4 Kids, 5 Women Among 16 Killed in Israeli Strikes in Gaza, Say Palestinian Officials

Jerusalem: Palestinian officials say Israeli airstrikes killed 16 people in Gaza Strip on Monday, including five women and four children.

A strike flattened a home in built-up Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, killing at least 10 people re, including four women and two children. Awda Hospital, which received bodies, confirmed toll and also said 13 people were wounded. Hospital records show that de included a mor, her child and her five siblings.

Anor strike on a home in Gaza City killed six people, including a woman and two children, according to Civil Defense, first responders who operate under Hamas-run government.

Israel says it only targets militants and accuses Hamas and or armed groups of endangering civilians by operating in residential areas. military rarely comments on individual strikes, which often kill women and children.

Gaza's Health Ministry says more than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in territory since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack triggered Israel-Hamas war nearly a year ago. ministry does not differentiate between fighters and civilians in its count but says a little over half of those killed were women and children. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.

war has caused vast destruction and displaced about 90% of Gaza's population of 2.3 million.

US official warns Netanyahu of risk to spark broer conflict if he moves to full-scale war in Lebanon WASHINGTON, DC — White House senior viser Amos Hochstein told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and or Israeli officials that intensifying conflict with Hezbollah on Israeli-Lebanon border would not help achieve goal of getting Israelis forced to evacuate back in ir homes, according to a U.S. official.

official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private talks, said Hochstein stressed to Netanyahu during Monday's talks that Israeli leer risked sparking a bro and protracted regional conflict if he moved forward with a full-scale war in Lebanon.

Hochstein also underscored to Israeli officials that Biden ministration remained committed to finding a diplomatic solution to tensions on Israel's norrn border in conjunction with a Gaza deal or on its own, official said.

Netanyahu told Hochstein that it would “not be possible to return our residents without a fundamental change in security situation in north.” prime minister said Israel “appreciates and respects” US support but “will do what is necessary to maintain its security and return residents of north to ir homes safely.” —- Aamer Mhani UN humanitarian official says more must be done to protect civilians in Gaza UNITED NATIONS — top UN humanitarian official for Gaza says more must be done to protect civilians.

“Time is slipping away as a man-me humanitarian crisis has turned Gaza into abyss,” Sigrid Kaag, UN senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza, told UN Security Council.

Kaag said humanitarian operations are impeded by lawlessness, Israeli evacuation orders, fighting and operating conditions for aid workers. She cited Israeli denials of access, delays, a lack of safety and security, and “poor logistical infrastructure.” Israel's UN Ambassor Danny Danon insisted country's humanitarian efforts during war in Gaza “are unparalleled.” He told council over 1 million tons of aid have been delivered via more than 50,000 trucks.

Kaag told reporters after briefing that question isn't number of trucks but how many can be retrieved and how much aid can be distributed given conditions. She pointed to recent attacks on humanitarian convoys and schools and health facilities.

“It's not about trucks. It's about what people need … as human beings,” she stressed. “We're way, way off what people need, not only daily, but also what we would all consider a dignified human life.” Israeli protesters gar after reports that Netanyahu will fire his defense minister Tel Aviv, Israel — Hundreds of Israeli protesters have reportedly gared in central Tel Aviv in a show of anger following reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is preparing to fire his popular defense minister.

Israeli media reported Monday that Netanyahu is set to dismiss Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and replace him with opposition lawmaker Gideon Saar.

Gallant, a gruff retired general, has emerged as Netanyahu's biggest rival in Cabinet. In recent weeks, pair have clashed over Gallant's call for Israel to reach a temporary cease-fire with Hamas and to seek a diplomatic solution to end daily fighting with Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Israeli media reports said hundreds of demonstrators gared near Saar's home in central Tel Aviv. Protesters held signs that said, “Saar, values before politics,” as y marched through streets. A grassroots group representing hostage families said dismissing Gallant would hurt efforts to bring ir loved-ones home.

Saar is a former Netanyahu ally who became a fierce rival after quitting ruling Likud Party four years ago. However, he has struggled as leer of a small party in parliament. Saar has held a number of senior Cabinet posts but has little military experience.

Netanyahu's office said that reports of negotiations with Saar were incorrect. But Israeli media said pair were close to a deal.

White House envoy meets with Israeli leers Tel Aviv, Israel — A key White House Mideast envoy is meeting with Israeli leers in hopes of lowering tensions between Israel and Lebanon.

Lebanese militant group Hezbollah began striking Israel shortly after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack ignited war. Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging blows daily while avoiding an all-out war. fighting has displaced tens of thousands of civilians on both sides of border.

During his meeting with US envoy Amos Hochstein, Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that time is running out for a political settlement and that Israel is moving toward taking tougher action against Hezbollah.

Gallant warned “ only way left to ensure return of Israel's norrn communities to ir homes will be via military action,” his office said.

Hochstein in 2022 brokered a maritime border deal between Lebanon and Israel. two countries have formally been at war since Israel's independent in 1948.

Hamas leer says Yemen rebels' missile attack sent a message Sanaa (Yemen) -- leer of Hamas Yahya Sinwar has told Yemen's Houthi rebels that ir recent missile attack has sent a message to Israel.

Yahya Sinwar's letter to Abdul-Malek al-Houthi was published by Houthis' al-Masirah news channel Monday, a day after a missile fired by Iran-backed rebels landed in an open area in central Israel and triggered air raid sirens at its international airport.

“I congratulate you for succeeding in making your missile reach depth of enemy's entity after surpassing all defense systems,” Sinwar's letter re, according to al-Masirah.

Sinwar ded that Yemeni missile attack sent a message that that attempts to “contain” Hamas have failed and that back-up fronts by Iran-backed groups are becoming more effective.

Sinwar said that Hamas carried out October 7, attack on sourn Israel and has since been fighting “a defensive war that has exhausted enemy.” He ded that Hamas h prepared for “a long war of attrition that will break” Israel's political will.

Shortly after Israel-Hamas war started, Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq have claimed responsibility for scores of attacks against Israel saying y are backing ir allies in Hamas.

Israeli settlers storm a West Bank school and beat staffers, Palestinians say. Israeli troops later arrest school's principal and 2 ors Ramallah (West Bank) — Palestinians say Israeli settlers wielding sticks stormed a Palestinian school in occupied West Bank, beating staff members and tying up principal.

Israeli military said Palestinians h attacked an Israeli nearby, inflicting a he injury, before fleeing to school on Monday. It said a group of Israelis followed attackers and a confrontation ensued in which a number of Palestinians were hurt.

Hassan Malihat, a Palestinian lawyer who at time was visiting school near city of Jericho, said settlers entered at around 8 am. He says Israeli army arrived about two hours later and arrested three staff members, including principal.

military said soldiers and police were dispatched to school, ended confrontation and arrested a number of suspects.

Palestinian Red Crescent rescue service says seven Palestinians were wounded in confrontation.

Settler violence has surged across West Bank since Hamas' October 7 attack ignited war in Gaza. In some cases, Israeli settlers have stormed Palestinian villages setting cars and properties ablaze.

re has also been a rise in car-ramming, stabbing and shooting attacks carried out against Israelis by Palestinian militant groups and lone attackers.

Israel captured West Bank, along with Gaza and east Jerusalem, in 1967 Mideast war — lands Palestinians want for a future state.

3 million Palestinians in West Bank live under Israeli military rule, with Western-backed Palestinian Authority exercising limited autonomy in some areas. Over 500,000 settlers with Israeli citizenship live in well over 100 settlements considered illegal by most of international community.

Turkish autopsy indicates American-Turkish activist killed by Israeli fire in West Bank died from a gunshot wound to he Ankara (Turkey) — Initial findings from an autopsy by Turkish authorities indicate that Turkish-American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi who was killed by Israeli fire in West Bank died from a gunshot wound to he.

eight-page report, signed by four forensic doctors and a forensic technician, was me available to Associated Press on Monday. It described details such as skull fractures caused by gunshot and brain tissue damage, noting that a toxicology report and tissue sample analysis are still pending.

26-year-old activist from Seattle, who held dual U.S. and Turkish citizenship, was killed on Sept. 6 during a demonstration against Israeli settlements in occupied West Bank. Her funeral and burial took place in Turkish Aegean coastal town of Didim on Saturday.

Israeli military stated last week that Eygi was likely shot “indirectly and unintentionally” by Israeli forces. Turkey is conducting its own investigation into her death.

A UN agency says polio campaign in Gaza has reached 90% of children targeted Jerisalem -- UN agency for Palestinian refugees says first round of a polio vaccination campaign in Gaza ended successfully by reaching 90% of children it targeted.

UNRWA he Philippe Lazzarini said in a post on social media platform X, that Israel and Palestinian militants h largely observed humanitarian pauses to allow campaign to proceed.

vaccination drive showed that “when re is a political will, assistance can be provided without disruption,” Lazzarini wrote on Monday.

UNRWA is main provider of humanitarian assistance in coastal enclave. Health workers plan to minister a second dose of vaccine at end of this month.

campaign was launched after detection of Gaza's first polio case in 25 years and sought to reach some 640,000 children under age of 10. Health workers faced a host of challenges, including damaged ros, gutted health facilities and ongoing fighting nearly a year into Israel-Hamas war.

Israeli defense minister says time is running out for agreement with Hezbollah to halt fighting along Israel-Lebanon border Jerusalem — Israel's defense minister has told his US counterpart that time is running out for an agreement with Hezbollah to halt fighting along Israel-Lebanon border.

Yoav Gallant told Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that “ possibility for an agreed framework in norrn arena is running out as Hezbollah continues to tie itself' to Hamas.” “ trajectory is clear,” Gallant ded, according to a statement released from his office on Monday.

Hezbollah began firing rockets and drones into norrn Israel after outbreak of war in Gaza, which was ignited by Hamas' October 7 attack. Both armed groups are allied with Iran, and Hezbollah says it is acting in solidarity with Palestinians.

Israel has responded to attacks with airstrikes and targeted killing of Hezbollah commanders. It has threatened a wider operation, raising fears of anor all-out war.

Hezbollah has said it will halt its attacks if re is a cease-fire in Gaza, but months of talks brokered by United States, Qatar and Egypt have repeatedly stalled.

Hamas has demanded a lasting cease-fire and full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza as part of any agreement to release scores of hostages it still holds from October 7 attack.

Gallant told Austin that “in any possible scenario, Israel's defense establishment will continue to operate with aim of dismantling Hamas and ensuring return of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza — by any means.”

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