Mother and uncle of U.S. soldier rescued from Gaza on New Year's Eve

The United Nations' Palestinian refugee agency has had reports of several displaced civilians killed at its facilities this week, according to its daily situational report.

Several people were reportedly killed yesterday after a hit at a school attendant’s house inside the school compound, and others were injured. Another person was killed Monday in a reported drone strike when people were transferring water between two schools, according to the report.

According to UNRWA, at least 319 people have been killed in incidents at its facilities since the start of the war.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant's office released a brief document detailing some of the framework envisioned for "phase 3" of the war, as well as what would happen in post-war Gaza.

According to the document, the third phase of war will focus on "the erosion of remaining terror hotspots in the area." In north Gaza, that will include raids and special operations, while in the south the military will focus on eliminating Hamas' leadership.

Gallant's document reiterates comments from officials that Hamas "will not" be in control of the Palestinian enclave after the war and that Israel will "reserve its operational freedom of action." It said that Israeli civilians will not be in Gaza and that Palestinian "bodies" will be in charge.

“The entity controlling the territory will build on the capabilities of the existing administrative mechanism (civil committees) in Gaza — local non-hostile actors,” the document said.

Restoration of the strip, the document said, would be led by the U.S. in a multinational task force. Israel sees Egypt as a "major actor" in the post-war plan.

White House officials are considering stronger military options against the Yemini faction after a wave of attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

Thousands gathered in the streets for the funeral of Saleh al-Arouri and two other Hamas officials who were killed in a drone strike in the Lebanese capital.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today in Tel Aviv to offer his support in bringing together Arabs and Israelis in what he described as "Iran's worst nightmare."

"I’m more dedicated now to bringing stability to your country and this region, because I think Iran’s goal is to destroy your efforts to reconcile with the Arab world," Graham said. "It’s a nightmare for the ayatollah. It’s an absolutely essential ingredient to a better more stable Mideast and a safe and secure Israel and a prosperous Palestinian people."

Netanyahu thanked Graham and reiterated that Israel is applying "maximum power with maximum precision" where needed as the war continues.

"We're absolutely committed to achieving our war goals, that is destroying Hamas, releasing our hostages, making sure Gaza doesn't become a threat again, and also making sure that we can return our citizens in the north and in the south," Netanyahu said.

TEL AVIV — Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said today that a diplomatic agreement with Lebanon’s Hezbollah was still possible, days after a suspected Israeli strike on a Hamas leader in Beirut threatened a dramatic escalation between the two countries.

“We find ourselves at a junction. There is a short window of time for diplomatic understandings, which we prefer,” Gallant told Amos Hochstein, a White House envoy, at a meeting in Tel Aviv.

Gallant said a top priority was ensuring some 80,000 Israeli civilians forced to evacuate northern communities near the Lebanese border could return to their homes safely. The area was evacuated after Hezbollah began shelling northern Israel, shortly after the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. Israel has demanded that Hezbollah respect a 2006 U.N. cease-fire requiring it to pull back from the Israeli border.

Gallant’s comments came two days after the deputy head of Hamas was killed in a suspected Israeli strike in Beirut. Hezbollah, which has offered shelter and support to Hamas leaders, has vowed to avenge the attack.

Israel and Hamas have engaged in low-level exchanges of fire for nearly three months, but both sides have been hesitant to engage in all-out war.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society released a statement today expressing "deep concerns" over the safety of its staff and others who are sheltering at Al-Amal hospital in Gaza, saying the facility has been subject to attacks for the past two weeks.

“The displaced persons are living in an atmosphere of horror and panic,” the statement said. “This has forced dozens of them to leave again this morning and yesterday, fearing for their lives after they took refuge in the PRCS as a safe place protected by international humanitarian law.”

According to the PRCS, a 5-day-old baby and six others were killed over the past three days of bombardment at the hospital. The organization accused the IDF of targeting several floors of the PRCS compound.

The IDF did not immediately respond to a request for comment on today's statement. When asked about a bombardment at PRCS headquarters adjacent to the hospital earlier this week, the IDF said it held an "operational debrief" to draw "immediate lessons."

"The incident was transferred to the General Staff’s Fact Finding and Assessment Mechanism, which is responsible for examining exceptional incidents that took place during the conflict," the IDF said.

BEIRUT — Being at the funeral of Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri is a statement to "show our anger about what is happening in Gaza," Hisham Ahmed Minimna, 53, told NBC News.

"I attended the funeral because those dying in Gaza are people, not animals," he said. "And furthermore, Israel crossed a red line and tore the building down over the heads of their owners. This is something where there is no international law to deter them."

Minimna believes Hamas' presence in Lebanon is wrong, and that if there were a "real state" in the country, armed factions would not be allowed to exist. But the country is unstable, he said, "and Lebanon can’t handle more than that."

Israel has not taken responsibility for the drone strike in Beirut that killed al-Arouri, though Lebanese officials, Hezbollah, and Hamas have all laid blame on the country for the attack. Minimna doesn't think Hezbollah will respond because of Lebanon's internal economic crisis, which may have been Israel's motivation, he says.

"Israel wants to attack Lebanon because at the end it's stuck," he said. "Israel is giving it’s last breath, they want to respond to save face because their image is a country with an advanced air force. ... Hezbollah won't respond or do anything."

BEIRUT — As crowds gathered for the funeral of Saleh al-Arouri, the Hamas leader killed in a drone strike, some felt a deepened sense of distrust in Israel's government and its intended goals for the war in Gaza.

Palestinian Mohamed Al-Haj Aly, 50, said Arouri's death is a "painful subject," because while any assassination is a loss, what benefits Palestinians is injecting new leadership to continue down the path for liberation. He added that he doubts Israel was trying to launch a "full-scale war" because the country is too strained for additional fronts.

He also believes Israel has wanted to expel Palestinians out of Gaza from "day one" of the war.

"Of course the steadfastness of the resistance in Gaza, the persistence of the Palestinian people to hold on to their land and their people, and they did not bend to Israeli threats of leaving the strip or to transfer," he said.

Hasam al-Halaby, a 58-year-old Lebanese electrician, agreed that Israel is trying to drive out Palestinians. But he also accused Israel of trying to take down anyone in its path, including Lebanese leadership.

"There is a plot against the Palestinians, that’s the core," al-Halaby said. "Do you think Arab countries will accept the plot?"