Israel Hamas war: US says Israel 'making an effort' to minimise civilian deaths as death toll soars

The White House has said they believe Israel is "making efforts" to minimise civilian casualties in Gaza since the resumption of fighting after a seven-day truce, amid intensifying calls from the international community to protect Palestinian civilians.

"We think they have been receptive to our messages about trying to minimise civilian casualties," White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told ABC.

The Israeli army has resumed its offensive in northern Gaza "in a smaller and more precise way", he added, noting that over the past two days, Israel had published a map online where civilians could find refuge and flee the fighting.

“There aren't many modern militaries that would do that,” Kirby continued. “They are making an effort.” 

The Palestinian Hamas Health Ministry announced on Sunday that Israeli bombings in the Gaza Strip have left 15,523 dead since the war began on 7 October.

Israeli military operations launched in Gaza after the bloody attack carried out by Hamas commandos on Israeli soil also left 41,316 injured, Hamas Health Ministry spokesperson Ashraf al-Qidreh said.

Israel's military has ordered more areas in and around Gaza's second-largest city of Khan Younis to evacuate, as it shifted its offensive to the southern half of the territory where it says many Hamas leaders are hiding.

Heavy bombardments were reported overnight and into Sunday in the area of Khan Younis and the southern city of Rafah, as well as parts of the north that had previously been the focus of Israel's blistering air and ground campaign.

Many of the territory’s 2.3 million people are crammed into the south after Israeli forces ordered civilians to leave the north in the early days of the 2-month-old war.

With the resumption of