Israel-Hamas conflict live updates: IDF’s military operations in Gaza criticised by UN chief as death toll continues to grow

Israel’s military said it has struck the Syrian organisation behind a drone attack that hit a school in the southern Israeli city of Eilat on Thursday.

The military did not say what organisation in Syria had launched the drone toward Eilat, on the Red Sea approximately 400 kms from the nearest point in Syrian territory.

But it said in a statement it holds Syria’s government fully responsible “for any terror activity emanating from its territory.” There were no reports of injuries from the drone strike, which caused light damage.

The drone incident adds to a spate of attacks directed from the region since the October 7 outbreak of Israeli fighting with Gaza’s Hamas militants.

Nearly half of Democrats disapprove of how President Joe Biden is handling the Israel-Hamas conflict, according to a new poll showing a deep divide within his party over the war.

The poll, from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, found 50 per cent of Democrats approve of how Biden has navigated the conflict while 46 per cent disapprove — and the two groups diverge substantially in their views of US support for Israel.

Biden’s support on the issue among Democrats is down slightly from August, as an AP-NORC poll conducted then found that 57 per cent of Democrats approved of his handling of the conflict and 40 per cent disapproved.

The October 7 Hamas attack that killed more than 1400 people and Israel’s responding incursion into Gaza have created a political tightrope for Biden, who has supported Israeli sovereignty since the attack but also pressured Israel’s government to try to limit civilian casualties and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. More than 10,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s offensive, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

Gaza officials say Israel launched air strikes on or near at least three hospitals on Friday, further stressing the Palestinian enclave’s precarious health system as it struggles to cope with thousands of people wounded or displaced in Israel’s war against Hamas militants.

“The Israeli occupation launched simultaneous strikes on a number of hospitals during the past hours”, Gaza Ministry of Health spokesman Ashraf Al-Qidra told Al Jazeera television.

Israel’s military did not immediately comment on Qidra’s statement, which Reuters could not independently verify.

The medical facilities included Gaza’s biggest hospital, Al Shifa, where Israel said Hamas has hidden command centres and tunnels, allegations Hamas denies. Qidra said Israel targeted the Gaza City medical complex’s courtyard and there were casualties, but he did not provide details.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country does not seek to occupy Gaza after its war against Hamas but a “credible force” would be needed to enter the Palestinian enclave if necessary to prevent the emergence of militant threats.

Speaking to US television’s Fox News on Friday morning Australian time he said: “We don’t seek to conquer Gaza, we don’t seek to occupy Gaza, and we don’t seek to govern Gaza.”

Netanyahu said a civilian government would need to take shape in Gaza but that Israel would make sure an attack like October 7 does not happen again.

“We’ll have to find a government, a civilian government that will be there,” he said.

There was heavy fighting in Gaza City overnight, AEDT time.

Residents in Gaza City, a Hamas stronghold, said Israeli tanks were stationed around the area. Both sides reported inflicting heavy casualties on one another in intense street battles.

Israel said 33 of its soldiers have been killed in its ground operation as they advanced into the heart of Gaza City.

Israeli troops secured a Hamas military stronghold called Compound 17 in Jabalya in northern Gaza after 10 hours of combat with Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants above and below the ground, the Israeli military said on Wednesday.