Israel destroys home of Gaza's top Hamas leader; 33 Palestinians killed

US President Biden speaks to Israel PM, Palestine president; Netanyahu says strikes to continue

The Israeli military said Sunday it targeted the home of Gaza's top Hamas leader after nearly a week of heavy airstrikes and rocket fire into Israel from the territory ruled by the Islamic militant group.

Brig. Gen. Hidai Zilberman, an army spokesman, told Israel's army radio Sunday that the military targeted the home of Yehiyeh Sinwar, the most senior Hamas leader inside the territory, who is likely in hiding along with the rest of the group's upper echelon.

His home is located in the town of Khan Younis, in southern Gaza Strip. The military said it also targeted the home of Sinwar's brother. It was not clear if the two shared a family residence. Israeli air strikes on Gaza City flattened three buildings and killed at least 33 people Sunday, medics said, making it the deadliest single attack since heavy fighting broke out between Israel and the territory's militant Hamas rulers nearly a week ago.

A rescuer could be seen shouting into a hole in the rubble. “Can you hear me?” he called out. “Are you OK?” Minutes later, first responders managed to pull a survivor out and carried him off on an orange stretcher. The Gaza Health Ministry said 12 women and eight children were among those killed, with another 50 people wounded in the attack, and says rescue efforts are still underway. Earlier, the Israeli military said it destroyed the home of Gaza's top Hamas leader, Yahiyeh Sinwar, in a separate strike in the southern town of Khan Younis. It was the third such attack in the last two days on the homes of senior Hamas leaders, who have gone underground.Israel appears to have stepped up strikes in recent days to inflict as much damage as possible on Hamas as international mediators try to broker a cease-fire. 

Biden expresses 'grave concern' on recent civilian deaths to Netanyahu

President Joe Biden ramped up efforts to calm Israeli-Palestinian tensions and urged the protection of civilians, including children, after an Israeli air strike targeted media offices in Gaza.

Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of his “grave concern” about the ongoing violence, the White House said in a readout. He reaffirmed, though, Israel’s right to defend itself against “Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza.”

Biden speaks to Palestinian President Abbas

Biden also spoke to Palestinian President Abbas, and discussed the violence in Gaza. He called for Hamas to stop firing rockets into Israel. It was the first phone call between the two leaders. He "expressed their shared concern, that innocent civilians, including children, have tragically lost their lives amidst the violence," the White House said. 

Fighting appalling: UN chief

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the UN Security Council on Sunday that hostilities in Israel and Gaza were "utterly appalling" and called for an immediate end to fighting.

Pro-Palestine protests held across the world

Pro-Palestinian protesters took to the streets around the world to protest the ongoing violence between Israel and Hamas. Protests were held in the US across Los Angeles, Boston, Philadelphia and other cities to demand an end to Israeli airstrikes over the Gaza Strip. Thousands of people shut down traffic on a major thoroughfare in west Los Angeles on Saturday as they marched two miles from outside the federal building to the Israeli consulate. Protests were also held in London along with Muslim countries such as Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan, Tunisia and Turkey. In Europe, tear gas was fired at pro-Palestine protesters in France despite the country banning such demonstrations.  Agencies