The Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas confirmed the death of senior official Iz al-Din Kasab this evening, after the Israeli army said it killed him in an airstrike in Khan Yunis.
In a statement, Hamas expressed grief over Kasab's death, adding that he was killed along with another official of the organization, Ayman Ayash, in an Israeli attack on their vehicle in Gaza.
Hamas sources told Reuters that Kasab was a local official and not a member of the decision-making Political Wing.
Israeli media reported that the victim was the last remaining member of the Political Bureau of Hamas and that he was in charge of national relations, coordination between Hamas and other extremist organizations.
The army released a video of the attack.
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The situation in the north of the Gaza Strip is apocalyptic, the heads of the United Nations said today and warned that the entire population is in danger of imminent death.
In addition, it was stated that the entire region of the Middle East is now on the edge of the abyss and an immediate cessation of hostilities was called for.
"The situation unfolding in the north of Gaza is apocalyptic," says the joint statement of the heads of the organizations that make up the UN Interdepartmental Standing Committee.
"The area has been under siege for almost a month, deprived of basic aid and life-saving supplies while bombing and other attacks continue. In the past few days alone, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed, most of them women and children, and thousands have been forcibly displaced once again." , it says in the statement, noting that "the entire Palestinian population is in imminent danger of dying from disease, hunger and violence."
The heads of UN agencies appealed to all warring parties in the besieged Palestinian territory to protect civilians and called on Israel to "end the attack on Gaza and the humanitarians trying to help".
"Due to access restrictions, humanitarian aid cannot keep up with the volume of needs. Basic funds, life-saving supplies are not available. Humanitarians are not safe in carrying out their work and are blocked by Israeli forces and insecure to reach people who need help," he says. in the announcement.
In addition, it is assessed that humanitarian aid must be enabled and appeals to all parties to allow unimpeded access to people affected by the situation in northern Gaza, and that hospitals do not become battlefields.
The statement was signed by heads of humanitarian, health, food, rights, migration, refugee, development, children and women agencies among others.
The statement concludes that "an unconditional ceasefire is long overdue."
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The death toll from Israeli attacks on the central Gaza Strip rose to 25 today as more bodies were found, while officials in Lebanon said 13 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes today.
Al-Aqsa Hospital announced that it received 21 bodies after two attacks yesterday on the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central part of the Gaza Strip, and that four more people were killed in an attack on a motorcycle in Zuwayda and a house in Deir al-Balah.
The Israeli military said it had hit Hamas infrastructure and an extremist operating in the Nuseirat area, adding that it was aware of reports of civilian casualties and was investigating them.
Despite growing international pressure from the US and other countries for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, the Israeli Air Force launched multiple strikes on Lebanon today.
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In the Israeli bombardment of the central Gaza strip during the night, 47 Palestinians were killed and dozens were injured, mostly children and women, the Palestinian news agency VAFA reported on Friday, reports Reuters.
The attacks took place in the city of Deir Al-Balah, the Nuseirat camp and the city of Al-Zawajda, the statement said.
Israel's military said its troops identified and eliminated "several armed terrorists" in central Gaza and eliminated "dozens of terrorists" in targeted raids in the Jabalia area of northern Gaza.
The Gaza war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1.200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli figures.
The Israeli army carried out at least ten attacks this morning on the southern suburbs of the capital of Lebanon, Beirut, the Lebanese news agency reported.
Israel, which has been shelling Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon for more than a month, previously issued a call for evacuation.
"Dozens of buildings were razed to the ground," the agency said.
These impacts caused powerful explosions and thick clouds of smoke can be seen above the city.
The attack comes a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's meeting with American envoys who arrived in Israel for talks aimed at a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Israel says it wants to neutralize Hezbollah in southern Lebanon to allow the return of around 60.000 residents from the north of its territory, displaced by incessant rocket fire since the start of the Gaza war last October.
At least 1.829 people have been killed since September 23 in Lebanon, Agence France-Presse reported, citing official data.
Four Thai citizens were killed and one was injured in a rocket fire near the town of Metula, near the border between Lebanon and Israel, Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa announced today on the X social network, Reuters reports.
Last year, 46 Thais were among 1.200 killed when Hamas militants launched an attack across Israel's borders, the Thai foreign ministry said.
Thirty Thai nationals were kidnapped during the attack on October 7, 2023, and six are believed to be still in captivity, according to Thai authorities.
Israel's response to the attack has since devastated the Palestinian territory of Gaza and killed tens of thousands of people.
Israel has also launched attacks against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Before the conflict, about 30.000 Thais worked in Israel, mostly in the agricultural sector, making up one of the largest groups of migrant workers in Israel.
"Thailand continues to strongly encourage all parties to return to the path of peace, on behalf of the innocent civilians who have been seriously affected by this prolonged and deepening conflict," said Thai Foreign Minister Maris.
The Israeli army announced today that it had intercepted an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in the territory of Syria overnight, which was launched towards Israel, Reuters reports.
"The drone was intercepted before crossing into Israeli territory," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.
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