South Africa has urged the International Court of Justice to order Israel to halt its assault on Rafah as part of its case accusing Israel of genocide against the Palestinians.

The Arab League on Thursday called for a UN peacekeeping force in the occupied Palestinian territories, marking the first time Arab states have officially endorsed an internationalisation of the Israel-Palestine conflict since Israel’s war on Gaza erupted.

Israel’s military operation in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah has set ceasefire negotiations with Hamas “backward”, mediator Qatar has said, adding that the talks have lost steam.

The UN General Assembly has overwhelmingly voted to support a Palestinian bid to become a full UN member by recognising it as qualified to join and recommending the UN Security Council “reconsider the matter favourably”.

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has backed a Palestinian bid to become a full UN member by recognising it as qualified to join and recommending the UN Security Council “reconsider the matter favourably”.

After months of stalemate, the search for peace in Gaza has reached a critical stage. UN chief Antonio Guterres says it is a “decisive moment for the Palestinian and Israeli people and for the fate of the entire region”.

Hamas says it has approved a proposal for a ceasefire in the seven-month Gaza war put forward by mediators Qatar and Egypt although Israel says the proposal falls short of its demands.

Western leaders expressed dismay that Israel might press ahead with an invasion of the tiny area despite a last-ditch bid by Hamas to secure a temporary ceasefire.

In their second day of talks with Egyptian and Qatari mediators, Hamas negotiators maintained their stance that any truce agreement must end the war, Palestinian officials said.

The Ministerial Committee assigned by the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit on the Gaza Strip issued the Riyadh Statement, expressing efforts to reach an immediate ceasefire, release of prisoners/hostages, and an end to war on Gaza and all unlawful and unilateral measures in Palestinian Territories.

The US secretary of state hopes Hamas will accept what he has called Israel’s “extraordinarily generous” offer for a Gaza truce and hostage release deal.

Qatar is reassessing its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas, the country’s prime minister has said.

The United States has vetoed a widely supported resolution at the UN Security Council that would have paved the way for the state of Palestine to gain full membership at the United Nations.

After more than six weeks of fighting that has destroyed extensive areas of Gaza and killed thousands, Israel and Palestinian armed group Hamas have agreed to a four-day truce.