The Israel Hamas war continues to escalate, with US President Joe Biden and leaders from 17 other countries urging Hamas to release hostages in Gaza. The joint statement comes as public pressure mounts for negotiations over a potential ceasefire with Israel.
According to US officials, there is a ceasefire deal on the table that Hamas has rejected, prolonging the conflict and putting the lives of hostages at risk. Families of the hostages gathered in Tel Aviv to call on other countries to join the 18 nations in pressuring Hamas to release their loved ones.
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes in the southern city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip have resulted in the deaths of at least five people, according to Palestinian hospital officials. The city has become a refuge for more than half of Gaza’s population as Israel prepares for a potential offensive.
In central Gaza, four people were killed in Israeli tank shelling, adding to the growing death toll in the region. The situation is dire, with the UN food agency warning that northern Gaza is heading towards famine due to the lack of daily deliveries of critical aid items.
Despite some progress in aid deliveries, the deputy executive director of the World Food Program, Carl Skau, emphasized that more needs to be done to avert a humanitarian crisis. With the conflict showing no signs of abating, the international community is calling for immediate action to end the violence and protect the lives of civilians caught in the crossfire.