Israel–Hamas war

Air and artillery strikes pounded targets in Gaza Sunday as U.N. chief Antonio Guterres called for a surge of aid into the besieged territory he said was stalked by "horror and starvation".

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is expected to visit Egypt's border with Gaza on Saturday, after Israel said it would send in troops to fight Hamas in the nearby city of Rafah, even without U.S. support.

Russia and China utilized their veto power to block the UN Security Council's draft resolution proposed by the United States, which aimed at achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and securing the release of hostages held by Hamas. According to reports from the BBC and AFP, cited by BTA, Moscow accused Washington of engaging in a "hypocritical spectacle" by failing to exert pressure on Israel.

As tensions escalate in Rafah, European leaders have issued an urgent plea to Israel, urging the nation to refrain from launching a ground operation due to the dire humanitarian consequences for refugees in Gaza and the volatile international situation in the region.

Officials from 36 countries and UN agencies gathered in Cyprus on Thursday to discuss how to expedite aid to besieged Palestinians in Gaza via a sea route launched last week.

Thursday's gathering is being attended by Sigrid Kaag, the UN's senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza, as well as Curtis Ried, chief of staff of the US National Security Council.

The US has presented a draft resolution to the UN Security Council urging for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, tied to the release of hostages. Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed the initiative during an interview with Saudi media, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing civilian protection and humanitarian aid delivery amid the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Israel has provided written assurances to the United States regarding the use of weapons supplied by the US, ensuring compliance with international humanitarian law, according to Reuters. The move comes in response to a request from the State Department, which plans to evaluate the reliability of Israel's assurances by the end of May.

The United States has circulated a draft U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an "immediate ceasefire linked to the release of hostages" in the Gaza Strip, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

Canada will halt all arms shipments to Israel, a government official told AFP on Tuesday, a decision that has drawn the ire of Israel as it faces growing international scrutiny over its war in the Gaza Strip.

The besieged Palestinian territory is facing a mounting humanitarian crisis, and months of war have pushed hundreds of thousands of Gazans to the brink of famine.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was due to return Wednesday to the Middle East in a new bid to secure a truce in the Israel-Hamas war.

Following a failed attempt to secure a ceasefire in the war in the Gaza Strip by the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan last week, a new round of negotiations hosted by key mediator Qatar has begun.