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More than six months of Israel's military offensive in Gaza has turned the Palestinian territory into a "humanitarian hellscape", U.N. chief Antonio Guterres said Thursday, also warning that one wrong move could see the Middle East devolve into a wider war as United States sank a long-shot Palestinian bid for full United Nations membership, vetoing a Security Council vote.

Israel launched more deadly strikes on besieged Gaza on Thursday as world powers watched nervously whether the country would retaliate against a weekend attack by its arch enemy Iran.

The Israeli army said it had bombed dozens of targets in the Palestinian coastal territory of 2.4 million people, more than six months into the bloodiest ever Gaza war.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has stated that Netanyahu is trying to drag the region into war in order to stay in power and called upon the third parties not to bring their own conflicts to the region.

Fidan and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani held a joint press conference following their meeting in the Qatari capital, Doha.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh during his visit to Qatar on Wednesday. 

According to a Turkish diplomatic source, the meeting centered on providing humanitarian aid to Gaza, ceasefire negotiations and efforts to secure the release of hostages. 

Fidan was in Qatar to hold talks with his Qatari counterpart. 

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) was plunged into chaos as heavy rains lashed the region, causing widespread flooding and the closure of Dubai Airport. According to reports from local authorities, the rainfall exceeded the annual average, leading to significant disruptions across the country.

The Islamic world should increase its efforts to stop the Israeli brutality against Palestinian civilians in Gaza, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, as Türkiye is ramping up its diplomatic push to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Hamas has demanded a "clear written commitment" that Israel will withdraw from the Gaza Strip during the second of a three-phase ceasefire deal, a senior Egyptian official and a Hamas official said yesterday.

"We confirm our readiness to reach a deal regarding a serious exchange of prisoners between the two sides," Hamas said.

Three sons and four grandsons of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh were killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip. Hamas officials and Haniyeh's family confirmed the deaths. The Israeli army acknowledged the attack, identifying the three sons as members of Hamas' armed wing. Hamas stated that the victims were traveling in a car when it was targeted in the Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that a ground offensive in Rafah is imminent, though no specific timing was provided. He emphasized the necessity of entering Rafah for a decisive victory over Hamas. Meanwhile, Hamas indicated dissatisfaction with an Israeli proposal mediated by Egypt and Qatar.

The Turkish corvette TCG Kınalıada embarks on an expedition to the Far East on April 8, retracing the route of the ill-fated frigate Ertuğrul, which sank en route from Japan in 1890.

The voyage also marks the centennial milestone of diplomatic ties between Türkiye and Japan.