Efforts Grow to Aid Gaza

Efforts mounted to get more aid into the war-devastated Gaza Strip, where the UN warns of famine and desperate residents have stormed relief convoys.

After mediators failed to reach a truce between Israel and Hamas for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, fighting continued with at least 69 deaths over the previous 24 hours, the Hamas-run territory's health ministry said.

Hamas authorities reported more than 40 air strikes across Gaza, from Beit Hanoun in the north to Rafah in the south, where most of Gaza's population has sought refuge and Israel is threatening a ground assault.

Around 1.5 million Palestinians have sought refuge along Gaza's southern border with Egypt in Rafah.

The Israeli military said it was "raiding Hamas's hideouts and military strongholds" in southern Gaza's main city of Khan Yunis.

"During a search in the area, the forces located several weapons in a bedroom under a bed, including missiles and explosives. Following the searches in the area, the forces located a rocket launcher and missiles near a school and destroyed it."

Gaza's health ministry said seven people were killed when Israeli troops opened fire at an aid distribution point near Gaza City. The army had no immediate comment.

In central Israel, police said a Gaza-raised Palestinian had stabbed and seriously wounded a soldier in a shopping center, who had then shot him dead.

Daily aid airdrops by multiple countries have been taking place this month, and Germany said it would join the effort.

But the air and sea missions are "no alternative" to land deliveries, 25 organizations including Amnesty International and Oxfam said in a statement.

While efforts continue to get more assistance to the territory's 2.4 million people, the main United Nations aid agency in Gaza, UNRWA, said that an Israeli strike hit one of its food distribution warehouses in Rafah, killing an employee and wounding 22.