Amna Nawaz:
In Central Gaza, heavy fighting continued in Khan Yunis. A senior Israeli military official said Hamas forces there are largely destroyed, but senior leaders might have escaped through tunnels.
In the meantime, Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading home from Israel. He failed to make much headway toward a cease-fire, but said there's still room for negotiations.
Iraq is warning that U.S. strikes on Iranian-backed militias will fuel demands for the U.S. coalition to leave the country. An attack on Wednesday killed the leader of one militia group that the U.S. blamed for targeting American troops. The White House said today that discussions with Baghdad are going forward.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a major military shakeup today, facing a stalemate in the war with Russia. He removed his top general, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, saying the time for such renewal is now. The country's ground forces commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, was promoted to takeover as army chief.
In Pakistan, there are counting votes tonight in parliamentary elections marred by surging violence. On Wednesday, 30 people died in twin bombings, and 12 more were killed today. Voters faced long lines and a shutdown of mobile phone services to head off disruptions. Some said they want to see an end to deep divisions.
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