Rare fuel delivery enters Gaza, Israel steps up strikes

An aid convoy carrying desperately needed fuel entered Gaza on Sunday as Israel intensified strikes on the Palestinian enclave, worsening a catastrophic humanitarian situation.

With fears of a wider conflagration mounting, Iran said the region could spiral "out of control" and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Lebanon's Hezbollah that an intervention would be "the mistake of its life".

Hamas militants stormed into Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7 and killed at least 1,400 people, according to Israeli officials.

Israel's bombing campaign has killed more than 4,600 Palestinians, mainly civilians, according to the health ministry in Gaza.

More than 40 percent of Gaza's housing has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN citing local authorities, and Israel has halted food, water, fuel and electricity supplies.

Sunday's 17-truck aid delivery through Gaza's Rafah border crossing with Egypt was the second such operation in two days, after 20 lorries arrived on Saturday following negotiations and US pressure.

An AFP journalist saw six trucks enter from stores in the crossing. A Palestinian official at the crossing confirmed the trucks were carrying fuel.

The United Nations estimates that about 100 trucks per day are required to meet the needs of 2.4 million Gazans given the "catastrophic" humanitarian situation.

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees warned fuel supplies would run out in three days.

"Without fuel, there will be no humanitarian assistance," Philippe Lazzarini said.