As Palestinians lay to rest 43 bodies returned by Israeli authorities to Rafah in a mass grave, negotiations for a ceasefire and the release of more Israeli hostages are suspended until next week, ending hopes for a truce before Ramadan.
ADVERTISEMENTOn Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to continue military operations throughout the Palestinian enclave, including Rafah.
Netanyahu underscored that halting now, before the Hamas regime is eradicated, all captives are recovered, and future threats from Gaza are neutralised, would mean conceding the war.
Despite worsening conditions for Palestinians in the enclave, humanitarian aid continues to be delivered to Gaza by air, facilitated by parachutes.
During his State of the Union address on Thursday night, US President Joe Biden is set to unveil a plan for the country's military to assist in establishing a temporary port on the Gaza coast, aimed at enhancing the flow of humanitarian aid during the Israel-Hamas conflict, according to senior administration officials.
After almost five months of conflict, much of Gaza lies in ruins, exacerbating a growing humanitarian crisis. In the southern part of the enclave, hundreds of thousands of displaced individuals live in tents, grappling with food shortages, soaring prices, and a lack of income sources.
In addition to calls from international leaders for a ceasefire, British humanitarian organisations have joined in urging an end to hostilities, an early acknowledgement of International Women's Day, highlighting the suffering of women and girls amid the war.