The Israeli military is conducting an investigation into an incident in Gaza in which a number of emergency and aid workers were killed, a military spokesperson said on Thursday, rejecting a description of the incident as an "execution".

Israel’s defense minister said the military is taking control of significant territory to establish security zones.

In pressing forward with its assault on the territory, Israel hopes to squeeze Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages. But other objectives have emerged.

Israel carried out airstrikes across Syria, including in the capital Damascus, part of an ongoing campaign to weaken the country’s military capabilities following the overthrow of long-time leader Bashar al-Assad.

An Israeli airstrike on Wednesday targeted the vicinity of the scientific research building in the Syrian neighborhood Barzeh in the capital Damascus, Syrian state news agency (SANA) said. Israel spent years carrying out airstrikes on Syria during former President Bashar al-Assad's rule,

This is the moment an airbase in Hama, Syria, was targeted by an Israeli airstrike, nearly destroying the facility.