Israel-Gaza live updates: France, UK, Canada recognize Palestinian statehood

The European Commission has proposed suspending "trade concessions" with Israel and sanctioning "extremist ministers" in Israel and "violent settlers," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a post on X Wednesday.

While the move proposes putting "bilateral support to Israel on hold," Von der Leyen said, this would not impact Europe's work with "Israeli civil society or Yad Vashem," referring to Israel's memorial institution to Holocaust victims.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz responded to the recommendation, calling the move "morally and politically distorted," in a post on X.

More than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed since Oct. 7, 2023, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.

Hospitals across the Gaza Strip recorded 98 deaths, including seven people who were seeking aid, in the last 24 hours due to Israeli military actions, the health ministry added.

Since the war began in October 2023, a total of 65,062 Palestinians have been killed. This includes 2,504 people who died while trying to access food at distribution points across the strip since May 28.

In addition to casualties from strikes and gunfire, Gaza hospitals also reported four new deaths caused by famine and malnutrition in the past 24 hours. At least 432 Palestinians -- including 146 children -- suffered hunger-related deaths since Oct. 7, 2023, the Gaza Health Ministry reported.

-ABC News' Samy Zyara

The Israel Defense Forces said its warplanes and artillery units attacked more than 150 targets in the Gaza Strip in the previous 48 hours, as Israeli troops began their offensive into Gaza City.

In a post to X, the IDF said it killed enemy fighters and dismantled what it called "terrorist sites." Israeli forces also "struck a Hamas weapons production facility," the post said.

The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement posted to social media on Wednesday that Israeli troops "began a broad ground operation into the heart of Gaza City."

"We are launching a powerful attack on the Hamas stronghold in Gaza City," the IDF said, noting that Israel's 98th Division "entered maneuvers in the heart of Gaza City."

"The maneuvering forces entered the divisional attack area, accompanied by fire support from the air and sea," the post said.

"As part of the fire envelope, dozens of terrorist infrastructures were attacked, including military buildings, observation posts and booby-trapped structures intended to harm forces operating in the area," it added.