A man works next to a destroyed home after rockets struck in Katzrin, in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, on August 21, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

Lebanon’s Hezbollah has launched more than 50 rockets, hitting a number of private homes in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights.

The attack on Wednesday (August 21, 2024) came a day after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with fellow mediators Egypt and Qatar as he pressed ahead with the latest diplomatic mission to secure a cease-fire in the war in Gaza, even as Hamas and Israel signalled that challenges remain.

Hamas in a new statement called the latest proposal presented to it a “reversal” of what it agreed to previously and accused the U.S. of acquiescing to what it called “new conditions” from Israel. There was no immediate U.S. response.

First responders in Golan Heights said they treated a 30-year-old man who was moderately wounded with shrapnel injuries in Wednesday’s (August 21, 2024) attack. One house was engulfed in flames, and firefighters said they prevented a bigger tragedy by stopping a gas leak.

Hezbollah said the attack was in response to an Israeli strike deep into Lebanon on Tuesday (August 20, 2024) night that killed one and injured 19. On Tuesday (August 20, 2024), Hezbollah launched more than 200 projectiles toward Israel, after Israel targeted a Hezbollah weapons depot some 80km from the border, a significant increase in the daily skirmishes.

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Israel and Hezbollah have traded near-daily strikes for more than 10 months against the backdrop of Israel’s war against Hezbollah’s ally, Hamas, in Gaza. The exchanges have killed more than 500 people in Lebanon — mostly militants but also including around 100 civilians and non-combatants — and 23 soldiers and 26 civilians in Israel.

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed it, saying it needs the strategic plateau for its security. The United States is the only country to recognize Israel’s annexation, while the rest of the international community considers the Golan to be occupied Syrian territory.

Members of Kibbutz Nir Oz and Israeli officials hold a conference calling on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government to secure a deal to return the hostages kidnapped during the deadly October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, in Kibbutz Nir Oz, southern Israel, on August 18, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Israel’s Prime Minister on Sunday (August 18, 2024) accused Hamas of being an obstacle in negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire deal and called for more pressure on the Palestinian militants ahead of a new round of talks later this week.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s comments came with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken set to arrive in Israel later on Sunday (August 18, 2024) to push for a deal that could help avert a wider conflagration.

“Hamas, up to this moment, remains obstinate. It did not even send a representative to the talks in Doha. Therefore, the pressure should be directed at Hamas and (Yahya) Sinwar, not at the Israeli government,” Mr. Netanyahu said at a Cabinet meeting, referring to the newly appointed Hamas chief.

Western ally Jordan, hostage supporters protesting in Israel, and Hamas itself have called for pressure on Mr. Netanyahu in order that an agreement be reached.

On Thursday (August 15, 2024), Hamas official Osama Hamdan told AFP the movement informed mediators it would participate in the Doha talks, which took place Thursday (August 15, 2024) and Friday (August 16, 2024), if they were “to set a timetable for the implementation” of what Hamas had already agreed to.

Hamas also announced its opposition to what it called “new conditions” from Israel.

Mr. Netanyahu, however, told Cabinet that, “We are conducting negotiations and not a scenario in which we just give and give. There are things we can be flexible on and there are things that we cannot be flexible on, which we will insist on.”

He said “enormous efforts” are being made to bring home the hostages.

“We firmly stand by the principles we have set, which are essential for Israel’s security,” Mr. Netanyahu said, calling for “strong military pressure and strong diplomatic pressure” on Hamas to reach a deal.

Making his ninth trip to the Middle East since the Gaza war began with Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, Mr. Blinken is due to meet Mr. Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders on Monday (August 19, 2024) before truce talks resume in Cairo later in the week.