GAZA/JERUSALEM- As tensions escalate in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces have initiated a ground invasion in their campaign against the Palestinian militant group. The operation comes as Israel seeks to eradicate Hamas while international concerns mount over the widening crisis.

In besieged Gaza, the situation has grown increasingly dire, with critically low humanitarian supplies. Efforts to agree on a temporary ceasefire for aid delivery have faltered, leaving residents grappling with mounting casualties and resorting to mass graves for the deceased.

Israel's latest ground assault marks a significant escalation, described as the largest incursion in the current conflict. The military's operations have expanded beyond airstrikes that began over the weekend.

On the international front, U.S. President Joe Biden, in a joint press conference with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, expressed a vision for lasting peace, emphasizing the need for Israeli and Palestinian states to coexist side by side in safety and dignity.

Biden also addressed the recent attack by Iranian-backed Hamas on southern Israel, speculating that it aimed to obstruct the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin raised concerns that the conflict could extend beyond the Middle East, underscoring the unjust suffering of civilians, including women, children, and the elderly in Gaza. He urged an immediate halt to the violence to avert catastrophic consequences.

Amidst growing fears that the Gaza war could have far-reaching implications, reports suggest that Israel has agreed to delay a full-scale invasion of Gaza until U.S. air defense systems are deployed in the region to safeguard American forces.

U.S. officials have expressed concerns that an Israeli incursion into Gaza could serve as a trigger for Iranian proxies in the region, potentially leading to further escalation.

The conflict's ripple effects have already been felt beyond the Palestinian territories, with Israeli airstrikes targeting Syrian army infrastructure in response to rockets fired from Syria, an ally of Iran. Additional targets have included Syria's Aleppo airport and Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Iran, a long-standing adversary of Israel, has voiced its opposition to Israel's actions in Gaza, warning against continued aggression.

Despite calls for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid, attempts at the United Nations to pass a resolution have faltered. A U.S.-drafted Security Council resolution proposing pauses in hostilities to provide food, water, and medicine to Palestinian civilians was vetoed by Russia and China, with the United Arab Emirates also voting against it.

Russia presented an alternative resolution advocating a broader ceasefire, which also failed to gain sufficient support. Israel has argued that such pauses would be exploited by Hamas to create new threats to Gaza civilians.

As the death toll continues to rise in Gaza, Palestinians have resorted to burying unidentified victims in mass graves, with numbered markers in lieu of names. Families are using identifying bracelets with the hope of locating their loved ones if they fall victim to the conflict.

Israeli retaliatory strikes have reportedly resulted in over 6,500 casualties, according to Gaza's health ministry. Independent verification of casualty figures remains a challenge.

President Biden expressed skepticism about the Palestinian-provided death toll, prompting calls for an apology by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in the United States.

With Israel's determination to eliminate Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced preparations for a ground invasion. The timing and scale of the operation remain undisclosed, while Israeli tanks and troops stand poised at the Gaza border. Israel has called up 360,000 reservists, intensifying international pressure to delay any full-scale invasion, especially due to the presence of hostages. A significant portion of the hostages held by Hamas holds foreign passports from 25 different countries, with many believed to have dual Israeli nationality.