Israeli planes dropped leaflets over southern Gaza on Saturday showing a picture of the dead Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar with the message that "Hamas will no longer rule Gaza", echoing language used by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Hamas has confirmed that its leader, Yahya Sinwar, was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza and reiterated its stance that hostages the militant group took from Israel a year ago will not be released unti

At least two people were killed in an Israeli strike near the Christian-majority town of Jounieh, north of Beirut, Lebanon's health ministry said on Saturday, in the first attack on the area by Israeli forces.

Since Israel began a renewed military offensive in northern Gaza 12 days ago, humanitarian groups say that virtually no aid has entered the area. Israel's own statistics show that aid deliveries to Gaza as a whole have collapsed when compared with the same period in September.

F or years, Israel assiduously avoided an all-out military confrontation with Hamas, estimating that it was safer to have a contained Palestinian power controlling Gaza than no po