"Israel-Hamas Conflict Escalates: U.S. Strikes Syria, Ground Incursions and Airstrikes Result in Hamas Commander's Death"

The Russian administration has defended its engagement with Hamas, stating that the recent delegation from the Palestinian militant group had no contact with the Kremlin. Meanwhile, Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has called for the closure of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad in response to Washington's support of Israel. EU leaders have expressed concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and called for pauses in Israeli bombing and Hamas rocket attacks to allow for the delivery of humanitarian aid. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has also joined calls for a ceasefire, highlighting the damage to schools in the Gaza Strip. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have reported the killing of another Hamas commander in an airstrike, while the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) chief has warned of the mounting humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. The U.S. has imposed a second round of sanctions on individuals linked to Hamas, and more aid trucks are expected to enter the Gaza Strip. The IDF has provided details of a limited ground raid in the Gaza Strip, and the U.S. has launched strikes on two Iran-linked locations in Syria. The White House has called for supplemental funding to support Israel and Ukraine, and the Palestinian Health Ministry has released a list of over 6,700 people killed in Gaza, including over 2,500 children.