200 people and triggered the war in Gaza.

The Israeli air and ground assault has now killed more than 23,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry, and obliterated large areas of the densely populated enclave.

As well as trying to tamp down regional tensions, Blinken has been discussing plans for the future governance of Gaza once the war is over.

In the meetings with Netanyahu, Blinken "reiterated the need to ensure lasting, sustainable peace for Israel and the region, including by the realization of a Palestinian state," Miller said.

Before arriving in Israel, Blinken held talks in Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, which have focused on seeking a longer-term approach to the Israel-Palestinian conflict to help end the Gaza war.

After his meetings with Arab leaders, he said they wanted closer relations with Israel but only if that included a "practical pathway" to a Palestinian state.

"I think there are actually real opportunities," he told his Israeli counterpart Israel Katz on Tuesday. "But we have to ... ensure that October 7 can never happen again and work to build a much different and much better future."

US-brokered talks on a Palestinian state in Israeli-occupied territory collapsed almost a decade ago, and right-wing leaders in Israel's current ruling coalition are outspokenly opposed to Palestinian statehood.

With US support, Israel established diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in 2020.

Heavy fighting in south Gaza

After weeks of US pressure to ease its assault, Israel says it is moving from full-blown to more targeted warfare in northern Gaza, while maintaining intensive combat in southern areas.

It said its troops had killed around 40 Palestinian fighters and raided a militant compound and tunnels since Monday in Khan Younis, the main city in the south.

After a week of comparatively low Israeli losses, Israel said nine of its soldiers had been killed, mostly from engineering units tackling tunnels, in one of their deadliest days of the ground assault.

The health ministry in Gaza said 126 Palestinians had been killed and 241 wounded in the previous 24 hours.

Sean Casey, World Health Organization Emergency Medical Teams coordinator in Gaza, said the health system was fast collapsing, and Israel was denying access to more and more of Gaza for relief trucks.

"Every day we line up our convoys, we wait for clearance, and we don't get it - and then we come back and we do it again the next day."

Medical staff and patients were fleeing for their lives, including an estimated 600 patients from one facility, and 66 health workers were in detention.

Only about a third of Gaza's hospitals, all in southern and central Gaza, are even partially functional. The UN humanitarian office OCHA said three hospitals in central Gaza and Khan Younis were at risk of closure.

Casey said many staff at the main Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis had fled to shelters in the strip's southernmost tip, leaving just one doctor for more than 100 burn victims.

Hezbollah ‘does not want to expand war’

Israel's relentless bombardment and restrictions on aid supplies have prompted South Africa to file a lawsuit in the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of genocidal actions. Hearings begin on Thursday.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog told Blinken there was "nothing more atrocious and preposterous" than that court case, noting that Hamas is sworn to Israel's destruction.

The conflict has rippled to Lebanon, where Hezbollah has been firing rockets into Israel in support of Hamas. Both groups are supported by Iran, Israel's sworn enemy.

Three members of Hezbollah were killed on Tuesday in a strike in the south of Lebanon, two sources familiar with the group's operations told Reuters, after a top Hezbollah commander was killed in the area on Monday.

Hezbollah said it had launched explosive drones at an army base in northern Israel in response to the killing of senior Hezbollah figure Wissam Tawil, and that of deputy Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut last week.

Hezbollah deputy leader Naim Qassem said in an address that his group did not want to expand the war from Lebanon, "but if Israel expands (it), the response is inevitable to the maximum extent required to deter Israel".

Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the assassinations. The army said an unspecified northern base had experienced an aerial attack without damage or casualties.

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Arab World

Lebanon Building Collapse Toll Rises to 9

Rescue workers and residents search for survivors in the rubble of a building that collapsed in the northern city of Tripoli, Lebanon, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Rescue workers and residents search for survivors in the rubble of a building that collapsed in the northern city of Tripoli, Lebanon, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
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Lebanon Building Collapse Toll Rises to 9

Rescue workers and residents search for survivors in the rubble of a building that collapsed in the northern city of Tripoli, Lebanon, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Rescue workers and residents search for survivors in the rubble of a building that collapsed in the northern city of Tripoli, Lebanon, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo)

The death toll in a building collapse in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli on Sunday climbed to nine, a civil defense official said Sunday-- the second such incident in weeks.

The state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported "the collapse of an old building" in Tripoli's Bab al-Tabbaneh neighborhood, the poorest in the impoverished city. Rescuers were still searching for survivors.

Security personnel evacuated adjacent buildings fearing further collapses, it added.

An AFP correspondent saw teams of rescue workers toiling into the night on the rubble of the collapsed structure, as ambulances stood by.

Civil defense director general Imad Khreish told local media that nine people had been killed but that six others who were rescued were taken to hospital.

The building consisted of two blocks, each containing six apartments, he added. Residents estimated some 22 people were inside at the time of the collapse, he said.

Local activist Jumana al-Shahal told AFP at the site that the incident was "a testament to the accumulated neglect of this forgotten city".

Mayor Abdel Hamid Karimeh told journalists "we declare Tripoli a disaster-stricken city" due to unsafe buildings.

"Thousands of our people in Tripoli are threatened due to years of neglect," he said. "The situation is beyond the capabilities of the Tripoli municipality."

- 'Years of neglect' -

This latest disaster came after another deadly building collapse in Tripoli late last month.

After Sunday's incident, the NNA reported that angry young men took to the streets on motorbikes, some heading "to the offices of some politicians" and vandalizing metal barriers there.

In January, the head of the higher relief authority, Bassam Nablusi, citing Tripoli municipality statistics, said 105 buildings required "immediate warning notices to their residents to evacuate".

Local media reported the structure that collapsed on Sunday was not included in a list of buildings at imminent risk.

Lebanon is dotted with derelict buildings, and many inhabited structures are in an advanced state of disrepair.

Many buildings were built illegally, especially during the 1975-1990 civil war, while some owners have added new floors to existing apartment blocks without permits.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the government was ready to provide housing allowances to residents of buildings requiring evacuation.

In a statement, he decried a "humanitarian catastrophe" that he said was caused by "long years of accumulated neglect".

His office said he had summoned the justice and interior ministers for an emergency meeting.

- Investigation ordered -

Justice Minister Adel Nassar asked the public prosecutor in the north to open an immediate investigation into the incident, the NNA said, reporting that procedures had begun.

A recent report by research and design firm Public Works Studio said several buildings fully or partially collapsed in Tripoli in January.

It cited causes including unplanned urban expansion and a lack of proper construction oversight.

In 2024, rights group Amnesty International said "thousands of people" were still living in unsafe buildings in Tripoli more than a year after a major earthquake centered on Türkiye and neighboring Syria had had weakened the structures.

Even before the February 2023 quake, Tripoli residents "had raised the alarm about their dire housing situation, caused by decades of neglect and contractors' lack of compliance with safety regulations", it said.

The situation was compounded by Lebanon's years-long economic crisis meaning residents could not afford repairs or alternative housing, it added, urging authorities to "urgently... assess the safety of buildings across the country".

Arab World

Salam Concludes Visit to South Lebanon: Region Must Return to State Authority

Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam (L) holds bouquets of flower as he stands next to the mayor of the heavily-damaged southern village of Kfar Shouba, near the border with Israel, during his visit on February 8, 2026. (AFP)
Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam (L) holds bouquets of flower as he stands next to the mayor of the heavily-damaged southern village of Kfar Shouba, near the border with Israel, during his visit on February 8, 2026. (AFP)
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Salam Concludes Visit to South Lebanon: Region Must Return to State Authority

Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam (L) holds bouquets of flower as he stands next to the mayor of the heavily-damaged southern village of Kfar Shouba, near the border with Israel, during his visit on February 8, 2026. (AFP)
Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam (L) holds bouquets of flower as he stands next to the mayor of the heavily-damaged southern village of Kfar Shouba, near the border with Israel, during his visit on February 8, 2026. (AFP)

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam vowed on Sunday to work on rebuilding infrastructure in southern villages that were destroyed by Israel during its last war with Hezbollah.

On the second day of a tour of the South, he declared: “We want the region to return to the authority of the state.”

He was warmly received by the locals as he toured a number of border villages that were destroyed by Israel during the conflict. His visit included Kfar Kila, Marjeyoun, Kfar Shouba and Kfar Hamam. He kicked off his tour on Saturday by visiting Tyre and Bint Jbeil.

The visit went above the differences between the government and Hezbollah, which has long held sway over the South. Throughout the tour, Salam was greeted by representatives of the “Shiite duo” of Hezbollah and its ally the Amal movement, as well as MPs from the Change bloc and others opposed to Hezbollah.

In Kfar Kila, the locals raised a banner in welcome of the PM, also offering him flowers and an olive branch. The town was the worst hit during the war with Israel, which destroyed nearly 90 percent of its buildings and its forces regularly carrying out incursions there.

Salam said the town was “suffering more than others because of the daily violations and its close proximity to the border.”

He added that its residents cannot return to their homes without the reconstruction of its infrastructure, which should kick off “within the coming weeks.”

“Our visit underlines that the state and all of its agencies stand by the ruined border villages,” he stressed.

“The government will continue to make Israel commit” to the ceasefire agreement, he vowed. “This does not mean that we will wait until its full withdrawal from occupied areas before working on rehabilitating infrastructure.”

Amal MP Ali Hassan Khalil noted that the people cannot return to their town because it has been razed to the ground by Israel and is still coming under its attacks.

In Marjeyoun, Salam said the “state has long been absent from the South. Today, however, the army has been deployed and we want it to remain so that it can carry out its duties.”

“The state is not limited to the army, but includes laws, institutions, social welfare and services,” he went on to say.

Reconstruction in Marjeyoun will cover roads and electricity and water infrastructure. The process will take months, he revealed, adding: “The state is serious about restoring its authority.”

“We want this region to return to the fold of the state.”

MP Elias Jarade said the government “must regain the trust of the southerners. This begins with the state embracing and defending its people,” and protecting Lebanon’s sovereignty.

MP Firas Hamdan said the PM’s visit reflects his keenness on relations with the South.

Ali Murad, a candidate who ran against Hezbollah and Amal in Marjeyoun, said the warm welcome accorded to Salam demonstrates that the “state needs the South as much as the people of the South need the state.”

“We will always count on the state,” he vowed.

Hezbollah MP Hussein Jishi welcomed Salam’s visit, hoping “it would bolster the southerners’ trust in the state.”

Kataeb leader MP Sami Gemayel remarked that the warm welcome accorded to the PM proves that the people of the South “want the state and its sovereignty. They want legitimate institutions that impose their authority throughout Lebanon, without exception.”

Arab World

Three Dead After Flooding Hits Northwest Syria

A child watches as civil defense teams open flooded roads in Idlib. (SANA)
A child watches as civil defense teams open flooded roads in Idlib. (SANA)
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Three Dead After Flooding Hits Northwest Syria

A child watches as civil defense teams open flooded roads in Idlib. (SANA)
A child watches as civil defense teams open flooded roads in Idlib. (SANA)

Two children and a Syrian Red Crescent volunteer have died as a result of flooding in the country's northwest, state media said on Sunday.

The heavy rains in Syria's Idlib region and the coastal province of Latakia have also wreaked havoc in displacement camps, according to authorities, who have launched rescue operations and set up shelters in the areas.

State news agency SANA reported "the death of a Syrian Arab Red Crescent volunteer and the injury of four others as they carried out their humanitarian duties" in Latakia province.

The Syrian Red Crescent said in a statement that the "a mission vehicle veered into a valley", killing a female volunteer and injuring four others, as they went to rescue people stranded by flash floods.

"A fifth volunteer was injured while attempting to rescue a child trapped by the floodwaters," it added.

SANA said two children died on Saturday "due to heavy flooding that swept through the Ain Issa area" in the north of Latakia province.

Authorities said Sunday they were working to clear roads in displacement camps in flooded parts of Idlib province.

The emergencies and disaster management ministry said 14 displacement camps in part of Idlib province were affected, with tents swamped, belongings swept away and around 300 families directly impacted.

Around seven million people remain internally displaced in Syria, according to the United Nations refugee agency, some 1.4 million of them living in camps and sites in the country's northwest and northeast.

The December 2024 ouster of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad after more than 13 years of civil war revived hopes for many to return home, but the destruction of housing and a lack of basic infrastructure in heavily damaged areas has been a major barrier.