US President Joe Biden has sent letters to mediators in Qatar and Egypt urging pressure on Hamas to negotiate a ceasefire after White House says new talks are scheduled for the weekend.

    The Israeli military says it mistook World Central Kitchen cars for Hamas vehicles, appearing to confirm claims that Israel did not hit the aid convoy by accident.

    Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says it will allow “temporary” aid deliveries via a crossing in the northern Gaza Strip in a move criticised as inadequate by UN chief Antonio Guterres and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

    The Israeli military says it dismissed two officers and reprimanded three others for roles in strikes that killed seven aid workers on a food-delivery mission in Gaza.

    At least 33,091 Palestinians have been killed and 75,750 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The death toll in Israel from Hamas’s October 7 attack stands at 1,139, with dozens still held captive.

    More on Australia foreign minister’s reaction to the killing of WCK aid worker

    The Australian government has announced that it would appoint a special adviser to work with Israel to ensure “full confidence” in investigations into an air strike in Gaza that killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers including an Australian.

    “The government will appoint a special adviser, who we have requested the Israelis work with, so we can be advised about the appropriateness of the process,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong said.

    Israel has dismissed two officers and formally reprimanded senior commanders after an inquiry into the strike that killed aid workers, including Australian Zomi Frankcom.

    Wong described the dismissals as “necessary first steps” but said the information provided by Israel on the death of Frankcom and other aid workers was “not sufficient.”

    Australia says Israeli information on death of aid worker ‘not sufficient’

    Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong has said that information from Israel about the death of an Australian aid worker during an air strike on Gaza was “not sufficient”.

    After being briefed by Israeli authorities, Australia had “made clear that we have not yet received sufficient information to satisfy our expectations”, Wong told reporters in Adelaide after Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom was killed.

    The Australian was among seven aid workers killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza.

    Ex-CIA chief: In my experience, the Israelis usually fire and then ask questions

    In an interview with CNN, former CIA Director Leon Panetta urged Israel to take “some real and concrete steps” to “improve” its standard military operations in Gaza to avoid more civilian casualties, including aid workers.

    “You have to be able to verify, to take time to make sure that the information you’re getting is accurate with regards to targets. And I have to tell you that in the past, at least in my experience, the Israelis usually fire and then ask questions.”

    Panetta, who also served as defence secretary under US President Barack Obama, said if Israel does not take those steps, or “take initial steps and then go back to business as usual”, the US should consider imposing conditions on providing weapons to its closest ally in the Middle East.

    Panetta said Israel has been “badly damaged in terms of reputation” for its military conduct against Palestinians in Gaza.