Hamas launched an unprecedented attack against Israel from Gaza on October 7, killing about 1,140 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

Militants seized about 250 hostages, of whom 105 Israelis and foreigners have been released. Several others have been killed, including by friendly fire.

Determined to destroy Hamas, Israel is conducting a relentless air and ground offensive that has left vast areas of Gaza in ruins and killed at least 20,915 people, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.

On day 81 of the war, here are five key developments from the past 24 hours:

- UN appoints coordinator -

The United Nations named an outgoing Dutch finance minister as its humanitarian coordinator for Gaza following last week's watered-down Security Council resolution which called for aid to be delivered to the coastal territory "at scale".

Sigrid Kaag's appointment comes as the people of Gaza face a dire humanitarian emergency, with aid slowed to a trickle by Israel's continued bombardment of the densely populated strip.

She will start work on January 8, the UN said in a statement.

- Fresh bombing -

Global pressure for a ceasefire has mounted but Israel pressed on with its war on Hamas.

The army said it had struck more than 100 targets in 24 hours, including Hamas military sites, tunnel shafts and other infrastructure, in Jabalia, northern Gaza, and Khan Yunis in the south.

The health ministry in Gaza said the bodies of 30 people killed in strikes were brought to Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis.

- West Bank violence -

Two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli army raid on the Fawwar refugee camp, south of Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said.

Israel's army said its troops were attacked during a "counter-terrorism" operation.

- Yemen, Sinai, Lebanon -

US military forces shot down more than a dozen attack drones and several missiles fired by Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels at shipping in the Red Sea, the Pentagon said.

The Huthis earlier said they "carried out a targeting operation against a commercial ship" they identified as MSC United, and launched a number of "drones against military targets" in southern Israel.

Explosions were heard off the coast of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, state-linked media said, with the Israeli military later saying it had intercepted an "aerial target".

The military also said an anti-tank missile fired by Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group wounded nine soldiers, while Hezbollah announced the death of two of its fighters.

- Deadly strikes in Iraq -

US strikes targeting pro-Iranian forces in Iraq killed one member of the security forces and wounded 18 other people, Iraq's government said.

The US carried out the strikes after it said three American military personnel were wounded, one critically, in an attack on Monday.

The United States has repeatedly targeted sites used by Iran and its proxy forces in Iraq and Syria in response to dozens of attacks on American and allied forces in the region since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war.

Most of the attacks have been claimed by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which opposes US support for Israel.