The United Nations chief has called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip after claiming there have been "clear violations of international humanitarian law".
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the UN Security Council that Israel's bombardment of Gaza and the level of civilian deaths is "alarming" as he appealed for "to all pull back from the brink before the violence...spreads even farther".
He said the grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify "the horrifying and unprecedented October 7 acts of terror" by Hamas in Israel and demanded the immediate release of all hostages.
But Mr Guterres also stressed that "those appalling attacks cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people".
In response Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs said he would not meet with Mr Guterres and said "there is no room for a balanced approach".
"Hamas must be erased from the world," he added.
More than 700 people have been killed in just one day amid Israel’s rapidly expanding air strikes across Gaza, Palestinian health officials said on Tuesday.
Israel said it had launched 400 air strikes over the past 24 hours, killing Hamas commanders and militants preparing to launch rockets into Israel, and a Hamas tunnel shaft.
Downing Street said the number of Britons killed in the Hamas's murderous rampage in Israel earlier this month has risen to 12 with a further five missing.
It comes as Israeli hostage Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, freed by Hamas, has spoken of her ordeal at the hands of her captors in Gaza, saying: "I went through hell."
