Israel bombarded Gaza again on Thursday and local health officials said more than 60 people had been killed over the past day, as hungry Palestinians scrambled for food handouts under a new Israeli-backed aid operation that has been heavily criticised.

The UN says the new aid system is insufficient to meet basic needs for survival. In a reflection of the chaotic atmosphere surrounding aid distribution and the desperation of much of the population, a large crowd of hungry people broke into a Gaza warehouse run by the UN’s World Food Program on Wednesday in search of food.

Images from the scene showed large crowds of Palestinians converging on the warehouse and removing sacks of looted flour. The WFP said in a statement that initial reports indicated that two people had been killed and several were injured.

Against the backdrop of the humanitarian crisis and mounting international pressure to end the devastating 19-month war in Gaza, Israel and Hamas were considering on Thursday a new version of a cease-fire proposal formulated by President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff.

The full details of the new proposal are still unclear.

But both Israel and Hamas have said they are willing to accept at least some of the terms in it, including the release of 10 living hostages held by Hamas and the remains of others who died in captivity in exchange for an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody.

An Israeli official familiar with the details of the new proposal said the initial phase of the deal would provide for a 60-day cease-fire and a flow of aid through UN-run operations. The source spoke on condition of anonymity.

It was unclear whether the new proposal could address the main sticking point between the sides. Israel is insisting on an option to resume fighting if Hamas does not surrender and disarm.

Hamas demands firm guarantees that a temporary cease-fire would lead to a permanent cessation of hostilities and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

The war began in October 2023 with a deadly Hamas-led attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people and saw about 250 others taken hostage, according to the Israeli government. More than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, according to Gaza’s health ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.

At least 20 living hostages are still being held in Gaza, according to the Israeli authorities.