Kat Lonsdorf

A general strike in Israel to protest the government's failure to return hostages from Gaza led to some closures and disruptions. A major union said it was calling off the strike after a court order.

In an internal memo obtained by NPR, U.S. officials warn that Israel's "drastically increased" evacuation orders in Gaza have further displaced Palestinians and could debilitate aid efforts.

Families held funerals for six hostages whose bodies were recovered from Gaza. Many in Israel think the next round of cease-fire talks may be the last chance to bring home hostages who remain alive.

The new round of talks to end the Gaza war will be based on the three-phase proposal President Biden laid out in May. Egypt, Qatar and the U.S. are serving as mediators between Israel and Hamas.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered fighter jets as well as Navy destroyers and cruisers deployed to "bolster force protection for U.S. troops in the region and to defend Israel," the Pentagon said.

Hamas called Haniyeh's death "a dangerous event" that would have repercussions across the region. Israeli officials said they had no comment.

The Israeli military says it "eliminated" a top Hezbollah commander in a suburb of Lebanon's capital in retaliation for a deadly rocket attack in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights.

A rocket has hit a sports complex filled with children playing soccer in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights region Saturday afternoon, on the same day that an Israeli strike in Gaza devastated a school building and killed dozens.

The Israeli military said the action was “in violation of orders and standard operating procedures” and would be investigated. It said the man was transferred to the Red Crescent for treatment.

The exchange of fire between Hezbollah and Israel has intensified in recent weeks along the border with Lebanon. Some Israelis in the north say they feel resigned to the possibility of war.