AFP:
The UN Security Council said it will discuss the Israel-Hamas war Monday, starting deliberations at 6:00 pm (2200 GMT).
The crisis deepens with Israel gearing up for a ground offensive in Gaza.
Diplomats say two competing draft resolutions are being discussed:
-one from Russia urging a ceasefire and delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, but making no mention of Hamas,
-and one sponsored by Brazil, calling the Hamas attacks on October 7 that triggered the war an act of terrorism.
The UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees has warned that the Gaza Strip faces an "unprecedented human catastrophe" if supply of water and other vital supplies is not restored by the Israeli authorities.
Russia's draft resolution calls for "unimpeded" humanitarian aid and "an immediate" ceasefire.
The Brazilian version differs by stating that it "unequivocally rejects and condemns the heinous terrorist attacks by Hamas" and the taking of hostages by the Palestinian militant group.
However, it also "strongly urges" provision of essential goods to Palestinian civilians and urges "humanitarian pauses" to let in humanitarian aid workers.
The United States is insisting that the council condemn the Hamas attacks as terrorism, diplomats say.
To be adopted, a resolution needs at least nine votes on the 15-member body, and cannot be vetoed by any of the five permanent members -- the United States, Britain, China, France and Russia.
Diplomats said the talks were tough going, as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict regularly divides the council.
Background:
Israel declared war on Hamas a day after waves of its fighters broke through the heavily fortified border, killing more than 1400 people, mostly civilians.
Israel has responded by sealing off and bombing Gaza, killing at least 2,750 people mainly civilians.
Israeli authorities say they are preparing a ground offensive to root out Hamas leaders and their armed supporters.
Reuters:
- LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
- U.S. officials hope the Rafah crossing can be opened later on Monday to allow some people to leave Gaza before an expected Israeli ground offensive, the White House spokesman said.
- U.S. President Joe Biden to stay at the White House for national security meetings, the White House said.
- 'We are continuing our fight against Hamas' -Israeli military
GAZA/JERUSALEM, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Israeli forces kept up their bombardment of Gaza on Monday after diplomatic efforts to arrange a ceasefire to allow foreign citizens to leave and aid to be brought into the besieged Palestinian enclave failed.
Residents of Hamas-ruled Gaza said overnight air strikes were the heaviest yet as the conflict entered its 10th day with an Israeli ground offensive of the densely populated coastal strip believed to be imminent.
Bombing carried on through the day, they said, and many buildings were flattened, trapping yet more people under the rubble. Israeli officials issued multiple warnings of Hamas rocket fire into Israel.
Diplomatic efforts have been underway to get aid into the enclave, which has endured unrelenting Israeli bombing since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants that killed 1,300 people - the bloodiest single day in the state's 75-year history.
But Israel's chief military spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said there was no Gaza ceasefire plan.
"We are continuing our fight against Hamas, this murderous organisation that carried this (the assaults) out."
Israel has imposed a full blockade and is preparing a ground invasion to enter Gaza and destroy Hamas, which has continued to fire rockets at Israel since its cross-border assault. On Monday, warning sirens sounded in several towns in southern Israel, the Israeli military said.
Israeli troops and tanks are already massed on the border.
Authorities in Gaza said at least 2,750 people had so far been killed by the Israeli strikes, a quarter of them children, and nearly 10,000 wounded. A further 1,000 people were missing and believed to be under rubble.
With food, fuel and water running short, hundreds of tons of aid from several countries have been held up in Egypt pending a deal for its safe delivery to Gaza and the evacuation of some foreign passport holders through the Rafah border crossing.
Earlier on Monday, Egyptian security sources had said an agreement had been reached to open the crossing to allow aid into the enclave.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said: "There is currently no truce and humanitarian aid in Gaza in exchange for getting foreigners out."
Hamas official Izzat El Reshiq told Reuters there was "no truth" to the reports about the crossing opening or a temporary ceasefire.
Egypt has said the crossing was rendered inoperable due to Israeli bombardments on the Palestinian side.
U.S. officials were hoping the Rafah crossing could be opened for a few hours later on Monday to allow some people to leave Gaza before the expected Israeli ground offensive, White House spokesman John Kirby told CNN.
The United States had told its citizens in Gaza to go to the crossing. It estimates the number of dual-citizen Palestinian-Americans in Gaza at 500 to 600.
