At least 120 Palestinians were killed in the last 24 hours across the enclave, bringing the death toll in Gaza to 55,104. Gaza’s Health Ministry added that at least 474 people have been injured over the past day.

U.S. allies sanction far-right Israeli officials Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich over "extremist rhetoric" calling for "Palestinians to be driven from their homes."

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Palestinian death toll from the 20-month Israel-Hamas war passed 55,000, the Gaza Health Ministry said Wednesday, and hospitals said at least 21 people were killed while on their way to aid distribution sites.

Israel’s defense minister has ordered the military to prevent a Gaza-bound aid flotilla carrying Greta Thunberg from reaching its destination, citing national security concerns and a refusal to allow any breach of Israel’s blockade.

Britain and four other nations imposed sanctions on Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, accusing them of repeatedly inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

The decision by Western governments friendly to Israel was a sharp rebuke of Israel's settlement policies in the West Bank and of settler violence.

Experts warned earlier this year that Gaza is at risk of famine if Israel does not lift its blockade and stop the military campaign it renewed in March, when it shattered a ceasefire with Hamas. Israel has since ramped up its offensive, in what it says is meant to pressure Hamas to agree to a ceasefire more favorable to Israel’s terms.

The UK government sanctioned two Israeli government ministers, Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, for inciting violence against Palestinian communities.

Explosions heard over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv early Saturday as Iran and Israel trade deadly missile attacks, with casualties reported on both sides. Follow our live updates.