Mahmoud Basal, the spokesperson for Gaza’s Civil Defence, has called on “all mediators to establish an immediate and comprehensive humanitarian truce — until a final agreement is reached”, according to Al Jazeera.

“Civilians are not a party to this war, and they must not pay the price for delayed political understandings,” he said in a statement published in English on Telegram.

“I urge you to act now. There are lives beneath the rubble, wounded without medicine, and displaced people without shelter.”