40,405 Palestinians Killed in Israel's Military Offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7

Palestinians inspect damage in Hamad City, following an Israeli raid, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, August 24, 2024. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Palestinians inspect damage in Hamad City, following an Israeli raid, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, August 24, 2024. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
TT

40,405 Palestinians Killed in Israel's Military Offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7

Palestinians inspect damage in Hamad City, following an Israeli raid, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, August 24, 2024. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Palestinians inspect damage in Hamad City, following an Israeli raid, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, August 24, 2024. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

At least 40,405 Palestinians have been killed and 93,468 others injured in Israel's military offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, said the Gaza Health Ministry, Reuters reported.

In the last 24-hours, 71 were killed and 112 were injured in what the ministry called three massacres by Israel in the strip.

The recent war in Gaza started after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7.

Israel says it goes out of its way to avoid civilian casualties and accuses Hamas of using human shields, an allegation the group denies.



Assad Says Efforts to Restore Ties with Türkiye Have Yielded No Results

File photo of a previous meeting between Bashar Assad and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Damascus in May 2008 (The AP)
File photo of a previous meeting between Bashar Assad and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Damascus in May 2008 (The AP)
TT

Assad Says Efforts to Restore Ties with Türkiye Have Yielded No Results

File photo of a previous meeting between Bashar Assad and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Damascus in May 2008 (The AP)
File photo of a previous meeting between Bashar Assad and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Damascus in May 2008 (The AP)

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on Sunday that efforts to mend ties with Türkiye had so far brought no tangible results.

"The initiatives did not yield any results worth mentioning despite the seriousness and genuine keenness of mediators," Assad said in a speech to the Syrian parliament, referring to conciliation efforts by Russia, Iran and Iraq.

Türkiye severed ties with Syria in 2011 after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, in which it supported opposition seeking to oust Assad. Assad views the opposition as terrorists, according to Reuters.

"The solution is openness," Assad said. "Restoring a relationship requires first removing the causes that led to its destruction."

The Syrian president made clear that while he wants Turkish troops to withdraw from Syria, that was not a precondition for talks.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said earlier in July he would extend an invitation to Assad "any time" for possible talks to restore relations.

A Turkish newspaper earlier reported Erdogan and Assad could meet in August, but a Turkish diplomat denied the report.

Russia has been trying to facilitate a meeting between the two leaders in an effort to restore ties. Iraq also said in July that it may seek to try to bring the two leaders together.