A JOURNALIST was among five people killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon on Wednesday, with another reporter injured, even as a US-backed ceasefire remained formally in place and diplomatic efforts continued to extend the truce.
Beirut is expected to seek a one-month extension of the ceasefire in forthcoming talks with Israel in Washington, according to a Lebanese official speaking to AFP.
“Lebanon will request a one-month extension of the ceasefire, the cessation of bombing and destruction by Israel in the areas it occupies, and a commitment to the ceasefire,” the official said.
The 10-day truce, due to expire on Sunday, was agreed following earlier negotiations last week. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said efforts were under way to prolong the arrangement.
Ahead of renewed talks, Israel urged Lebanon to “cooperate” in addressing Hezbollah, the Iran-backed armed group deeply embedded in Lebanon’s political and security landscape.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said there were “no serious differences” with Lebanon, while arguing that “Lebanon is a failed state, which is de facto under Iranian influence through Hezbollah.”
He also said: “The obstacle to peace and relations between the two countries is only one — Hezbollah.”
A Hezbollah member of parliament, however, told AFP the group may accept indirect negotiations mediated by the United States, while continuing to reject direct talks with Israel, which it strongly opposes.
Despite the ceasefire framework, Israeli forces remain deployed in dozens of villages in southern Lebanon within what has been described as a “Yellow Line” buffer zone extending up to 10 kilometres from the border, and strikes have continued.
Lebanese rescue services said journalist Amal Khalil was killed in one such strike. Her employer, the Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, confirmed her death and said another journalist, Zeinab Faraj, was wounded.
Prior to the recovery of Khalil’s body, Lebanese state media reported that earlier strikes had killed four others in southern and eastern Lebanon.
Hezbollah said in a series of statements that it had carried out attacks on Israeli positions in southern Lebanon in response to what it described as violations of the ceasefire by Israel.
In parallel developments in Gaza, the territory’s civil defence agency said five Palestinians, including three children, were killed in an Israeli air strike targeting a group of civilians in the north of the enclave late on Wednesday.
“Five Palestinians, including three children, were killed in an Israeli air strike targeting a group of civilians near the Al-Qassam mosque in Beit Lahia,” the agency said in a statement.
“Their bodies were taken to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza.” The ages of the children were not immediately specified.
The Israeli military told AFP it was reviewing the reports.
A fragile ceasefire in Gaza, in place since 10 October, has continued to hold formally but has been repeatedly strained by mutual accusations of violations between Israel and Hamas and sporadic outbreaks of violence.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, at least 786 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began — figures acknowledged by the United Nations — while Israel says five of its soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the truce took effect - April 23, 2026
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