"Gaza Death Toll Surpasses 24,000: UN Agencies Appeal for Urgent Aid"

The death toll in Gaza surpasses 24,000 as Israeli strikes continue, prompting urgent calls from UN agencies for more aid to prevent famine and disease outbreaks. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announces that the intense military offensive in southern Gaza will soon be scaled back, but rules out a cease-fire, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warns of starvation and disease in Gaza due to barriers to aid delivery. Hamas releases a video claiming that two Israeli hostages were killed in airstrikes, and Palestinian authorities report that Israeli forces fatally shot two Palestinians in the West Bank. Pope Francis equates war itself with crimes against humanity, urging reflection on the suffering caused by ongoing conflicts in various parts of the world.