TRANSCRIPT
Israeli forces have re-entered Gaza City, with displaced civilians fleeing for their lives in one of the heaviest bombardments of the region since the start of the war.
Eyewitnesses say tanks closed in on the city centre, as air strikes continued throughout the night.
Dozens of people have reportedly been killed, others fleeing for their lives, with attacks also carried out in the east and western areas of Gaza City.
Despite the severity of the attack, Hamas says it is still in a position to fight back.
Abu Obaida, a spokesman for the military group, says they have many members within their ranks.
"The manpower of the Kassam brigades is in very good shape. During the war, we were able to recruit thousands of new fighters into the support ranks. And there are thousands more who are willing, ready and extremely motivated to join when necessary."
Hamas has accused Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu of attempting to stall negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza in order to pursue his own objectives.
An Israeli delegation examining a proposal by Hamas says they'll only agree to a temporary ceasefire if they can resume their operations once it comes to an end.
Mediators from Egypt, Qatar and the U-S are putting pressure on both sides to come to an agreement and end the deaths of civilians in Gaza.
U-S National Security spokesman John Kirby says they will continue to push for it until a deal is achieved.
''As you know, we have a team in Cairo right now that includes Brett McGurk and the director of the CIA. They're meeting with their Egyptian, Israeli and Jordanian counterparts and there'll be follow on discussions after that over the next few days. Look, we've been working this very, very hard and there are still some gaps that remain in the two sides in the positions. But we wouldn't have sent a team over there if we didn't think that we had a shot here. And we're going to take every shot we can to see if we can get this ceasefire deal in place.''
The Israeli government is also facing mounting pressure to come to an agreement from within its own borders as protests continue across the streets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
People are calling for a general election having lost faith in the Netanyahu government.
The Netanyahu government has been criticised for its position to carry on with the war by Israeli opposition leaders.
The head of Israel's biggest opposition party Yair Lapid says they will provide a safety net to the Netanyahu government once a deal is reached.
"There's a hostages deal on the table. It is not true that Netanyahu has to choose between the hostages deal and the continuation of his tenure as prime minister. I promised him a safety net and I will keep that promise. It is not true that he has to choose between the lives of the hostages and the government. Let him do the deal, if Smotrich and Ben Gvir retire from the government he will get a safety net. It's not an easy statement, it's not an easy decision, Netanyahu is a bad, failed prime minister and he is to blame for the October 7 disaster, but the most important thing is to bring the hostages home."
In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Jillian Segal would be taking the role of special envoy of anti-Semitism for the next three years, in an effort to restore social cohesion across the country.
Mr Albanese says discourse surrounding the situation in the Middle East has escalated and needs to brought under control.
"I think that what is occurring here needs a stop. When you have the War Memorials, for example, desecrated, as they were a short time ago, I just shake my head at how that can occur in Australia in 2024. We're a place where, as a democracy, we encourage people to be able to have different views and to discuss these issues respectfully. But that's the key word here. Respect."
Mr Albanese has reiterated the federal government's position for a two-state solution after the war, adding that they would like to see Hamas removed from positions of influence.
"There's nothing to be gained from an escalation of conflict in the region that brings in Hezbollah, Iran, and other parties to the region. What we want is an end to the conflict, we want the hostages released, we want to make sure that Hamas are removed from influence in the region. And we want the international community to play a role in the objective of a two-state solution."
It comes as hospitals across Gaza are struggling to keep up with the large number of hungry children being brought in.
The situation is only being made worse by a lack of humanitarian aid, with the United Nations pointing out that it is too dangerous for aid groups to enter Gaza.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the U-N Agency for Palestinian Refugees, also known as UNRWA, says the war is taking a huge toll on children.
"It is true that today half the population of the Gaza Strip is below the age of 18, and among them we have about 600,000 girls and boys living in the rubble, deeply traumatised and at the age of primary and secondary school. Today we are facing the risk of completely losing a generation when it comes to education, and this would be absolutely devastating."
U-S National Security spokesman John Kirby says work is being done to ensure humanitarian aid can reach those who desperately need it.
"Humanitarian assistance continues to flow. In fact, if it wasn't for the United States, I dare say that not a fraction of the humanitarian assistance that is getting into Gaza, we get in. Is it enough? No. And the Israelis have taken some steps to be more precise, more discriminant and more careful in their operations. Is it enough? No. So we're going to keep at it. We're going to keep working on this.''
Other countries in the Middle East continue to be drawn into the conflict.
Houthi rebels from Yemen say they have mounted an attack on Israel's port city of Eilat, in what they say is a show of support for the Palestinian people.
The attack was done with support from the Iraq's Islamic Resistance group.
Houthi spokesman Yahya Sarea says they plan to continue their assaults on Israel and its allies.
“The Yemeni Armed Forces will persist to carry out their joint military operations with the Iraqi Islamic Resistance in support of and solidarity with the Palestinian people until the aggression stops and the siege on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip is lifted.”
