Israel's military intensified its bombing of the southern Gaza Strip overnight after one of the deadliest days for Palestinians since the conflict began, amid international calls for a pause in fighting to let aid into the enclave and prevent many more deaths.

Health officials in Gaza said on Wednesday that dozens more people had been killed in the south, where hundreds of thousands fled after Israel warned them it would attack the north in its bid to wipe out Hamas fighters who attacked on Israeli military targets and towns on October 7, which has so far killed at least 1,400 people in Israel.

Palestinian anger over the killings has been increased as many of those who obeyed the order to move south are also being killed. The Israeli military says that Hamas, which rules Gaza, has entrenched itself among the civilian population everywhere.

Israel said strikes on Gaza over the previous 24 hours had eliminated Hamas operatives including the head of the Hamas battalion for southern Khan Younis, Tayseer Bebasher.

The death toll of Palestinians from Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip has risen to 6,546, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, 17,439 Palestinians were wounded in the coastal enclave, the ministry said in a statement.

Fighting in Lebanon, Syria fuels region's fears

Israeli jets also struck Syrian army infrastructure in response to rockets launched from Syria, an ally of Iran, the Israeli military said, fueling concerns that its conflict with Hamas, also backed by Iran, will ignite the wider region.

Syria's state news agency said the Israeli attack killed eight soldiers and wounded seven more near the southwestern city of Deraa.

Israel did not accuse Syria's army of firing the two rockets, which set off air raid sirens in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, giving no details on the suspected perpetrators.

Iran has warned Israel to stop its onslaught on Gaza. Israeli forces hit five squads in Lebanon preparing anti-armor missile attacks or rocket launches, spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said.

Lebanon's Iranian-backed Hezbollah group said four more of its fighters had been killed, increasing the death toll in its ranks to 42 since the start of the conflict.

Gaza hospitals running out of fuel

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said more than one-third of hospitals in Gaza and nearly two-thirds of primary health clinics had shut due to damage or lack of fuel.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), warned that it would have to halt operations in Gaza on Wednesday night if supplies of fuel were not allowed in as it would run out.

However, the Israeli military on Tuesday reaffirmed it would bar the entry of fuel to prevent Hamas from seizing it.

Calls for a humanitarian pause

World leaders calls for a pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas to allow aid into Gaza. UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon urged on Tuesday a de-escalation along the Lebanon-Israel border. Joanna Wronecka, meanwhile, extended the United Nations' unwavering support for Lebanon to safeguard its security and stability during a critical time, according to her statement issued on the UN website.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday discussed with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin the escalating Israel-Hamas violence and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza by phone. During the conversation, Erdogan pointed at the "increasing brutality in the Palestinian territories and the rising civilian casualties," while "expressing concern that the silence of Western nations was pushing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza to an uncontrollable level," according to a statement from his office.

Both leaders have voiced concern over rising death toll among civilians and noted that targeting residential areas, religious and social facilities is unacceptable, reported Russia's Sputnik news agency quoting a Kremlin statement.

Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, on Tuesday called a comprehensive ceasefire between Palestine and Israel. "A ceasefire must be achieved without delay. This is the call made by Secretary-General (Antonio) Guterres," and this is the call of the international community, said the envoy at the UN Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

On the humanitarian issue, Zhang said the civilian casualties resulting from the latest round of conflict are appalling, and that "life and conscience seem so pale in the face of frequent indiscriminate attacks." "The council must resolutely defend the international rule of law, unequivocally condemn all violence and attacks against civilians, and unequivocally oppose any violation of international law. China calls for diplomatic efforts for the immediate release of hostages," he said.