Israel appears to shift war’s focus to southern Gaza; U.S. ship shoots down drones in Red Sea

The Israel Defense Forces said it “will operate very strongly” in Shejaiya, a neighborhood east of Gaza City, to target Hamas officials it said were located there. The Palestinian Civil Defense said Israeli strikes there on Saturday leveled apartment buildings, leaving hundreds feared dead or wounded. The IDF said it killed a local Hamas commander, Wissam Farhat.

At least 15,523 people have been killed in Gaza and 41,316 wounded since the war began, the Gaza Health Ministry said. The ministry’s previous comprehensive update came before the pause, when it said bodies at two hospitals and under the rubble remained unaccounted for. At least 1,200 people were killed in Israel during the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas.

The head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency ordered his delegation to return home following an “impasse” in negotiations in Qatar for a further halt in fighting, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Saturday. Hamas said there would be no further hostage exchanges with Israel until the Gaza war is over.