Update on the situation at 8 p.m.
- The Israeli army says it has bombed more than 200 targets in the Gaza Strip
“In the last few hours, Air Force aircraft have attacked a number of terrorist targets throughout the Gaza Strip, in the north and south, in Khan Yunis and Rafah. “Some of the attacks were led by ground forces stationed in the Gaza Strip,” the Israeli army general staff said on Telegram.
- Hamas reports 178 deaths in the Gaza Strip
The health ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip reported 178 dead and 589 injured on Friday due to Israeli raids that resumed after a week of ceasefire.
- The Israeli army confirms the death of five hostages
“In recent days, the IDF [Forces de défense israéliennes] and police informed the families of Eliyahu Margalit, Mia Goren, Ronen Engel and Aryeh Zalmanovich of their deaths,” said army spokesman Daniel Hagari. The latter had previously announced the discovery of the body of another hostage, Ofir Sarfati, in the Gaza Strip and his repatriation to Israel.
- The United States remains “focused” on the hostage issue, assures the American Secretary of State
The United States remains “fully focused on achieving the return of everyone.” [les otages] at home, their release, an issue I raised today,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday after meetings with the foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain in Dubai on the sidelines of COP28.
- Two deaths were reported after an Israeli bomb attack in southern Lebanon
An Israeli bombing claimed the lives of two civilians in Hula, southern Lebanon, the National Information Agency said on Friday. Hezbollah, for its part, claimed responsibility for several volleys of rockets fired at Israeli military positions and a “group of enemy soldiers near the Jal Al-Allam position” near Naqoura.
- The Israeli army commander meets with the general staff to take stock of the situation
General Herzi Halevi, commander of the Israel Defense Forces, gathered members of the General Staff on Friday to assess the situation “as the start of the second part of the war approaches,” Daniel Hagari announced At.