The US has said now is not the time for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, as the UN reports that some Palestinians who fled their homes in the north of Gaza have returned due to a lack of food and shelter in the south.

The White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told CNN on Monday that Israel still had “work to do to go after Hamas leadership”, echoing comments from the US president, Joe Biden, that any discussions of a ceasefire could only take place if Hamas freed all its hostages in Gaza.

The statement from the White House was at odds with comments from UN and EU officials who on Monday called for a humanitarian pause in fighting so that aid could be delivered into Gaza.

France`s president, Emmanuel Macron, was expected to express solidarity with Israel and call for the “preservation” of Gaza`s civilian population during a visit to Israel on Tuesday. After meeting relatives of French-Israeli citizens killed in Hamas`s attack on 7 October, he was to hold talks with Israeli leaders and Palestinian officials in the West Bank.

On Monday night, the families of two Israeli hostages freed by Hamas celebrated their return home. Yoheved Lifshitz, 85, and Nurit Yitzhak, 79, were reunited with their families at a Tel Aviv hospital, where medical staff said the two women appeared to be in good health.

Lifshitz told the Ynet news site that Hamas had "trained" Israel for the brutal attack. She said she did not know where in Gaza she was being held. She said: ``They put me on a motorbike... One of the terrorists held me in the front and the other in the back to prevent me from falling. We crossed the border fence and entered the Strip, but they first detained me in the town of Abbasan al-Kabir. I don`t know where he was taken after that. ”

Freed Israeli hostages are seen shaking hands with Hamas fighters in a video released by the group - Video

Qatar and Egypt broker the release of two women supported. Israeli media reported that the United States and Qatar were trying to negotiate a deal that would include the release of 50 dual nationals held by Hamas.

Meanwhile, Israeli police reportedly arrested Maysa Abd Elhadi, a prominent Arab-Israeli actress, on suspicion of posting images supporting Hamas. Israeli media reported that Abd Elhadi, who appeared on the TV show "Baghdad Central" and the movie "World War Z," was arrested on charges of inciting and supporting terrorism.

Concern about the plight of the people of Gaza increased. Thomas White, head of the United Nations Palestine Refugee Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza, said a lack of shelter, food and drinking water in the south is forcing some residents to return to their homes in the north. Stated.