World News Roundup: Hezbollah says Israel 'will pay' after Lebanon strikes kill civilians; Israel raids main Gaza hospital as Rafah concerns grow and more

Kishida, whose nation has no formal diplomatic ties with Pyongyang, has said he was exploring possibilities to meet North Korea's leader to resolve the matter of Japanese civilians abducted in the 1970s and 1980s. UN aid chief warns of possible spillover of Gazans into Egypt The United Nations aid chief warned on Thursday of the possibility of a spillover of Palestinians amassed in Rafah into Egypt if Israel launches a military operation against the border town.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Israel raids main Gaza hospital as Rafah concerns grow

Israeli forces said on Thursday they had raided the biggest functioning hospital in Gaza, as video posted online showed chaos, shouting and the sound of shooting in darkened corridors that were filled with dust and smoke. Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari described the raid on Nasser Hospital as "precise and limited" and said it was based on credible information that Hamas was hiding in the facility, had kept hostages there and that bodies of hostages may still be there.

'Yes to equality' says Greek PM ahead of same-sex marriage vote

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis urged parliament on Thursday to "say yes to equality" and approve a bill allowing same sex marriage, which if passed would be a landmark victory for the LGBT+ community in the socially conservative country. Parliament is expected to vote through the bill later on Thursday, which would give same-sex couples the right to wed and adopt and would make Greece one of the first Orthodox Christian countries to allow such unions.

India ministers, farmers unions to hold talks hoping to end protests

Farmers unions in India will hold talks with government ministers on Thursday, a union leader said, after two days of protests demanding higher prices for their crops. Police have used tear gas and barricades to stop thousands of farmers from marching to the capital New Delhi to press their demands that the government set a minimum price for all their produce to ensure they can sustain their livelihood.

Philippines arrests suspect on U.S. terror watchlist

Philippine law enforcers arrested on Thursday a woman on a U.S. terror watch list for allegedly helping transfer funds to an Islamic State leader in Southeast Asia in 2016. Myrna Mabanza, who is on the U.S. Specially Designated Global Terrorist list and sanctions list of the United Nations Security Council, was arrested in the southern town of Indanan in Sulu province, the Philippines' Anti-Terrorism Council said in a statement.

Hezbollah says Israel 'will pay' after Lebanon strikes kill civilians

Senior Hezbollah official and member of parliament Hassan Fadlallah said on Thursday that Israel would face reprisal after two sets of strikes on southern Lebanon the previous day killed 10 civilians, half of them children. "The enemy (Israel) will pay the price for these crimes," Fadlallah told Reuters when asked about the powerful Iran-backed armed group's reaction to the deadliest day for civilians in Lebanon since hostilities began along its southern border.

North Korea leader's sister says Japan PM's comments positive - KCNA

The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said there is no impediment to closer ties with Japan and there may come a day Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visits Pyongyang, state news agency KCNA said on Thursday. Kishida, whose nation has no formal diplomatic ties with Pyongyang, has said he was exploring possibilities to meet North Korea's leader to resolve the matter of Japanese civilians abducted in the 1970s and 1980s.

UN aid chief warns of possible spillover of Gazans into Egypt

The United Nations aid chief warned on Thursday of the possibility of a spillover of Palestinians amassed in Rafah into Egypt if Israel launches a military operation against the border town. More than one million Palestinians are crammed into Rafah at the southern tip of the Gaza Strip, on the border with Egypt. Many are living in tent camps and makeshift shelters after fleeing Israeli bombardments elsewhere in Gaza.

Swedish prosecutors turn down request to reopen 'Estonia' ferry disaster case

Swedish prosecutors said on Thursday they had turned down a request to reopen investigations into the sinking of the "Estonia" ferry in 1994 with the loss of 852 lives, as there was no new evidence to suggest a collision, an explosion or a crime.

The roll-on, roll-off ferry sank in international waters in the Baltic Sea during stormy weather on its way to Stockholm from Estonia's capital, Tallinn.

Kites battle drones as farmers take on police during India protests

Farmers protesting in India this week are using a homemade arsenal to counter the state-of-the-art weaponry of the security forces trying to disperse them: they're flying kites to ensnare police drones carrying tear gas canisters. For the past two days, thousands of farmers have fought pitched battles with security forces some 200 km (125 miles) north of Delhi after police stopped their "Delhi Chalo" or "Let's go to Delhi" march to the capital to demand the government provide higher prices for their crops.

Police seek clues to Kansas City mass shooting, with 3 people in custody

Three people were in custody in Kansas City, Missouri, on Thursday, facing questions about what led to a deadly mass shooting near the city's Super Bowl victory rally and who was behind it. At least one person was killed and 21 others wounded by gunfire on Wednesday outside the city's landmark Union Station, where thousands of fans had gathered with the Kansas City Chiefs to celebrate the team's NFL championship triumph over the San Francisco 49ers, authorities said.