An Israeli airstrike on a residential structure in central Gaza resulted in the deaths of at least seven Palestinians, including four children, and left 16 others wounded, as reported by health officials on Friday afternoon.
Israel is facing mounting international condemnation for the high number of civilian casualties and the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza. The Israeli military maintains that its strikes are targeted solely at militants and accuses Hamas of contributing to civilian fatalities by operating within residential areas.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in over 45,000 Palestinian deaths during a 14-month period of hostilities between Israel and Hamas. This conflict was ignited by a Hamas attack in October 2023 that led to the deaths of 1,200 individuals in southern Israel. Diplomats are reportedly making progress toward a ceasefire agreement that would facilitate the release of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza.
In a separate development, a U.S. diplomatic team was engaged in discussions in Damascus with Syria’s newly appointed leadership. This visit marks the first official American delegation in Syria in over ten years, occurring shortly after jihadi-led factions toppled President Bashar Assad’s government.
Syria is home to various religious sects, and there are growing concerns among minority groups, including Christians, about their rights and security under the primary rebel faction, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which has connections to al-Qaida.
In more regional news, Israeli forces shot and injured a protester in the Syrian village of Maariyah on Friday following a demonstration against the Israeli military presence. According to reports, during the protests, an Israeli soldier opened fire on a man who approached their position, resulting in a leg injury. The Israeli military stated that they acted in accordance with standard procedures and emphasized that their operations do not interfere with events inside Syria. Residents previously noted that Israeli troops have been obstructing farmers from accessing their agricultural fields, and Israeli leaders have indicated that their presence would be maintained indefinitely.
Regarding U.S. actions, the Biden administration decided not to pursue a previously offered $10 million reward for Ahmad al-Sharaa, a Syrian rebel leader whose faction was involved in the ousting of Assad’s regime. This announcement came after a meeting in Damascus involving al-Sharaa and Barbara Leaf, the top U.S. diplomat for the Middle East. Al-Sharaa’s group remains under U.S. designation as a foreign terrorist organization, but Leaf stated that the rebel leader pledged to renounce terrorism, prompting the U.S. to withdraw its reward offer.
Additionally, U.S. hostage envoy Roger Carstens participated in discussions with Syrian officials concerning the location of missing journalist Austin Tice. This delegation, the first of its kind since Assad’s fall, aimed to foster engagement with civil society and seek vital information on Tice’s whereabouts. Although no new leads were reported, Carstens vowed to maintain an aggressive search, focusing on approximately six prisons known to possibly hold Tice.
Meanwhile, the latest casualty reports from Gaza indicate that in the past 24 hours alone, 77 individuals have lost their lives, including five children. These figures contribute to an alarming total death toll exceeding 45,206 since the onset of hostilities triggered by Hamas in October 2023. The Health Ministry highlighted the ongoing struggles to reach everyone trapped under debris due to persistent bombardments, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
In the West Bank, tensions escalated as Israeli settlers vandalized and set fire to a mosque. This incident involved damage to property and hateful messages, as reported by the village council head. The alarming uptick in violence from settlers against Palestinian communities during the Gaza conflict has attracted scrutiny from human rights groups, who criticize the Israeli military’s inaction.
On a larger scale, the U.S. conducted airstrikes in northeastern Syria targeted at an Islamic State leader, marking ongoing efforts to combat the group amid the state’s political turmoil. According to CENTCOM, the operation was part of a continued strategy to diminish IS influence in the region.
The Turkish president has also hinted that Turkey might take action in northern Syria against perceived security threats from Kurdish groups. Erdo?an’s remarks come during a period characterized by clashes between Turkish-backed fighters and U.S.-aligned Kurdish forces along the border.
Lastly, a U.N. official has cautioned that any large-scale return of Syrian refugees would likely overwhelm the country’s recovery efforts following years of civil conflict. The agency’s message to European nations underscores the need for a careful approach to the refugee situation at this delicate juncture in Syria.
Sweden has announced a cessation of its “core support” for the U.N. agency assisting Palestinians, redirecting funding to other organizations following recent developments in Israeli legislative actions against the U.N. agency. This shift signifies a significant change in the international response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the surrounding regions.