UNITED STATES President Donald Trump is set to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu in the White House today, as hopes rose for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Ahead of the talks, the United Nations reported there had been 17 Israeli attacks “on or near health facilities in Gaza City” since September 16, as Israel continues its offensive on the territory’s largest urban area.

The UN’s Human Rights Office said Gaza City’s al-Quds hospital, al-Rantisi Children’s hospital and the Medical Relief Health Centre were directly struck, while attacks also took place in the vicinity of al-Shifa hospital and al-Ahli hospital.

The UN body said: “Such attacks are leaving sick and injured civilians with nowhere to turn to for life-saving care, as escalating attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are leading to countless casualties.

“Immediate protection and access to healthcare and humanitarian assistance are imperative.”

Gaza’s Health Ministry said that at the end of last week seven out of 13 hospitals in Gaza City were “operational, but only barely.”

The IDF reportedly killed at least 50 Palestinians in Gaza today. Those killed included five aid seekers while another 184 were wounded, according to the enclave’s Health Ministry.

President Trump has insisted for some time that a ceasefire deal is very close.

Late last week, he said: “It looks like we have a deal,” only to dampen hopes later.

The dial back by President Trump appeared to act as a green light for the Israeli prime minister to make his widely criticised speech to the UN General Assembly — even as many delegates stormed out of the hall.

During his defiant speech, Mr Netanyahu insisted Israel needed to “finish the job.”

But hopes seem to have been rekindled that a viable ceasefire plan may emerge from the talks between President Trump and Mr Netanyahu.

Over the last week, there have been rumours that part of the plan may include Britain’s controversial former prime minister Tony Blair leading Gaza for a transitional period.

Husam Badran, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, said the Palestinian people are not “minors needing guardianship.”

He added that Mr Blair should be on trial for his role in the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, not administering the Gaza Strip.

Francesca Albanese, the UN expert for Palestine, posted: “Tony Blair? Hell no.”

Historian and author William Dalrymple said: “Given Blair’s superb record in the Middle East, what could possibly go wrong?”