Army orders tens of thousands of Gaza residents in all northern border towns to evacuate
The Israeli parliament approved the 2025 state budget amidst protests by hostage families. This occurred as Israeli air strikes in Gaza killed at least 23 Palestinians, with local officials reporting higher death tolls after further strikes. The Israeli military expanded evacuation orders in Gaza, while the military resumed its campaign against Hamas. A renewed offensive in Gaza aimed to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages. At least five people have been killed in Israeli shelling of the southern Syrian province of Daraa, local authorities said. Israel spent $31 billion on military conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon in 2024 and vowed to sharply boost defense spending.
