TRANSCRIPT:
Israeli forces have been pounding the north of Gaza in search of Hamas targets.
In the most recent battle, Israeli forces have claimed to have besieged a large urban refugee camp in Jabalia, with many people feared dead.
Now, their troops have reached the heart of Khan Younis - southern Gaza's main city and an area once declared a safe zone.
Israeli military Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi has said it's part of the "third phase" of ground operations in Gaza.
"We are deploying our ground forces into combat with powerful and precise support of fire and intelligence with a high level of accuracy. Our forces engage with many terrorists, target them effectively, in an impressive manner."
As the fighting continues, the United Nations says it is struggling to get aid into Gaza.
Hospitals are reportedly struggling to cope, and spokesman for the U-N Secretary General, Stephane Dujarric, says there are no safe places left.
"There are shelters that fly the U.N. flag that are sheltering thousands and thousands and thousands of people, men, women, and children who are trying to stay alive and get some food or get some water. We have seen since the beginning of this conflict that those places that fly the U.N. flag are not safe either."
Amid the chaos, an Australian citizen trapped in Gaza is appealing to the federal government for help.
Mohammed al Shawwa has been living in Gaza City since 2015 - and is now 15 minutes away from the Rafah border crossing, waiting for the approval to evacuate.
His six children and wife - who is eight months pregnant - have been allowed to leave and are now in Cairo.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told SBS "The Foreign Minister continues to engage with her counterparts" to assist Australians abroad.
Mr al Shawwa has told SBS News he does not know why he cannot join his family in Egypt.
"When we sleep at night, we are not expecting to wake up alive in the morning. So we are facing the death in each minute. I expect the Department of Foreign Affairs to work harder and harder and to keep following my case. Once, I get information from them, I will go immediately."
For others trying to flee to the United States, visa restrictions have been imposed to stop them coming to the US.
The ban applies to Israelis who have committed violent acts against Palestinian civilians, and Palestinians who have been violent to Israelis.
It doesn't apply to dual US-Israeli citizens, but to other Israeli dual citizens as long as their second citizenship is not US-affiliated.
U-S State Department spokesman Matthew Miller says the recent surge in violent acts they're seeing is unprecedented and should be condemned.
"Today, as President Biden recently warned, the United States is taking action to address this escalating violence in the West Bank by implementing a new implementing a new visa restriction policy under section 212-A3C of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Under this policy, the United States will pursue visa restrictions against any individuals involved in in or meaningfully contributing to the undermining of peace, security or stability in the West Bank. This includes acts of violence against persons or property, as well as undue restrictions on civilians, access to essential services and basic necessities. Immediate family members of such persons may also be subject to these restrictions. The department is pursuing initial action against individuals pursuant to this visa restriction policy today."
Back in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has delivered an address, saying Gaza must be demilitarised and that only the Israeli military can enforce that demilitarisation.
He also says they have also seen evidence of sexual violence against women by Hamas during the attack on October the 7th.
"I say to the women's rights organisations, to the human rights organisations, you've heard of the rape of the Israeli women, horrible atrocities, sexual mutilation - where the hell are you? I expect all civilised leaders, governments, nations, to speak up against this atrocity."
Osama Hamdan, the Hamas representative in Lebanon, says these claims are not true.
"The Zionist claims and lies that some women were raped come to cover the images of good treatment that the Zionist settlers and foreigners received in Gaza that categorically deny these claims, as these images bothered the Zionist entity that desperately tried to Satanise our steadfast people and solid resistance."
Some former Israeli hostages, and relatives of those still being held by Hamas, have reportedly confronted the Israeli Prime Minister during a meeting, with some calling on him to resign.
Unverified leaked audio appears to depict angry scenes.
Mr Netanyahu can reportedly be heard saying there is no possibility right now of bringing all the Israeli hostages home.
Osama Hamdan has said there will be no talk of an exchange of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages without an end to what he's called the "aggression" in Gaza.
