Three young siblings killed in Gaza, as Israeli strikes leave six dead in Lebanon

An Israeli attack on a house in northern Gaza killed three siblings aged six and younger, among at least six people killed in airstrikes in the war-torn area, Palestinian medics said. In Lebanon, an Israeli airstrike on an apartment building south of Beirut killed at least six people and injured 15 on Wednesday, the Health Ministry said.

The Biden administration said Tuesday it will not restrict arms transfers to Israel as it has made limited progress in increasing the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Eight international aid groups had previously said Israel had failed to meet US demands for greater humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip, where hunger experts say the north may already be facing famine.

Israel’s war in Gaza has killed more than 43,000 people, Palestinian health officials say. Officials do not distinguish between civilians and fighters but say more than half of the dead were women and children.

The war between Israel and Hamas began after Palestinian militants stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people – mostly civilians – and kidnapping 250 others.

The Lebanese Hezbollah group began shooting at Israel on October 8, 2023, in solidarity with Hamas in Gaza. Since then, more than 3,200 people have been killed and more than 14,200 injured in Lebanon, the country’s health ministry said. 76 people have been killed in Israel, including 31 soldiers.

___

Here’s the latest:

A new video shows an Israeli hostage in Gaza

CAIRO – The Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group has released a new video showing an Israeli hostage held in Gaza for more than a year.

The video shows Sasha Troufanov, likely speaking under duress, describing the harsh conditions in Gaza, warning of military operations to free him and calling on Israelis to protest his release.

It was the first such video released in several weeks. It was not clear when the film was shot, but Troufanov appeared to be referring to Israel’s war against Hezbollah in Lebanon and the recent firefight with Iran, which took place in October.

Islamic Jihad took part in Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, in which militants killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took another 250 hostage. There are still about 100 hostages in Gaza, about a third of whom are believed to be dead.

Islamic Jihad released two previous videos of Troufanov earlier this year. He turned 29 on Monday, his second anniversary in captivity. His mother, grandmother and girlfriend were also captured but were released during a ceasefire in November 2023. His father was killed in the October 7 attack.

The US, Egypt and Qatar have spent most of this year trying to broker a ceasefire and release the remaining hostages. Hamas has said it will release the remaining hostages only in exchange for a lasting ceasefire, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to maintain Israeli control over parts of Gaza and continue the war until “total victory” over Hamas and the return of the remaining prisoners.

At least six dead and fifteen injured in an Israeli attack south of Beirut

BEIRUT – An Israeli airstrike on an apartment building in the city of Aramoun, just south of Beirut, killed at least six people and injured 15 others on Wednesday, the Lebanese Health Ministry said.

The state-run National News Agency reported that children were missing after the strike and it was not clear whether they were under the rubble or had been taken to a hospital.

No warning had been issued before the attack and it was not clear what the target was. There was no immediate statement from the Israeli military.

Also Wednesday morning, the Israeli army attacked several locations in Beirut’s southern suburbs, an area known as Dahiyeh, after issuing evacuation warnings. It said the attacks targeted “Hezbollah facilities and interests.” There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Israeli forces and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah have clashed since October 8, 2023, when Hezbollah began launching rockets across the border in support of its ally Hamas in Gaza. The conflict escalated from mid-September. Israel has launched a widespread aerial bombardment of Lebanon and a ground invasion that it says is aimed at pushing Hezbollah back from the border.

Three young siblings were killed in an Israeli attack in northern Gaza, Palestinian medics say

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Palestinian medics say an Israeli attack on a house in northern Gaza has killed three siblings aged six and younger.

They were among at least six people killed Tuesday in Israeli attacks in the war-torn region, where Israel has been at war with Hamas for more than 13 months.

The Gaza Health Ministry’s emergency service said the three children were killed in an attack on a house near a clinic in the urban Jabaliya refugee camp, where Israel has been waging an offensive for more than a month.

In the central city of Deir al-Balah, an attack hit a tent on the west side of the city, killing at least two people, including a 15-year-old boy, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital said. Another attack on a tent in the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp left a man dead, the hospital said. An Associated Press journalist counted the three bodies at the hospital.

Israel says it is only targeting militants and trying to prevent harm to civilians. It accuses Hamas militants of hiding among civilians in homes and shelters.

The military rarely comments on individual attacks, which often kill women and children.

The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking another 250 hostage. About 100 prisoners remain in Gaza, a third of whom are believed dead.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 43,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities. They do not distinguish between militants and civilians in their count, but say women and children make up more than half of the dead.

US forces carry out attacks in Syria against Iranian-affiliated militias

WASHINGTON — U.S. forces carried out strikes in Syria against Iran-linked militias for a second straight day on Tuesday in response to further attacks on American personnel, U.S. Central Command said late Tuesday.

In the latest retaliatory strikes, US forces hit an arms storage and logistics facility after militia groups launched a rocket attack on US personnel at Shaddadi patrol base in eastern Syria.

Earlier Tuesday, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said the militias had also attacked U.S. personnel this weekend with a drone strike and indirect fire at another base, Green Village, where U.S. troops operate — prompting the U.S. encouraged to strike. nine militia targets on Monday in self-defense.

About 900 U.S. troops are deployed in Syria. No American troops were injured in either attack.

___

For more Middle East news: https://apnews.com/hub/middle-east