Both Israel and Hamas are facing pressure at home and abroad to reach a deal following almost two years of war, with the humanitarian situation inside Gaza deteriorating and Israelis worried about the conditions in which hostages are being held.

At least 142 countries now recognize or plan to recognize Palestinian statehood, according to an AFP tally -- though Israel and the United States strongly oppose the move.

More than 100 aid organizations warned on Wednesday that "mass starvation" was spreading in Gaza ahead of the US top envoy's visit to Europe for talks on a possible ceasefire and an aid corridor.

Iranian diplomats will meet counterparts from Britain, France and Germany, known as the E3, after the trio warned that sanctions could be reimposed on Tehran if it does return to the negotiating table over its nuclear program. 

Fighting nonetheless persisted in other parts of Sweida province, even as the Druze regained control of their city following days of fierce battle with armed Bedouin supported by tribal gunmen from other parts of Syria.

Indonesia has urged dialogue to resolve all conflicts in Syria while condemning the Israeli military's recent strikes in Swedia and Damascas, which it has described as a “violation of Syria’s sovereignty”.

The deaths at the church compound came as Gaza's civil defense agency reported at least 20 people killed in other Israeli strikes around the Palestinian territory.

The Syrian government earlier announced a new ceasefire in Sweida that would bring a halt to military operations there, after clashes that a war monitor said had left more than 350 people dead since Sunday.

The comments by Huckabee, a staunch supporter of Israeli settlement construction, mark a rare and pointed public intervention by the US following the death of a Palestinian American in the Israeli-occupied territory.

The indirect negotiations in Qatar appear deadlocked after both sides blamed the other for blocking a deal for the release of hostages and a 60-day ceasefire after 21 months of fighting.

The Israeli military, which has recently intensified operations across Gaza, said that in the past 24 hours the air force "struck more than 150 terror targets".

The Red Sea is a critical waterway for oil and commodities, but traffic has dropped sharply since Houthi attacks off Yemen's coast began in November 2023 in what the Iran-aligned group said was in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza war.

"Today I am imposing sanctions on UN Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese for her illegitimate and shameful efforts to prompt (International Criminal Court) action against US and Israeli officials, companies, and executives," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement.

Speaking to reporters at the beginning of their meeting, Netanyahu said Israel was working with the United States to find countries who would give Palestinians a better future.

The remarks came less than a month after Israel launched its unprecedented June 13 bombing campaign against Iran, killing top military commanders and nuclear scientists. 

Speaking to reporters at the beginning of a dinner between US and Israeli officials, Netanyahu said the United States and Israel were working with other countries who would give Palestinians a "better future," suggesting that the residents of Gaza could move to neighboring nations.

Israeli negotiators taking part in the ceasefire talks that resumed in Doha on Sunday have clear instructions to achieve a ceasefire agreement under conditions that Israel has accepted, Netanyahu said on Sunday before flying to Washington.

The army gave thousands of displaced residents just a few hours to retrieve belongings from their homes before demolishing buildings and clearing wide avenues through the rubble.

Two previous ceasefires mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States secured temporary halts in fighting and the return of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

"The movement has delivered its response to the brotherly mediators, which was characterized by a positive spirit. Hamas is fully prepared, with all seriousness, to immediately enter a new round of negotiations on the mechanism for implementing this framework."

The Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C), a volunteer group that funds the hospital's operation, and the Indonesian Foreign Ministry condemned an Israeli airstrike in the western part of Gaza that killed at least seven people, including the hospital’s director and his family.

A press statement published by the Presidential Secretariat said that during the pilgrimage, Prabowo took the time to pray inside the Kaaba, the holiest site in Islam, and got the chance to kiss the Black Stone, also known as Hajar Aswad. 

One key initiative under the plan to improve pilgrimage management is the construction of an “Indonesian Village” near Mecca’s Masjidil Haram Grand Mosque, designed to accommodate the large number of Indonesian haj and umrah pilgrims each year.

The unprecedented war, which broke out on June 13 and lasted for 12 days, has intensified tensions between Tehran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Prabowo landed at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah on Tuesday night for a working visit to the Middle Eastern kingdom, his first visit to the country after being sworn in as president in October last year.

The intensified operations came after days of mounting calls for a ceasefire, with US President Donald Trump -- whom Netanyahu is scheduled to meet next week -- among those urging Israel to strike a new deal to halt the war and bring home the hostages still held in Gaza.

Sugiono said other countries could use the argument of protecting their national interests as an excuse if they decided to break international norms.

"The proposed sale will enhance Israel's capability to meet current and future threats by improving its ability to defend Israel's borders, vital infrastructure, and population centers," the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit the White House next week for talks with President Donald Trump, a United States official said Monday, as Washington ramps up the pressure for a ceasefire in Gaza.

France, Italy, Portugal and Spain have been sweltering for several days as the mercury climbed to 44 degrees Celsius (111 Fahrenheit) in some places.