Israel launched an air and ground offensive into the only Gaza city that had not seen major military operations since the war began.

Context: Deir al-Balah had been an informal refuge for Palestinians escaping other parts of Gaza, and huge tent camps have sprung up in the city. The city also hosts warehouses for the U.N. as well as guesthouses for U.N. staff.

Slovenia calls upon Israel to respect its obligations under international humanitarian law and to immediately allow unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid,' says Foreign Ministry - Anadolu Ajansı

The expansion of the 21-month-long offensive into the densely populated area comes as Gaza is in the grip of a humanitarian catastrophe, with the UN warning that Israel’s assault on the territory and restriction of aid deliveries had left its 2.1mn population at risk of famine.

The aid agency says its buildings in the central part of the territory were attacked after the military targeted Deir al-Balah, which had largely been spared.

More than 100 charity and human rights groups say Israel’s blockade and ongoing military offensive are pushing Palestinians in the Gaza Strip toward starvation. Israeli strikes meanwhile

Israel will allow foreign countries to parachute aid into Gaza starting on Friday, Israeli army radio quoted a military official as saying. An Israeli military spokesperson did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment on the report.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney accused Israel late Thursday night of obstructing humanitarian aid to Gaza and called for international agencies to take over all distribution. “Canada condemns the Israeli government’s failure to prevent the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian disaster in Gaza,