Meanwhile, Israeli strikes across Gaza killed another 22 people, according to local health officials, including a girl who was not yet a year old. The girl's mother, who was wounded, embraced her daughter, still wearing a bloodied blue dress, before she was taken for burial
Israeli forces have taken over more than half of Gaza in a renewed campaign to pressure Hamas militants to release hostages after Israel ended their ceasefire last month. Israel has also refused to withdraw from some areas in Lebanon following a ceasefire with the Hezbollah militant group last year, and it seized a buffer zone in southern Syria after rebels overthrew Syrian President Bashar Assad in December
"Unlike in the past, the (Israeli military) is not evacuating areas that have been cleared and seized," Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement. The military ¿will remain in the security zones as a buffer between the enemy and (Israeli) communities in any temporary or permanent situation in Gaza, as in Lebanon and Syria
The Palestinians and both neighboring countries view the presence of Israeli troops as military occupation in violation of international law
Lebanese president Joseph Aoun said that Israel's continued presence in some areas in Lebanon was "hindering" the Lebanese army's full deployment as required by the ceasefire negotiated with Israel
Two Israeli drones strikes on Wednesday in southern Lebanon killed two people, the health ministry said. The U.N. said Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed more than 70 civilians since the ceasefire took effect in November
Hamas has said it will not release dozens of remaining hostages without a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a lasting ceasefire
"They promised that the hostages come first. In practice, Israel is choosing to seize territory before the hostages," the main organization representing families of the hostages said in a statement
"There is one solution that is desirable and feasible, and that is the release of all the hostages at once as part of an agreement, even at the cost of ending the war"
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