Israel-Gaza updates: 22, including 18 children, reported dead in Rafah strikes

The IDF says it struck military targets of terrorist organizations in Gaza.

Israel launched a retaliatory strike against Iran early Friday morning local time, a senior U.S. official told ABC News.

The strike followed Iran's attack on Saturday, when Tehran sent a volley of more than 300 drones and missiles toward targets in Israel, according to Israeli military officials. All but a few were intercepted by Israel and its allies, including the United States, officials said.

Iran's weekend attack came more than six months after Hamas terrorists invaded Israel on Oct. 7, after which the Israeli military began its bombardment of Gaza.


What to know about Iran's attack on Israel

Israeli officials said the country's Iron Dome defense system endured a big test from Iran's attack on Saturday, intercepting 99% of the 300 "threats of various types" thrown at it.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Daniel Hagari, launched 170 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), more than 120 ballistic missiles and more than 30 cruise missiles in the attack.

Hagari said "99% of the threats launched towards Israeli territory were intercepted -- a very significant strategic achievement."

Hagari said the attack resulted in only one known Israeli casualty, a 7-year-old girl who was severely injured when she was struck by shrapnel apparently from an intercepted missile.


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US Central Command leader to meet with Israel about Iran threat, building piers

Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, the commander of U.S. Central Command, is set to meet with officials in Israel about Iran and the Joint logistics over-the-shore floating piers which U.S. military officials currently on the ground in Israel have been working to coordinate with Israeli military officials, an Israeli official told ABC News.

The official said there has been a "marathon of calls" between Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and the National Security Council, the State Department and the Pentagon, which the official credits with increasing statements of support by the administration for Israel in case it’s attacked by Iran. Those talks were an extension of the meetings two weeks ago when the White House summoned Israeli officials to Washington to discuss the urgent need to increase humanitarian aid in Gaza.

After months of U.S. calls for Israel to massively increase aid, multiple Israeli security officials tell ABC News that Israel heard the message loud and clear this time.

"We heard what they said about the humanitarian effort," the official told ABC News, noting Gallant came back from his trip to the U.S. and gave a "directive: 'We need to make an immediate impact on the scope and speed of the humanitarian aid going into Gaza,' and that's what we've done."

-ABC News' Matt Gutman


US skeptical that Hamas has enough hostages to fulfill 1st phase of proposed deal: Source

U.S. officials are skeptical that Hamas is holding enough Israeli hostages to meet the requirements for the first phase of the proposed deal currently on the table, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.

The proposal calls for Hamas to hand over 40 hostages who are either: children; women not affiliated with the Israel Defense Forces; sick adults; or adults over 50 years old, according to the officials.

In exchange, Israel would free an undefined number of Palestinian prisoners and implement a cease-fire of at least six weeks.

-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford


World Central Kitchen worker hurt in separate IDF strike

World Central Kitchen said one of its workers was injured in a separate airstrike in Gaza on the same day that seven WCK workers were killed.

Fifteen minutes before the Israeli attack that killed seven workers on April 1, "One of our brave Palestinian staff members was gravely injured in a reportedly deadly airstrike at al-Bashir Mosque in Deir al-Balah," World Central Kitchen said in a statement.

The two attacks were within miles of each other, WCK said.

The Palestinian staff member, Amro, suffered "serious head and hand injuries while he was off duty in a home close to the mosque in the area surrounding our warehouse and newly established kitchen in Deir al-Balah," WCK said.

He was in a coma for some time and is now recovering, the agency said.

"Amro joined the WCK team just after the start of the year," WCK said. "He was given rare opportunities to leave Gaza for Egypt several times, but he refused. He always says, 'I am here serving people hot food every day. I will not leave my job and let them suffer.'"


3 sons of Hamas political chief killed in Israeli strike, Hamas says

Three sons of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, according to a statement from Hamas.

Three of the brothers’ children were also killed in the strike.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed the strike and said the sons were part of Hamas' military wing.


Congressional party leaders reach 'consensus' on aid to Israel and Ukraine, Schumer says

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said that during a Sunday call between President Joe Biden and congressional leaders there was "consensus" that Congress needs to act quickly to send aid to both Israel and Ukraine.

Schumer said at a news conference in New York that "hopefully" something can be accomplished this coming week to aid both countries.

Earlier Sunday, Biden spoke to Senate Majority Leader Schumer, House Speaker Mike Johnson, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Schumer said the best way to send aid to Israel and Ukraine is for the House to take up and pass the Senate-approved national security supplemental that includes aid to both countries. The Senate passed the $95 billion package in February, but Johnson has not brought it to the floor for a vote.

"The best way to help Israel rebuild its anti-missile and anti-drone capacity is by passing that supplemental immediately. As I said, Israel expended about over a billion dollars in defending itself and the security supplemental would replenish the kind of anti-missile and anti-drone defenses that are in the Arrow, in the David's Sling, and in the Iron Dome," Schumer said.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said in a statement Saturday that the House would change its legislative schedule this week to "consider legislation that supports our ally Israel and holds Iran and its terrorist proxies accountable," but it's not yet clear what legislation that will be, or how drastically it might depart from the Senate-passed bill.

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin and Rachel Scott