The Israeli military meanwhile said it killed a senior Hamas militant last month who had held a hostage in his home. The 21-month war triggered by Hamas' Oct. 7 attack is raging on after two days of talks between U.

Israel’s air and ground war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and driven some 90% of the population from their homes. Aid groups say they have struggled to bring in food and other assistance because of Israeli military restrictions and the breakdown of law and order, and experts have warned of famine.

Israel invaded the Gaza Strip in October 2023 in response to a cross-border attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Israel's military campaign over the past 21 months has laid waste to vast swathes of the Palestinian enclave.