Israel said it had opened its offensive aimed at taking control of Gaza City, even as efforts to secure a 60-day truce in the conflict intensified.
Prior ceasefire negotiations have failed at latter stages, but mediators Egypt and Qatar have pressed on with talks aimed at getting Israel to agree to a deal already accepted by Hamas: Israel has said it will respond by Friday, though prominent ministers have opposed the deal.
And despite discussions ostensibly persisting, Israel’s forces have begun expanding their operations in Gaza, a push that the UN and aid NGOs say risks worsening an ongoing humanitarian calamity. Separately, Israeli authorities this week approved a settlement project that would, in effect, cleave the West Bank in two.