JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday he was open to a 鈥渢emporary ceasefire鈥� in Gaza, as international pressure intensified over Israel鈥檚 renewed offensive and aid blockade in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.
鈥淚f there is an option for a temporary ceasefire to free hostages, we鈥檒l be ready,鈥� Netanyahu said, noting that at least 20 hostages were confirmed alive.
But he added the Israeli military aimed to bring all of Gaza under its control by the end of its current operation.
鈥淲e must avoid a humanitarian crisis in order to preserve our freedom of operational action,鈥� he said.
His remarks came hours after Israeli troops fired what the army called 鈥渨arning shots鈥� near a delegation of foreign diplomats visiting the occupied West Bank, triggering global condemnation and fresh diplomatic tension.
The Palestinian foreign ministry accused Israeli forces of 鈥渄eliberately targeting by live fire an accredited diplomatic delegation鈥� near the flashpoint city of Jenin.
A European diplomat said the group had traveled to the area to witness the destruction caused by months of Israeli military raids.
The Israeli army said 鈥渢he delegation deviated from the approved route鈥� and entered a restricted zone.
Troops opened fire to steer the group away, it said, adding no injuries were reported and expressing regret for the 鈥渋nconvenience caused.鈥�
Gazans are not receiving aid
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called on Israel to investigate the shooting and to hold those responsible 鈥渁ccountable.鈥�
The incident came as anger mounted over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Palestinians are scrambling for basic supplies after weeks of near-total isolation.
Palestinian rescue teams said overnight Israeli strikes had killed at least 19 people, including a week-old baby.

No one is distributing anything to us. Everyone is waiting for aid, but we haven鈥檛 received anything

Umm Talal Al-Masri, displaced Palestinian in Gaza City

A two-month total blockade was only partially eased this week, with aid allowed into the territory for the first time since March 2, a move leading to critical food and medicine shortages.
Israel said 100 trucks with aid entered Gaza on Wednesday, following 93 the day before which the United Nations has said had been held up.
Humanitarian groups have said that the amount falls far short of what is required to ease the crisis.
Umm Talal Al-Masri, 53, a displaced Palestinian in Gaza City, described the situation as 鈥渦nbearable.鈥�
鈥淣o one is distributing anything to us. Everyone is waiting for aid, but we haven鈥檛 received anything,鈥� she said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e grinding lentils and pasta to make some loaves of bread, and we barely manage to prepare one meal a day.鈥�
The army stepped up its offensive at the weekend, vowing to defeat Gaza鈥檚 Hamas rulers, whose October 7, 2023 attack on Israel triggered the war.
Israel has faced massive pressure, including from traditional allies, to halt its expanded offensive and allow aid into Gaza.
Kallas said 鈥渁 strong majority鈥� of EU foreign ministers backed the move to review its trade cooperation with Israel.
EU pressure on Israel
Sweden said it would press the 27-nation bloc to impose sanctions on Israeli ministers, while Britain suspended free-trade negotiations with Israel and summoned the Israeli ambassador.
Pope Leo XIV described the situation in Gaza as 鈥渨orrying and painful鈥� and called for 鈥渢he entry of sufficient humanitarian aid.鈥�
Israel鈥檚 foreign ministry has said the EU action 鈥渞eflects a total misunderstanding of the complex reality Israel is facing.鈥�
Germany defended a key EU-Israel cooperation deal as 鈥渁n important forum that we must use in order to discuss critical questions鈥� over the situation in Gaza.
In Gaza, Israel resumed its operations across the territory on March 18, ending a two-month ceasefire.
Hamas鈥檚 October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
Militants also took 251 hostages, 57 of whom remain in Gaza including 34 the military says are dead.
Gaza鈥檚 health ministry said Tuesday at least 3,509 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes on March 18, taking the war鈥檚 overall toll to 53,655.