The ramped up strikes began just hours after the Trump administration brokered the release on Monday of Edan Alexander in direct talks with Hamas.

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel launched dozens of airstrikes across Gaza on Friday that local health officials said killed 108 people, mostly women and children, and which Israeli officials described as a prelude to a stepped-up campaign to pressure Hamas to release hostages.

The Israeli military says it struck two ports in Yemen that were controlled by the Houthi militant group and used to transfer weapons. The strikes followed a wave of attacks