Israel struck western Syria overnight, the Israeli military and Syrian state media said, with one civilian reportedly killed in the first such attack on the country in nearly a month.

Israel has said that Hamas must accept a hostage deal in Gaza or "be annihilated", as U.S. President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire agreement is "very close".

Israel accused French President Emmanuel Macron of undertaking a "crusade against the Jewish state" on Friday after he called for European countries to harden their stance on Israel if the humanitarian situation in Gaza did not improve.

"There is no humanitarian blockade. That is a blatant lie," Israel's foreign ministry said in a statement, defending its efforts to allow in aid. "But instead of applying pressure on the jihadist terrorists, Macron wants to reward them with a Palestinian state. No doubt its national day will be October 7."

Russia and Ukraine both want a ceasefire to halt three years of war, Turkey's top diplomat said on Friday as he headed to Kyiv after holding talks in Moscow.

"I observe that the issue is beginning to take a more optimistic turn as negotiations start. Both parties want a ceasefire. No one says they don't want it," Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on the train taking him to Kyiv, reported news agency Anadolu.

The EU is "fully invested" in reaching a deal with the United States to avoid sweeping tariffs, the bloc's trade chief said Friday, after U.S. judges ruled the controversial measures were unconstitutional.

"Our time and effort fully invested, as delivering forward-looking solutions remains a top EU priority. Staying in permanent contact," EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic said on X after a call Thursday with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday that European countries should "harden the collective position" against Israel if it does not respond appropriately to the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

With international pressure mounting on Israel over the deepening hunger crisis in Gaza, Macron said action was needed "in the next few hours and days".

Lebanon's health ministry said two people were killed in separate Israeli attacks on south Lebanon on Thursday, in the latest flare-up despite a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

The state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported Israeli strikes and shelling on multiple areas in the south.

U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack on Thursday called for a non-aggression agreement between Syria and Israel as a first step towards building relations between the two countries.

Speaking to Saudi channel Al Arabiya in Damascus, Barrack described the long-standing conflict between Syria and Israel, who have technically been at war since 1948, as a "solvable problem" through dialogue, proposing a "non-aggression agreement" between them.

Russia said Thursday its army had captured three more villages in eastern Ukraine, with its troops pressing on even as Moscow calls for fresh peace talks with Kyiv next week.

In a statement posted on social media, Russia's defense ministry said its army had captured the village of Stroivka in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region, as well as Gnativka and Shevchenko Pershe in the Donetsk region.

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said Wednesday he had "very good feelings" about a possible Gaza ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, adding that he expected to send out a new proposal imminently.