Gaza is bombed by Israel as the U.S. vows to thwart another cease-fire proposal at the UN.

At least 18 people were killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza overnight and into Sunday, according to medics and witnesses, as the United States announced it would veto another draft U.N. cease-fire resolution.

The U.S., Israel's primary ally, aims to negotiate a cease-fire agreement and hostage release between Israel and Hamas, and seeks a broader resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has countered, characterizing Hamas' demands as "unrealistic" and refusing to accept U.S. and international pressure for a path to Palestinian statehood.

On Sunday, Israel's Cabinet issued a statement rejecting international demands for a permanent arrangement with the Palestinians and opposing any unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, which it argued would reward terror after the October 7 attack that led to the conflict.

Netanyahu has pledged to persist in the offensive against Hamas until achieving "total victory" and to extend it to the southernmost town of Rafah, where more than half of Gaza's 2.3 million Palestinians have taken refuge from the conflict.

The World Health Organization's head stated that Nasser Hospital, the primary medical center in southern Gaza, is no longer operational following an Israeli raid on the facility in Khan Younis last week.

Overnight, an airstrike in Rafah resulted in the death of six individuals, including a woman and three children. Meanwhile, another airstrike in Khan Younis claimed the lives of five men. The offensive in the region has been ongoing for the past two months. Associated Press journalists observed the arrival of the bodies at a hospital in Rafah.

In Gaza City, which was isolated, largely evacuated and suffered widespread destruction in the initial weeks of the war, an airstrike flattened a family home, killing seven people, including three women, according to Sayed al-Afifi, a relative of the deceased.

Hamas is responsible for the civilian casualties in Gaza, as Israeli military strikes rarely comment on individual operations and the militants operate in densely populated areas.

UN says raided hospital no longer functioning

Despite reaching the Nasser Hospital compound to deliver fuel alongside partners, the WHO team was not permitted to enter the hospital on Friday or Saturday to evaluate the patients' conditions and critical medical requirements, as stated by Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the U.N. health agency.

On X, formerly Twitter, he stated that approximately 200 patients remain in the hospital, with 20 requiring immediate transfers to other hospitals.

Over 100 suspected militants, including 20 who participated in Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel, have been arrested by Israel, but no evidence has been provided. The military is searching for the remains of hostages within the facility and states that it does not target doctors or patients.

The Gaza Health Ministry stated that 70 medical personnel and hospital patients were arrested and taken away in trucks. Ashraf al-Qidra, a spokesperson for the ministry, claimed that soldiers mistreated the detainees by beating them and stripping them of their clothes. The military has not yet responded to these allegations.

After Hamas breached Israel's defenses and attacked communities in southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 civilians and the capture of around 250 hostages, a cease-fire was declared in November. However, militants still hold around 130 hostages, with about a quarter of them believed to be dead, following the release of most of the others during the week-long cease-fire.

At least 28,985 Palestinians, including mostly women and children, have been killed in the war, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its records. In the past 24 hours, 127 bodies were brought to hospitals. About 80% of Gaza's population has been displaced, and a quarter of the population is facing starvation.

On Friday, David Satterfield, the U.S. Middle East envoy for humanitarian issues, stated that Israeli attacks on Hamas-controlled police guarding aid convoys had caused them to halt the escorts, making it "almost impossible" to deliver vital aid due to the danger of criminal gangs. Additionally, Satterfield pointed out that Israel has not provided any concrete evidence to support its accusations that Hamas is diverting U.N. aid.

U.S. opposes another cease-fire resolution

The U.N. Security Council has received a draft resolution from Algeria, an Arab representative, which calls for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire and unimpeded humanitarian access, while also opposing the displacement of Palestinian civilians.

Washington's efforts to end the fighting will not be hindered by the draft resolution, as stated by U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield in a late Saturday statement.

She emphasized that the success of the process relies on other parties avoiding actions that jeopardize it and the chance for a lasting resolution of hostilities.

The U.S. has previously used its veto on similar resolutions with broad international backing, and President Biden has bypassed Congress to expedite arms to Israel while encouraging it to take more steps to protect civilians and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Despite efforts by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt to negotiate a cease-fire and hostage release, there is a significant difference between Israel and Hamas' demands. Qatar stated on Saturday that the discussions "have not been progressing as expected."

Hamas will not release all hostages unless Israel ends the war and withdraws from Gaza, and demands the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including top militants.

Netanyahu has publicly rejected any scenario in which Hamas would be able to rebuild its military and governing capabilities. He stated that he sent a delegation to cease-fire talks in Cairo last week at Biden’s request but doesn't see the point in sending them again.

In an interview with Israel's Kan public broadcaster on Saturday, Netanyahu's national security adviser stated that applying military pressure and maintaining a firm stance in negotiations could cause Hamas to abandon its "unreasonable demands that no one could accept."

According to Tzachi Hanegbi, the U.S. supports Israel's efforts to weaken Hamas' military capabilities and has not pressured Israel to end the conflict or withdraw its troops from Gaza.

Netanyahu has responded to international criticism about a planned Israeli ground operation in Rafah by stating that residents will be relocated to safer regions. However, it is unclear where these residents will be relocated to, given the largely destroyed state of Gaza.

The Israeli leader opposes Palestinian statehood, which the U.S. sees as crucial for normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia and encouraging Arab investment in Gaza's reconstruction and governance.