BEIRUT: Palestinian militant group Hamas said an Israeli strike killed one of its commanders in a refugee camp in north Lebanon Saturday, the first time the area had been hit since the start of the Gaza war.
“Commander” Saeed Attallah Ali, his wife and two daughters were killed in “Zionist bombardment of his house in the Beddawi camp” near the northern city of Tripoli, it said.
Israel has repeatedly targeted Hamas officials in Lebanon since the Gaza war erupted almost a year ago.
Hamas has announced the deaths of at least 18 of its militants in Lebanon since then.
The group said an air strike on Monday killed its leader in Lebanon Fatah Sharif Abu Al-Amine in his home in the Al-Bass camp in south Lebanon.
In August, an Israeli strike on a vehicle in the south Lebanon city of Sidon killed Hamas commander Samer Al-Hajj.
A strike in January, which a US defense official said was carried out by Israel, killed Hamas deputy leader Saleh Al-Aruri and six other militants in Hezbollah’s south Beirut stronghold.
Lebanon’s dozen Palestinian refugee camps were created for those who were driven out or fled during the 1948 war that accompanied Israel’s creation.
By longstanding convention, the Lebanese army stays out of the camps and leaves the Palestinian factions to handle security.
Hamas says Israel Lebanon strike kills commander, family
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Hamas says Israel Lebanon strike kills commander, family
- Hamas has announced the deaths of at least 18 of its militants in Lebanon
Egypt coordinates with Greece to return victims of migrant boat, warns against irregular routes
- Egypt’s measures have drawn international support, with the European Union pledging €200 million in grants in March 2024 to bolster border management
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has instructed the Egyptian embassy in Athens to step up coordination with Greek authorities, Ahram Online reported on Tuesday.
The move aims to support survivors and expedite the repatriation of the victims’ bodies once legal procedures are completed.
The ministry added that the embassy has been in contact with the families of those who died to arrange the transfer of the remains back home.
Offering its condolences to the victims’ families, the ministry renewed its warning to citizens about the risks of irregular migration, urging Egyptians to safeguard their lives by using legal and regulated travel channels.
Egypt has intensified its efforts to curb irregular migration since launching a national strategy in 2016, with officials stressing that the country will not be used as a transit route to Europe.
Authorities say no migrant boats have departed from Egyptian shores since the strategy was introduced, despite Egypt hosting nearly 10 million foreign nationals, including refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants from 133 countries.
The approach has continued to evolve over the years, most recently with the adoption of the 2024–2026 national action plan by the National Committee for Combating and Preventing Illegal Migration and Trafficking in Persons.
Earlier initiatives have also supported these efforts, including the 2019 “Lifeboats” programme, which allocated EGP 250 million to create job opportunities in villages considered most vulnerable to irregular migration.
Egypt’s measures have drawn international support, with the European Union pledging €200 million in grants in March 2024 to bolster border management, search-and-rescue capabilities, and efforts to combat migrant smuggling.
