News on the war between Israel and Hamas: Israel will do “whatever it takes” to bring the residents of the northern border home

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday that the return of residents evacuated from northern Israel due to cross-border fighting with Hezbollah is now an official war aim.

Hezbollah began attacking Israel almost immediately after the October 7 Hamas attack that sparked the war between Israel and Hamas. Since then, Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged fire on a daily basis, almost escalating into open war on several occasions and forcing tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border to flee their homes.

White House envoy Amos Hochstein met with Netanyahu and other senior officials on Monday to try to defuse tensions and prevent a new front from emerging between Israel and Lebanon. Netanyahu told the envoy that Israel would do “whatever is necessary” to bring residents home.

According to Gaza's Health Ministry, more than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in the territory since October 7. The ministry makes no distinction between fighters and civilians in its count, but says that just over half of those killed were women and children. Israel claims to have killed more than 17,000 militants, but provides no evidence.

The war has caused enormous destruction and forced around 90 percent of the Gaza Strip's 2.3 million inhabitants to flee.

Here is the news:

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Palestinian authorities say Israel has attacked several homes in the central Gaza Strip, killing at least four people, including a child. Civil defense rescue workers say more people are trapped under the rubble and the death toll is likely to rise after the attacks early Tuesday.

In another attack late Monday evening in Gaza City, a man, his wife and his child were killed, according to civil defense.

Israel says it only targets militant groups and tries not to harm civilians. It accuses Hamas and other armed groups of endangering civilians through their operations in densely populated areas.

Gaza's Health Ministry says more than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war, which was sparked by Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7. It makes no distinction between civilians and fighters, but says just over half of those killed were women and children.

The Israeli military claims to have killed over 17,000 militants, but provides no evidence.

In the October 7 attacks, Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people and took another 250 hostage. They still hold around 100 prisoners, a third of whom are believed to be dead, after most of the rest were released during a ceasefire in November.

JERUSALEM – The return of residents evacuated from northern Israel due to cross-border fighting with Hezbollah is now an official war goal, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday.

Israeli officials have long stated that they want to return the tens of thousands of displaced Israelis to their homeland, so it was not immediately clear what impact this announcement would have on the course of the war. But it was a clear sign that Israel is prepared to take tougher military measures to achieve this goal.

White House special envoy Amos Hochstein met with Netanyahu and other senior officials on Monday to try to ease tensions and prevent the emergence of a new front between Israel and Lebanon.

Netanyahu told the envoy that Israel would do “whatever is necessary” to bring the residents home.

In a brief statement after an overnight cabinet meeting, Netanyahu's office said Israel would continue to work toward that goal – another sign that patience is running out.

Hezbollah began attacking Israel almost immediately after the October 7 Hamas attack that sparked the war between Israel and Hamas. Since then, Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged fire on a daily basis, almost escalating into open war on several occasions and forcing tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border to flee their homes.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the focus of military action was shifting from Gaza to Israel's northern front. In talks with Hochstein on Monday, both he and Netanyahu warned that time was running out for a diplomatic solution and increased military action could be inevitable.

UNITED NATIONS – The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations has accused the Israeli military of attacking schools, humanitarian workers and civilians in Gaza, a sign of growing U.S. frustration with its close ally as the war approaches its first anniversary.

Israel has repeatedly said it is targeting Hamas fighters, who often hide among civilians and use them as human shields, in retaliation for the October 7 attacks in southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people and sparked the war in Gaza.

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield made unusually strong comments against the Israeli military at a UN Security Council meeting on Monday, saying many of the attacks in recent weeks that have injured or killed UN staff and humanitarian workers were preventable.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an independent investigation.

Thomas-Greenfield told council members that the U.S. would continue to stress Israel's need to support humanitarian operations in the Palestinian territories and protect humanitarian workers and facilities. She also reiterated her outrage over the death of Turkish-American activist Aysenur Eygi, who was shot dead during a protest in the West Bank on Sept. 6. The Israel Defense Forces said Eygi was likely killed accidentally, and the government launched a criminal investigation.