Syria's government misread how Israel would respond to its troops deploying to the country's south this week, encouraged by U.S. messaging that Syria should be governed as a centralized state, eight sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli strikes overnight and into Tuesday killed more than 90 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip , including dozens of women and children, health officials said.

Meanwhile, Israeli strikes killed 22 people in Gaza City, including 11 children and three women, and 19 others in Khan Younis. The Israeli military said it has struck more than 120 targets in the past 24 hours across the Gaza Strip, including Hamas military infrastructure of tunnels and weapons storage facilities.

The only Catholic Church in Gaza, which Pope Francis called nightly since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, was hit by an Israeli shell this morning (July 17), killing three people and injuring 10 others, including the parish priest.

Israel’s air and ground war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and driven some 90% of the population from their homes. Aid groups say they have struggled to bring in food and other assistance because of Israeli military restrictions and the breakdown of law and order, and experts have warned of famine.

BUSRA AL-HARIR, Syria (AP) — Israel’s army said Monday it has struck military tanks in southern Syria, where government forces and Bedouin tribes clashed with Druze militias.

A civil court in Brussels has ordered the Flemish government to block all shipments of military equipment and goods with potential military use to Israel through Flemish territory, including the Port of Antwerp, the Belga news agency reported Thursday.