First Thing: Biden urges Netanyahu to allow more ‘urgently needed’ aid to Gaza

US says now not the time for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas as hostages still held. Plus, smoky superfog' in Louisiana causes 158-vehicle pileup

Good morning.

Joe Biden has underscored the need to sustain a continuous flow of urgently needed humanitarian assistance into Gaza" in a phone call with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House has said.

What's the situation like in Gaza? Concern about the plight of people in Gaza intensified. The director of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza, Thomas White, said shortages of shelter, food and drinking water in the south had forced some residents to return to their homes in the north.

What will happen now? Republicans are due to meet at 9am ET on Tuesday to begin choosing a nominee behind closed doors through a series of secret ballots.