Nearly five months of Israel's war in Gaza has reduced much of the Palestinian territory to ruins and created a worsening humanitarian catastrophe. with many, especially in the devastated northern region, scrambling for food to survive while pressure grows internationally for Israel and Hamas to reach a deal.

"As the occupying power in Gaza, Israel has a legal responsibility to ensure aid is available for civilians,” British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said in a statement Wednesday after meeting with Benny Gantz, a member of Israel's three-person War Cabinet, in London.

Israel's near-total blockade of Gaza and the ongoing fighting have made it nearly impossible to deliver supplies in most of Gaza, aid groups say. The UN has warned a quarter of Gaza’s population faces starvation.

The United States, Qatar and Egypt have spent weeks trying to broker an agreement in which Hamas would release up to 40 hostages in return for a six-week cease-fire, the release of some Palestinian prisoners and an major influx of aid to the isolated territory. But the talks have so far failed to achieve a breakthrough.

The overall Palestinian death toll is more than 30,700, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. It does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its figures, but says women and children make up around two-thirds of the total casualties. It says over 72,000 people have been wounded.

Associated Press