Hamas Say Gaza War Death Toll Nears 15,000

Palestinian children wounded in Israeli strikes are brought to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Ali Mahmoud)
Palestinian children wounded in Israeli strikes are brought to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Ali Mahmoud)
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Hamas Say Gaza War Death Toll Nears 15,000

Palestinian children wounded in Israeli strikes are brought to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Ali Mahmoud)
Palestinian children wounded in Israeli strikes are brought to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Ali Mahmoud)

Hamas said Thursday the death toll in the Palestinian territory had reached 14,854 since war began on October 7.

The Hamas government said 6,150 children and 4,000 women were among the dead, with another 36,000 people wounded.

The health ministry has previously said it can no longer give exact tolls as intense fighting has prevented bodies from being recovered, according to AFP.

Meanwhile, a four-day truce in the Israel-Hamas war took effect early Friday.

The cease-fire kicked off at 7 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) and is to last at least four days. During this period Hamas pledged to free at least 50 of the about 240 hostages it and other fighters took on Oct. 7. Hamas said Israel would free 150 Palestinian prisoners.
Both sides will release women and children first. Israel said the truce would be extended an extra day for every additional 10 hostages freed.



US Military Says It Strikes Iran-Backed Militia Facility in Syria

A convoy of US military vehicles near Qamishli, Syria, February 2020. (SANA/via Reuters)
A convoy of US military vehicles near Qamishli, Syria, February 2020. (SANA/via Reuters)
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US Military Says It Strikes Iran-Backed Militia Facility in Syria

A convoy of US military vehicles near Qamishli, Syria, February 2020. (SANA/via Reuters)
A convoy of US military vehicles near Qamishli, Syria, February 2020. (SANA/via Reuters)

US forces conducted strikes in Syria against Iranian-aligned militia groups for a second day in a row Tuesday in response to further attacks on US personnel, US Central Command said late Tuesday.

In the latest retaliatory strikes, US forces hit a weapons storage and logistics facility after militia groups launched a rocket attack on US personnel at Patrol Base Shaddadi in Eastern Syria.

Earlier Tuesday, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said that over the weekend the militias had also targeted US personnel with a drone attack and indirect fires at another base, Green Village, where US troops are operating — which prompted the US to strike nine militia targets on Monday in self-defense.

There are about 900 US troops deployed in Syria. No US troops were injured in either attack.