Israel’s ceasefire agreements in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip came under strain from deadly violence and a dispute with Hamas over the fate of an Israeli hostage, raising the stakes for international efforts to keep the deals on track.
Israeli television reported that President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, would visit Israel this week to advance the next phase of the deal with Hamas that took effect on Jan. 19. Trump himself floated the possibility of having Jordan and Egypt take in Palestinian refugees, an idea quickly rejected in the region.
At least 22 people were killed in southern Lebanon on Sunday and more than 100 injured, according to Lebanese authorities, as hundreds of residents, some carrying Hezbollah flags, attempted to return to villages despite warnings by the Israeli army to stay out of parts of southern Lebanon where its soldiers are still deployed. The Israeli military said it fired warning shots and apprehended some suspects.
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