Hamas

Residents reported heavy Israeli fire in central Gaza on Friday, with regional tensions soaring after Iran threatened reprisals over a strike in Syria this month that killed two Iranian generals.

A Turkish state television journalist was badly wounded and another slightly hurt in the Gaza war Friday, the TRT channel said, adding that the team had been targeted by an Israeli strike.

"The vehicle of a team from TRT Arabi (TRT's Arabic-language channel) that was preparing to broadcast from the Nuseirat camp... was targeted by an Israeli army strike," the broadcaster said.

In a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian movement Hamas has issued a call for a ceasefire to facilitate the location and release of Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip.

Turkish and American top diplomats have discussed on the phone the latest developments in Gaza amid fears of a fresh escalation between Israel and Iran.

According to Turkish diplomatic sources, the phone conversation between Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken occurred upon the initiative of the latter.

The United States and its allies are concerned about a potential attack by Iran or its proxies on military and government targets in Israel. The attack, believed to be imminent, would be in response to the killing of Iranian generals in Damascus, escalating the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Türkiye will not stop supporting Palestine and sending humanitarian aid to the civilians stranded in Gaza, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, vowing that trade restrictions imposed on Israel will remain in place until a ceasefire is reached and enough amount of humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians.

Three sons and four grandsons of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh were killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip. Hamas officials and Haniyeh's family confirmed the deaths. The Israeli army acknowledged the attack, identifying the three sons as members of Hamas' armed wing. Hamas stated that the victims were traveling in a car when it was targeted in the Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza.

Six months have passed since the October 7 Hamas terror attacks in Israel, resulting in 1,200 deaths and hundreds of hostages. The Israeli military's response has led to a significant number of Palestinian civilian casualties in Gaza and the West Bank. According to UN reports, over 33,000 Palestinians have been killed or injured in the conflict.

US President Joe Biden has urged Israel to unilaterally call for a 6- to 8-week ceasefire in Gaza, criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's approach as a "mistake." This follows Biden's recent public pressure on Israel's conduct during the conflict, particularly after the deaths of seven aid workers in an airstrike.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that a ground offensive in Rafah is imminent, though no specific timing was provided. He emphasized the necessity of entering Rafah for a decisive victory over Hamas. Meanwhile, Hamas indicated dissatisfaction with an Israeli proposal mediated by Egypt and Qatar.