UN officials say 1.9 million people — 85 per cent of Gaza’s population — are displaced and describe the conditions in the southern areas where they have concentrated as hellish, Reuters reports.

To increase the amount of aid reaching Gaza, Israel said on Monday it would add shipment screening at the Kerem Shalom border crossing even though it was not opening the crossing itself. Most trucks entered the strip at this crossing before the escalation.

Two Egyptian security sources said inspections would begin today under a new deal between Israel, Egypt and the United States.

After the collapse of a week-long ceasefire on Dec 1, Israel began a ground offensive in the south and has since pushed from the east into the heart of Khan Younis city.