ISRAELI forces intensified their assault on Palestinians across the Gaza Strip today, including in parts of the devastated north that the military claimed it had cleared months ago.

This prompted United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to renew his call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as Israeli forces have killed more than 35,000 Palestinians. 

In a video address to international donors gathered in Kuwait on Sunday, Mr Guterres also called for “the unconditional release of all captives held by Hamas as well as an immediate surge in humanitarian aid” into Gaza.

“A ceasefire will only be the start,” he said in the video, saying “it will be a long road back from the devastation and trauma of this war.”

The Israelis have portrayed the southern Gaza city of Rafah as Hamas’s last stronghold which must be attacked to succeed in defeating the group. 

Some 300,000 people have already been forced to flee the city the Israelis had told Palestinians was a safe haven from the bombarded cities in the north.

Palestinians reported heavy Israeli bombardment overnight in the urban Jabaliya refugee camp and other areas in the northern Gaza Strip, which has suffered widespread devastation. 

UN officials say Gaza is already in a full-blown famine.

Eye witnesses said Israeli forces struck the camp and the Zeitoun area east of Gaza City, and they could hear intense and constant bombing since midday Saturday. 

The Palestinian Civil Defence said they were unable to respond to multiple calls for help from both areas, as well as Rafah, on the southern edge of Gaza.

The UN has warned that Israel’s planned full-scale Rafah invasion would cause a surge in civilian deaths and further harm humanitarian operations.

Rafah borders Egypt near the main aid entry points, which are already affected. 

Israeli troops have captured the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing, forcing it to shut down. 

Egypt has refused to co-ordinate with Israel on the delivery of aid though the crossing because of “the unacceptable Israeli escalation,” the Al Qahera News television channel reported.

President Joe Biden has said the US won’t provide offensive weapons to Israel for use on Rafah. 

On Friday, his administration said there was “reasonable” evidence that Israel had breached international law protecting civilians.

Israel rejects those allegations.

The war began when Hamas and its allies attacked southern Israel on October 7, during which around 1,200 people were killed and another 250 taken hostage. 

The Israelis have since killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.