Israel's Request for Residents of the Beqaa Valley to Evacuate Part of the Area

On Wednesday, November 1, the Israeli army requested residents of certain areas in the Beqaa Valley in eastern Lebanon to evacuate, warning of military actions against Hezbollah targets. An Israeli army spokesperson stated that the residents of Baalbek, Ain Bordi, and Doris should leave their homes. Israeli forces typically target the specified areas after issuing such warnings, claiming it is to push Hezbollah back from border regions. Israel has used this method in its conflict against the Palestinian group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, UN officials and humanitarian organizations have criticized Israel's evacuation orders, stating that there is insufficient time for civilians to evacuate and that many have nowhere to go amid the war. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his concern in a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding a new Israeli law that bans the activities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric warned of the 'devastating impact' of this law on the humanitarian situation of Palestinians, adding that Guterres also sent a letter to the President of the UN General Assembly, who established UNRWA in December 1949. Guterres had previously criticized this Israeli action, which is set to be implemented within 90 days and may have 'devastating consequences' for Palestinian refugees. He also urged Israel to adhere to its commitments under international humanitarian law, stating that national laws 'cannot change these commitments.' Danny Danon, Israel's representative to the UN, accused Guterres of ignoring the 'undeniable reality' that 'UNRWA has become a front for Hamas' in Gaza. Meanwhile, the Gaza Health Ministry, controlled by Hamas, announced on Tuesday that an Israeli airstrike on a five-story residential building in northern Gaza resulted in at least 70 deaths, and in two separate Israeli attacks in the Beit Lahiya area, 18 were killed and 23 were missing. Typically, the Gaza Health Ministry or organizations under Hamas do not mention the number of militants killed when reporting casualty figures. Israel claims it is doing everything possible to prevent civilian casualties and accuses Hamas of using human shields, an allegation that the group denies. Israel reports that four Israeli soldiers have been killed during the clashes in Gaza, bringing the total Israeli casualties since the start of operations to 16. The United Nations has expressed deep concern over the high number of casualties, stating that it cannot access Palestinian areas to assist victims. The new Israeli law prohibits the activities of UNRWA, and Israeli officials are barred from any contact with UNRWA representatives. This Israeli action has faced criticism from several countries, including members of the UN Security Council, who state that UNRWA is currently the only mechanism available to assist Palestinians. Since the terrorist attack on October 6, 2023, by Palestinian militants against Israel, which resulted in the deaths of at least 1,200 people, including women, children, and the elderly, and the abduction of over 250 others, primarily civilians, Israel has been engaged in battles on multiple fronts against the Islamic Republic and its proxy forces. There are still 101 hostages taken by Hamas and other Palestinian militants in Gaza, with estimates suggesting that at least one-third of them have lost their lives. Hamas is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, Japan, and several other countries. In the north, Israel has also been engaged with Hezbollah, the main proxy arm of the Islamic Republic. Following the terrorist attack on October 6, 2023, Hezbollah unilaterally began its rocket and drone attacks on northern Israel. In response, Israel has conducted severe attacks against this group's positions in Lebanon and Syria, killing hundreds of its members and eliminating key leaders and military commanders, including Hassan Nasrallah, Foad Shaker, Ibrahim Aqil, and Hashem Safi al-Din. Alongside heavy airstrikes on Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, the southern suburbs of Beirut, and the Beqaa Valley, Israel has also deployed ground forces to parts of southern Lebanon. Several countries, including the United States, Israel, Germany, Serbia, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, and Australia, have recognized Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Recognizing Hezbollah as a terrorist organization means not distinguishing between its political and military branches and labeling both as terrorists.