The health ministry in the Hamas-controlled enclave said at least 10,328 people have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of the current Israel-Hamas conflict on 7 October. The victims include 4,104 children.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, which he said was “becoming a graveyard for children.”

“The unfolding catastrophe makes the need for a humanitarian ceasefire more urgent with every passing hour,” Guterres said. “The nightmare in Gaza is more than a humanitarian crisis. It is a crisis of humanity.”

Guterres said the international community had an “immediate and fundamental responsibility” to dramatically expand humanitarian aid to Gaza.

On the other hand, the Israeli army's response and the blockade of the Strip are affecting hospitals in particular. Israel accuses Hamas of using them to hide weapons or fighters, which the Islamist movement denies.

Médecins sans Frontières and Médecins du Monde are calling for an immediate ceasefire, citing the catastrophic situation in the hospitals, which are short of fuel and essential medicines.

In the meantime, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has once again rejected the idea of a cease-fire in Gaza unless hostages are released, and also addressed Gaza's future after the war in an exclusive interview with ABC News "World News Tonight" anchor David Muir.

“There'll be no cease-fire, general cease-fire, in Gaza without the release of our hostages," Netanyahu stated. "As far as tactical little pauses, an hour here, an hour there. We've had them before, I suppose, will check the circumstances in order to enable goods, humanitarian goods to come in, or our hostages, individual hostages to leave. But I don't think there's going to be a general cease-fire."

Netanyahu continued, "I think it will hamper the war effort. It'll hamper our effort to get our hostages out because the only thing that works on these criminals in Hamas is the military pressure that we're exerting."

Muir then asked Netanyahu if there would be such a pause if Hamas agreed to the release of hostages. According to Israeli officials, 241 people are being held by the militant group.

"There will be a cease-fire for that purpose," Netanyahu responded.