Israel agrees to delay Gaza invasion

Israel has agreed to delay an expected invasion of Gaza for now so that the United States can rush missile defences to the region to protect its troops there, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing US and Israeli officials.

Israel is also taking into account in its planning the effort to supply humanitarian aid to civilians inside Gaza, as well as diplomatic efforts to free hostages held by Hamas militants, the report said.

The US military and other officials believe their forces will be targeted by militant groups once the invasion of the Hamas-ruled Palestinian territory starts.

The United States is hurrying to deploy nearly a dozen air defence systems to the region, according to the Journal.

Reuters reported on Monday that Washington advised Israel to hold off on a ground assault in the Gaza Strip and is keeping Qatar - a broker with the Palestinian fighters - apprised of those talks as it tries to free more hostages and prepare for a possible wider regional war.

The development comes as more than 700 Israeli strikes hit Gaza in a single day where the death toll exceeded 6,500.

Meanwhile, the main UN aid agency in the besieged Palestinian territory warned it will have to stop operations by the end of Wednesday because it is running out of fuel.

Israel has cut off impoverished Gaza's usual water, food and other supplies, and fewer than 70 relief trucks have entered since the war started on October 7 -- "a drop of aid in an ocean of need", warned UN chief Antonio Guterres.