The United Nations Security Council diplomats delayed a resolution to increase Gaza humanitarian aid until Friday.
Egypt hosted another round of talks to assist Israel and Hamas in reaching a truce and release hostages.
Despite the United States’ announcement that it can now support an amended proposal requiring Israel and Hamas to permit the use of all available routes for humanitarian deliveries, the United Nations vote was postponed.
Israeli bombardments north and south of the Palestine territory spanning 41 km (25 miles) and rockets fired by Hamas toward Tel Aviv escalated the fighting in the Gaza Strip.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, also known as Kataeb Hezbollah, claimed responsibility for an attack on Eilat, Israel, in a Telegram message. Israel issued no immediate statement in response.
On Thursday in the northern, central, and southern Gaza Strip, Israeli forces killed fourteen Palestinians in three separate attacks, according to medical personnel. Medical personnel and Hamas media reported that Israeli forces killed Hamas-designated police station directors in Khan Younis and members of their families in an assault on their residence.
Medical staff reported an Israeli air strike on Gaza Health Ministry director Dr. Munir Al-Bursh’s home. The medics said Bursh was wounded, and his daughter died.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to eliminate Hamas, the Islamist group that took 240 hostages and killed 1,200 in southern Israel on Oct. 7.
The high death toll of approximately 20,000 people reported by Gaza’s health ministry during the Israeli military campaign of retaliation has sparked increasing international condemnation.Â
Hamas has been accused by the Israeli military of operating in densely populated areas or using civilians as human shields, both of which the group refutes. In spite of this, the Israeli military has regrettably reported civilian casualties.
The U.S.-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported on Thursday that the first 10 weeks of the war were the deadliest for journalists. It said 61 of the 68 journalists and media workers killed were Palestinian.
Negotiations continued on Thursday to avoid a U.S. veto of a UAE-drafted UN Security Council resolution requiring Israel and Hamas to allow “the use of all land, sea, and air routes to and throughout the entire Gaza” for humanitarian aid. In New York on Thursday night, the Security Council delayed its vote until Friday after weeks of talks and days of delays.
The Houthi attacks on ships prompted a U.S.-led force to protect Red Sea commercial traffic last week. On Thursday, the Pentagon announced that more than 20 countries had signed up. But at least eight countries apparently did not want to be named.
