Israel has launched “extensive” new ground offensives in Gaza. Hospitals and medics said air strikes in Israel’s new offensive killed at least 103 people overnight.

They say dozens of children are among the dead. The strikes also forced northern Gaza’s main hospital to close.

Israel has proposed a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza in exchange for the release of half the living Israeli hostages held by the Palestinian group Hamas, the Israeli public broadcaster KAN has reported.

KAN, citing unnamed Israeli officials familiar with the negotiations, said the proposal was presented on Saturday during talks in Doha, Qatar. Israel estimates that 58 captives remain in Gaza, including 20 believed to be alive.

Meanwhile, more than 9,900 Palestinians are being held in Israeli prisons under dire conditions involving torture, starvation and medical neglect which have led to numerous deaths, according to Palestinian and Israeli rights groups and media.

’Limited quantity of food’

Israel has announced that it will allow a very limited quantity of food supplies into Gaza, claiming the move is meant to prevent a famine in the enclave, where Palestinians continue to endure Israeli attacks.

Israel “will permit the entry of a basic quantity of food for the population to prevent the emergence of a hunger crisis in the Gaza Strip,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.

It added that a famine “could jeopardise the continuation of Operation Gideon's Chariot,” referring to a new phase of Israel’s ground offensive in northern and southern Gaza.

The decision was based on “a recommendation from the Israeli military and due to operational needs to enable expanded intensive fighting to defeat Hamas.”

Israel’s public broadcaster KAN, citing an unnamed Israeli official, said the measure is temporary and expected to last roughly one week, pending the full establishment of aid distribution centres - mostly in southern Gaza and reportedly supervised by the Israeli military and run by American contractors.

More than 300 UN staff killed

Meanwhile, more than 300 staff members of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 2023, the agency’s chief said.

“Today, that death toll has surpassed the gruesome milestone of 300,” UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said on X on Sunday.

“The vast majority of staff were killed by the Israeli Army with their children & loved ones: whole families wiped out.”

Lazzarini said most of the dead UNRWA staff were health workers and teachers.

“Several were killed in the line of duty while serving their communities,” he added.

“Nothing justifies these killings,” Lazzarini said. “Impunity will lead to more killing. Those responsible must be held accountable.”