JERUSALEM - Israel pressed on with its expanded ground operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip on Monday, following the expiry of a seven-day truce last week.
Hamas militants from Gaza launched an unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 240 hostages, according to Israeli officials.
In response, Israel vowed to destroy Hamas and began an air, sea and ground offensive that has killed more than 15,500 people, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.
During the week-long pause in fighting, Hamas released 80 Israeli hostages in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.
Twenty-five other captives, mostly Thais, were also freed under separate arrangements.
The Israeli army said 137 hostages were still being held in Gaza.
On day 59 of the war, here are five key developments from the past 24 hours:
At least 160 killed in two strikes
The United Nations humanitarian agency (OCHA) said at least 160 Palestinians were reported killed in two incidents in northern Gaza Saturday: the bombing of a six-storey building in Jabalia refugee camp, and of an entire block in Gaza City.
The White House believes Israel was "making an effort" to minimise civilian deaths, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told US media.
"We believe they have been receptive to our messages here of trying to minimalise civilian casualties," he said, including by publishing online a map of places where Gazans could go to find safety.
Israel 'not trying' to permanently displace Gazans
Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus said on Monday: "We are not trying to displace anyone, we are not trying to move anybody from anywhere permanently."
Many Palestinians fear a repeat of the displacement of 760,000 Palestinians that took place during the war that led to Israel's creation 75 years ago.
"We have asked civilians to evacuate the battlefield and we have provided a designated humanitarian zone inside the Gaza Strip," he said, referring to a tiny coastal area of the territory named Al-Mawasi, as he acknowledged the situation in Gaza was "tough".
UN rights chief Volker Turk has voiced alarm that hundreds of thousands of Gazans were "being confined into ever smaller areas" in the south of the territory.
Israel-Lebanon border tensions
The Israeli military said on Sunday its air and artillery forces struck in Lebanon in response to "a number of launches" across the border.
Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group, a Hamas ally, said it had launched at least five attacks including a guided missile strike on an Israeli "military vehicle".
Official Lebanese media said "enemy artillery shelling" and heavy bombardment hit border villages, also reporting air strikes with at least one "enemy drone".
Yemen rebel attacks on ships
Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels on Sunday said they had attacked two ships off the Yemeni coast, adding the "Israeli" vessels were targeted over the war in Gaza.
A US defence official told AFP that Washington was "aware of reports" regarding attacks in the Red Sea, and hours earlier a maritime security group said a UK-owned ship had reportedly been hit by rocket fire.
UK surveillance flights
Britain's military will conduct surveillance flights over Gaza to help locate hostages still held by Hamas, London's defence ministry confirmed on the weekend.
"Surveillance aircraft will be unarmed, do not have a combat role, and will be tasked solely to locate hostages," the ministry said.
The flights will take place over the eastern Mediterranean, including above Israel and Gaza, it said.
In response, Israel vowed to destroy Hamas and began an air, sea and ground offensive that has killed more than 15,500 people, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.
During the week-long pause in fighting, Hamas released 80 Israeli hostages in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.
Twenty-five other captives, mostly Thais, were also freed under separate arrangements.
The Israeli army said 137 hostages were still being held in Gaza.
On day 59 of the war, here are five key developments from the past 24 hours:
At least 160 killed in two strikes
The United Nations humanitarian agency (OCHA) said at least 160 Palestinians were reported killed in two incidents in northern Gaza Saturday: the bombing of a six-storey building in Jabalia refugee camp, and of an entire block in Gaza City.
The White House believes Israel was "making an effort" to minimise civilian deaths, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told US media.
"We believe they have been receptive to our messages here of trying to minimalise civilian casualties," he said, including by publishing online a map of places where Gazans could go to find safety.
Israel 'not trying' to permanently displace Gazans
Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus said on Monday: "We are not trying to displace anyone, we are not trying to move anybody from anywhere permanently."
Many Palestinians fear a repeat of the displacement of 760,000 Palestinians that took place during the war that led to Israel's creation 75 years ago.
"We have asked civilians to evacuate the battlefield and we have provided a designated humanitarian zone inside the Gaza Strip," he said, referring to a tiny coastal area of the territory named Al-Mawasi, as he acknowledged the situation in Gaza was "tough".
UN rights chief Volker Turk has voiced alarm that hundreds of thousands of Gazans were "being confined into ever smaller areas" in the south of the territory.
Israel-Lebanon border tensions
The Israeli military said on Sunday its air and artillery forces struck in Lebanon in response to "a number of launches" across the border.
Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group, a Hamas ally, said it had launched at least five attacks including a guided missile strike on an Israeli "military vehicle".
Official Lebanese media said "enemy artillery shelling" and heavy bombardment hit border villages, also reporting air strikes with at least one "enemy drone".
Yemen rebel attacks on ships
Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels on Sunday said they had attacked two ships off the Yemeni coast, adding the "Israeli" vessels were targeted over the war in Gaza.
A US defence official told AFP that Washington was "aware of reports" regarding attacks in the Red Sea, and hours earlier a maritime security group said a UK-owned ship had reportedly been hit by rocket fire.
UK surveillance flights
Britain's military will conduct surveillance flights over Gaza to help locate hostages still held by Hamas, London's defence ministry confirmed on the weekend.
"Surveillance aircraft will be unarmed, do not have a combat role, and will be tasked solely to locate hostages," the ministry said.
The flights will take place over the eastern Mediterranean, including above Israel and Gaza, it said.