Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in recent days as Israel has intensified air strikes, the Hamas-run health ministry says.

The bloodshed followed the launch of a new Israeli military operation aimed at putting more pressure on Hamas to release hostages.

Israel says it will allow "basic" amounts of food into Gaza after increasing international pressure and warnings of famine.

Israel announces that it will allow some aid into Gaza, after a nearly three-month blockade. It also says it has begun 'extensive' new ground operations.

Despite the announcement, no aid had entered Gaza by mid-afternoon Monday. Aid trucks that were briefly parked on the Israeli side of a border crossing turned back and drove away.