Israeli Strikes Kill at Least 44 People in Gaza

Israeli Strikes Kill at Least 44 People in Gaza
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Israeli Strikes Kill at Least 44 People in Gaza

Israeli Strikes Kill at Least 44 People in Gaza

Israeli strikes killed at least 44 people across Gaza overnight, health officials said.

Strikes in central and northern Gaza killed people in their homes in the early hours of Saturday morning, including nine from the same family in a house in the Nuseirat refugee camp, according to health staff at the Al-Awda hospital where the bodies were brought.

 Five others were killed when a strike hit a tent for the displaced, according to Nasser Hospital, which received the dead.

The director of Shifa Hospital in Gaza City told The Associated Press that medical teams there were concerned about Israeli “tanks approaching the vicinity of the hospital,” restricting access to the facility where 159 patients are being treated.

“The bombardment has not stopped for a single moment," Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiya said.

He added that 14 premature babies were treated in incubators in Helou Hospital, though the head of neonatal intensive care there, Dr. Nasser Bulbul, has said that facility's main gate was closed because of drones flying over the building.
 

The attacks came hours after a defiant Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told fellow world leaders at the UN General Assembly Friday that his nation “must finish the job” against Hamas in Gaza.

International pressure on Israel to end the war is increasing, as is Israel's isolation, with a growing list of countries deciding recently to recognize Palestinian statehood - something Israel rejects.

Countries have been lobbying US President Donald Trump to press Israel for a ceasefire. On Friday, Trump told reporters on the White House lawn that he believes the US is close to achieving a deal on easing fighting in Gaza that “will get the hostages back” and “end the war.”

Trump and Netanyahu are scheduled to meet Monday, and Trump said on social media Friday that “very inspired and productive discussions” and “intense negotiations” about Gaza are ongoing with countries in the region.

Yet, Israel is pressing ahead with another major ground operation in Gaza City, which experts say is experiencing famine. More than 300,000 people have fled, but up to 700,000 are still there, many because they can’t afford to relocate.

The strikes Saturday morning demolished a house in Gaza City's Tufah neighborhood, killing at least 11 people, more than half of them women and children, according to the Al-Ahly Hospital where the bodies were brought.

Four other people were killed when an airstrike hit their homes in the Shati refugee camp, according to Shifa hospital.

 



Trump Says Israel, Lebanon Agree to 10-day Ceasefire

This photograph taken from the southern Lebanese area of Marjeyoun shows smoke rising from the site of an Israeli strike that targeted the village of Kfar Tibnit on April 16, 2026. (Photo by AFP)
This photograph taken from the southern Lebanese area of Marjeyoun shows smoke rising from the site of an Israeli strike that targeted the village of Kfar Tibnit on April 16, 2026. (Photo by AFP)
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Trump Says Israel, Lebanon Agree to 10-day Ceasefire

This photograph taken from the southern Lebanese area of Marjeyoun shows smoke rising from the site of an Israeli strike that targeted the village of Kfar Tibnit on April 16, 2026. (Photo by AFP)
This photograph taken from the southern Lebanese area of Marjeyoun shows smoke rising from the site of an Israeli strike that targeted the village of Kfar Tibnit on April 16, 2026. (Photo by AFP)

US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire starting on Thursday.

Trump said the truce followed "excellent" conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, taking place two days after Israel and Lebanon held peace talks in Washington.

"These two Leaders have agreed that in order to achieve PEACE between their Countries, they will formally begin a 10 Day CEASEFIRE at 5 P.M. EST," Trump said on his Truth Social network.

Trump said he had directed US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and top US military officer Dan Caine to work with the two countries "to achieve a Lasting PEACE."

"It has been my Honor to solve 9 Wars across the World, and this will be my 10th, so let's, GET IT DONE!" said Trump, who launched the war on Iran alongside Israel on February 28.

Hezbollah then pulled Lebanon into the Middle East war, firing rockets at Israel in support of its backer Tehran.

Since then, Israeli strikes on Lebanon have killed more than 2,000 people and displaced more than one million, and Israeli ground forces have invaded the country's south.

Trump said late Wednesday that Aoun and Netanyahu were due to speak on Thursday, but the Lebanese president rejected the US request for the direct phone call with the Israeli PM, an official source told AFP.


Syria Says Has Taken Control of All Bases Previously Operated by US Forces

A photo released by Syria’s state news agency SANA shows the army as it takes control of the base (SANA).
A photo released by Syria’s state news agency SANA shows the army as it takes control of the base (SANA).
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Syria Says Has Taken Control of All Bases Previously Operated by US Forces

A photo released by Syria’s state news agency SANA shows the army as it takes control of the base (SANA).
A photo released by Syria’s state news agency SANA shows the army as it takes control of the base (SANA).

Syria on Thursday said it had taken control of all military bases previously hosting US forces, who had long been in the country leading an international coalition against the ISIS group.

The foreign ministry in a statement said it "welcomes the completed handover of military sites where United States forces were previously present in Syria to the Syrian government".

It added that "the handover of these sites was carried out... in full coordination between the Syrian and American governments".


Lebanon President Refused 'Direct Call' with Israel PM

(L/R) US State Department Counselor Michael Needham, US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, Lebanon's Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh Moawad, and Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter stand together before meeting at the State Department in Washington, DC, on April 14, 2026. (Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP)
(L/R) US State Department Counselor Michael Needham, US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, Lebanon's Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh Moawad, and Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter stand together before meeting at the State Department in Washington, DC, on April 14, 2026. (Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP)
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Lebanon President Refused 'Direct Call' with Israel PM

(L/R) US State Department Counselor Michael Needham, US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, Lebanon's Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh Moawad, and Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter stand together before meeting at the State Department in Washington, DC, on April 14, 2026. (Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP)
(L/R) US State Department Counselor Michael Needham, US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, Lebanon's Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh Moawad, and Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter stand together before meeting at the State Department in Washington, DC, on April 14, 2026. (Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP)

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun rejected a US request for a direct phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, an official source told AFP.

"The Lebanese president refused a direct call with Netanyahu and informed (US Secretary of State) Marco Rubio of this," adding that "the American side was understanding", the source said.

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday the "leaders" of the two countries would speak the following day.

Also, three Lebanese officials affirmed to Reuters that Aoun will not hold a call with Netanyahu in the near future.

Two of the Lebanese officials said that the Lebanese embassy in Washington had informed the US administration before a call between Aoun and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday that Aoun would not speak to Netanyahu.