Israel escalated its bombardment of targets in the Gaza Strip, the military said Tuesday, ahead of an expected ground invasion against Palestinian Hamas fighters that the US fears could spark a wider conflict in the region.
The stepped-up attacks, and the rapidly rising death toll in Gaza - nearing 5,800 - came as Hamas released two elderly Israeli women who were among the hundreds of hostages it captured during its large-scale attack in southern Israel on 7 October.
Amid a flurry of diplomatic activity in Israel since the war started, French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, meeting with the families of others held hostage in Gaza before heading to talks with top Israeli and Palestinian officials.
Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been running out of food, water and medicine since Israel imposed a total siege on the enclave. A third small aid convoy entered Gaza on Monday carrying only a tiny fraction of the cargo aid groups say is necessary.
With Israel still barring the entry of fuel, the United Nations said aid distribution would soon grind to a halt when it can no longer fuel trucks inside Gaza.
Hospitals overwhelmed by the wounded are struggling to keep generators running to power lifesaving medical equipment and incubators for premature babies. Thousands were at risk of dying if fuel runs out, the health ministry warned on Monday.