Exhausted Palestinians in the Gaza Strip will be hoping for respite in the war-torn enclave, following the announcement on Monday night that the United Nations Security Council adopted a US-drafted resolution supporting a ceasefire plan.
Under the proposal, Israel would withdraw from Gaza population centres and Hamas would free the hostages. The ceasefire would last an initial six weeks, with it extended as negotiators seek a permanent end to hostilities.
The Security Council says Israel has “accepted the truce plan”, and called Hamas to also “accept it”.
Al Jazeera correspondent and prominent Gaza journalist Hind Khoudary said: “I hope the resolution works this time and I pray this genocide stops. We are totally exhausted. As medical staff, we can’t bear it anymore”.
Despite the ceasefire announcement, Israel continued to strike the enclave, and neighbouring territories. At least nine people have been killed in Gaza City overnight and early on Tuesday after the Israeli military carried out separate strikes on a residential building in the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood.
Most of those killed were children, according to reports.
Al Jazeera said that civil defence crews were searching for more victims under rubble.
Israeli forces overnight struck a Hezbollah convoy in Hermel district, northeastern Lebanon, killing three members of the group.
Britain-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a total of five people were killed in the Israeli strike, with the casualties being Syrian and Lebanese.