The necessity of freeing hostages held in Gaza and initiatives to increase humanitarian supplies were discussed on Tuesday between US President Joe Biden and Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar, according to the White House.
Israel and Hamas were mediated by Egypt and Qatar during the truce that ended in late November. Thus far, public progress toward a new truce has not been very successful in diplomatic efforts.
"The two leaders discussed increasing access to aid as well as the urgent effort to secure the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas, including American citizens," the White House statement stated.
Biden reportedly called the emir to address the most recent events and ongoing cooperative mediation efforts to defuse the situation in the besieged enclave and achieve a lasting truce, according to the Qatari News Agency.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that early on Wednesday, an Israeli operation in the Palestinian Nur Shams refugee camp in the north of the occupied West Bank resulted in the deaths of six Palestinians and the injuries of numerous more.
"The Thabet government hospital in Tulkarem received six martyrs killed by the occupation (Israel) and some seriously wounded individuals," the ministry stated in a brief statement.
Six people were killed by Israeli airstrikes on the Nur Shams refugee camp, which is close to the town of Tulkarem and where Israeli forces were stationed, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.
A request for an explanation about the operation was not immediately answered by the army.
The Palestinian health ministry, located in Ramallah, says that since the Gaza war broke out, Israeli soldiers and settlers have killed over 300 Palestinians in the West Bank.