Israel has stepped up its bombing of the Gaza's southern city of Rafah, killing at least 12 people and injuring in others as the military signals it will carry out a ground assault on the city.
Fears are raised for the residents of the city, which now hosts at least half of all Gaza's residents according to UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Israel's has killed 27,708 Palestinians in Gaza since 7 October, with a further 67,147 injured according to Gaza's health authorities.
The heightened pressure on Rafah comes amid intense ceasefire talks between Hamas and Israel.
A Hamas counterproposal which was reportedly given to Egyptian and Qatari mediators has offered a ceasefire composing of three 45-day phases which would see the release of Israeli captives in return for the release of 1,500 Palestinian prisoners.