Since Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas in mid-March it has unleashed fierce strikes on Gaza that have killed hundreds and captured swathes of territory. Before the truce ended, Israel halted all humanitarian aid into the territory, including food, fuel and water.

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — An Israeli plan to seize the Gaza Strip and expand the military operation has alarmed many in the region. Palestinians are exhausted and hopeless, pummeled by 19 months of heavy bombing. Families of Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza are terrified that the possibility of a ceasefire is slipping further away.