Tiffany Wertheimer
Israel's defence minister has told the military to "seize additional areas in Gaza" and threatened to permanently occupy parts of it, if Hamas does not free all remaining hostages.
Israel Katz said that the military would continue its ground operation in Gaza "with increasing intensity" until all of the hostages "both living and dead" were returned.
It is thought 24 of the 59 hostages still held in Gaza are alive, but their fate remains in the balance after negotiations on the second phase of the ceasefire deal failed to progress.
The fragile ceasefire that had been in place since January ended this week as Israel resumed its ground campaign and bombing of Gaza, killing hundreds of people.
The situation in the Strip has been described as "gravely, gravely concerning" with "absolutely desperate tragedies occurring all over Gaza" by Sam Rose from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Unrwa.
Israel and the US have accused Hamas of rejecting proposals to extend the ceasefire. Hamas has said it is "engaging with the mediators with full responsibility and seriousness".
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