Israel kept up its deadly bombardment of war-torn Gaza on Tuesday as Washington vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that called for a ceasefire in the Palestinian territory, where concern mounted about a growing humanitarian crisis.

Global powers trying to navigate a way out of the spiralling crisis have come up short, with a so-far fruitless push by mediators to reach a truce and two rival ceasefire proposals put forward at the United Nations.

The United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on Tuesday that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, drawing stern criticism from allies as President Joe Biden faces mounting pressure to temper support for Israel.

Washington had circulated its own, alternative draft resolution ahead of the vote. Unlike past US efforts, that version does feature the word "ceasefire" -- but with no call for it to be enacted immediately.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's comparison of Israel's military campaign in Gaza to the Holocaust has unleashed a diplomatic firestorm, with Brazil recalling its ambassador Monday and Israel declaring Lula "persona non grata."

The row erupted the day before when Lula said the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip "isn't a war, it's a genocide," and compared it to "when Hitler decided to kill the Jews."

An alarming lack of food, surging malnutrition and the rampant spread of disease could spark an explosion in child deaths in Gaza, the United Nations warned Monday.

Twenty weeks into Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, UN agencies warned that food and safe water had become "incredibly scarce" in the Palestinian territory, adding that virtually all young children had infectious illnesses.

Israel's military on Monday published new images and voiced concern about a mother and her two boys -- including a baby who is the youngest hostage held by Palestinian militants in Gaza.

Hamas announced in November that all three had been killed in an Israeli bombardment but the Israeli authorities have not confirmed the claim.

Army spokesman Daniel Hagari said they were "concerned for the welfare" of Shiri Bibas, who was seen on a street camera in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis surrounded by seven armed men.

Two Israeli air strikes hit southern Lebanon Monday near the city of Sidon, wounding 14 people, official media said, while the Israeli army said it had targeted "Hezbollah weapons storage facilities".

Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement and its arch-foe Israel have been exchanging near-daily fire across the border since the Israel-Hamas war broke out on October 7.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday said international envoys to Afghanistan hope for Taliban participation at their future meetings after the authorities snubbed an invitation to talks in Doha.

Guterres told a news conference that delegates had discussed "creating the conditions, in a next meeting, to have the presence of the de facto authorities of Afghanistan," following their refusal to join the two-day conference which ended on Monday in the Gulf state.

Even as the threat of famine stalks the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, Israeli protesters have gathered repeatedly to stop desperately needed aid from getting into the Palestinian territory.

"You might say it's not acceptable to block food and water going in," said one protester, David Rudman, at the Nitzana border post between Israel and Egypt.

"But, given the situation we're in, it's acceptable," he argued as the Gaza war, siege and hostage crisis have continued into a fifth month.

Soudal-Quick Step rider Tim Merlier burst from the middle of the bunch to storm past his rivals and win stage 1 on the UAE Tour at Liwa on Monday.

The finale was marred by a high-speed fall with around 20 riders hitting the tarmac hard and three-quarters of the peloton caught behind it.

The fall was caused by a shoulder barge with some riders taken away by ambulance.

Merlier had predicted a fight for the opening stage due to the quality of the field.

Deadly fighting raged on in Gaza on Monday after Israel warned that, unless Hamas frees all hostages, it will push on with its offensive during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, including in the far-southern Rafah area.

Global concern has mounted over the fate of 1.4 million Palestinians who fighting has forced into Rafah near the Egyptian border, where they endure bombardment and dire food shortages in crowded makeshift shelters and tents.