The death toll from Israel's relentless bombardment of Gaza has surpassed 41,000, according to Gaza's health authorities. Oxfam, a confederation of nongovernmental organizations, reported Monday that more women and children had died in the airstrikes than during any other conflict in the past two decades.

Iran exercised "self-defence" against Israel and its action is concluded unless the "Israeli regime decides to invite further retaliation," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a post on social media platform X early on Wednesday.