Medicines for hostages in exchange for aid to Gaza

Palestinians walk through destruction in the Nusseirat refugee camp in Gaza Strip. Pic/AP

A shipment of medicine for dozens of hostages held by Hamas was en route to Gaza on Wednesday after France and Qatar mediated the first agreement between Israel and the militant group since a week long cease-fire in November.

The medicines arrived in Egypt and were on the way to the border. A senior Hamas official said that for every box provided for the hostages, 1,000 boxes would be sent in for Palestinians. The deal also includes the delivery of humanitarian aid to residents of the besieged coastal enclave.

The agreement came more than 100 days into a conflict that shows no sign of ending and which has sparked tensions across the Middle East. Palestinian militants are still putting up resistance across Gaza. Some 85 per cent of the narrow coastal territory's 2.3 million people have fled their homes, and the UN says a quarter of the population is starving.

Airstrikes hit Hezbollah targets

Israel launched air and artillery strikes on dozens of Hezbollah targets in the area of Wadi Saluki in Lebanon, including observation posts, weapons infrastructure, and other facilities, the Israel Defense Forces said on Tuesday.

"Hezbollah is exploiting the area of the Wadi for its terrorist activity. Numerous assets and infrastructure have been concealed by the terror organisation in the forested area for the purpose of attacking Israeli civilians and soldiers," the IDF said.

Israel kills Nablus militant chief

The IDF and the Shin Bet (Israel's anti-terror General Security Service) eliminated the leader of the terrorist infrastructure in the Balata camp in Nablus, Abdullah Abu Shalal in an air strike. Shalal, who was killed together with members of his terrorist cell while riding in a vehicle, was said to be panning a "major" terror attack in the near future at the time of his death. The IDF said that the terror squad led by Shalal was responsible for one of the main terrorist infrastructures in Judea and Samaria.

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