Over a month into the war, the situation in Gaza does not seem to be improving. On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that there will be no ceasefire unless Hamas releases its hostages. Simultaneously, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called a united and Palestinian-led government for Gaza and the West Bank after the war ends. Here are the latest updates:

# Netanyahu reiterates decision against ceasefire

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday reiterated that a ceasefire won't occur unless Hamas releases the hostages held by the group.

"There will be no ceasefire without the release of our hostages," the Israeli Prime Minister wrote on 'X' on Thursday.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said on Wednesday, "We won't let Hamas win, we will rebuild our communities in southern Israel and we will continue to live our lives."

Netanyahu said that Israel plans to maintain "security responsibility" over the Gaza Strip for an indefinite period after the war against Hamas.

# Blinken calls for Palestinian-led government in Gaza and West Bank

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Wednesday for a united and Palestinian-led government for Gaza and the West Bank after the war ends, as a step toward Palestinian statehood. That vision sharpens U.S. differences with ally Israel on what the future should look like for the Palestinian territories once Israel's military campaign against Hamas winds down.

Any postwar governing plan for Gaza “must include Palestinian-led governance and Gaza unified with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority,” Blinken told reporters in Japan.

# International journalists get in-depth look at Gaza Strip

The Israeli military allowed international journalists to enter the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday, offering them a firsthand view of the aftermath of 12 days of intense fighting in the region.

During the visit inside Gaza, journalists travelled in a windowless armoured vehicle with a screen displaying images of the damaged coastline, buildings, and fallen trees. Israeli tanks and armoured vehicles were stationed in the area, with soldiers on patrol.

During the tour, the army said it had found ammunition and a weapons-making facility inside one building. Much of the lab had been removed, but the remnants of rockets, thousands of which had been launched at Israel during the fighting, could be seen.