DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli ground troops for the first time Monday pushed into areas of a central Gaza city where several aid groups are based, in what appeared to be the latest effort to carve up the Palestinian territory with military corridors.

By Nidal al-Mughrabi CAIRO (Reuters) -Israeli tanks pushed into southern and eastern districts of the Gazan city of Deir al-Balah for the first time on Monday, an area where Israeli sources said the military believes hostages may be held.

Israeli soldiers shot Palestinians near an Israel-backed food site. On Sunday, they fired at people gathering near a U.N. convoy. Both incidents were symptoms of broader problems.

Eyewitnesses said massive air strikes took place on the city overnight into Monday, one of the last remaining areas of the Strip not to suffer significant damage from the Israel-Hamas war.View on euro

While the international community criticizes the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a middle east expert says the U.S.- and Israel-backed organization is taking the power away from Hamas.

UK, France, Italy, Japan, Australia, Canada, and others all condemned what they called "drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians" in Gaza.

Twenty-five countries including Britain, France and Canada, have called for an immediate end to the war in Gaza.

More than two dozen Western countries called for an immediate end to the war in Gaza on Monday, saying that suffering there had "reached new depths" as Israel's military expanded its operations to the central city of Deir el-Balah.

A new NCRI study found major U.S. and European media outlets echoed Hamas-linked narratives, downplaying terror ties and distorting facts about Gaza aid efforts.