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This is the World in Brief from the Economist, our top stories.

The Secretary-General of the UN called the situation in Gaza a quote humanitarian catastrophe.

Two days after Israel sent troops into the strip, Antonio Guterres warned that life there is,

quote, growing more desperate by the hour, supplies are limited and health services are collapsing.

Earlier the head of the UN's agency for Palestinian refugees warned of civil disorder.

Warehouses containing food aid have been raided by civilians.

Yesterday, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's Prime Minister, said the Israel Defence Forces had entered a second phase of the war.

He warned of a, quote, long and difficult operation to, quote, dismantle Hamas and free hostages.

Iran's foreign minister, Hussein Amir Abdollah Hian, told CNN that the country did not want the conflict to, quote, spread out.

Earlier, Ebrahim Reisi, the President, posted on X that Israel had, quote, crossed the red lines, which may force everyone to take action.

Mr. Reisi, said that America had asked Iran and its, quote, axis of resistance, a network of proxies including Hisbela in Lebanon for restraint.

A head of an expected meeting between Joe Biden and Xi Jinping in November, China's foreign minister Wang Yi, said the, quote, road to the San Francisco summit will not be a smooth one.

The two presidents are likely to meet at the Asia-Pacific Economic Corporation Forum.

Mr. Wang said that both sides needed to, quote, return to Bali, a reference to the pair's amicable meeting last year.

Kenya will end all visa requirements for Africans by the end of year.

The country's president, William Ruto, said that current visa restrictions were, quote, working against us.

The African Union has long aspired to visa-free travel around the continent.

The Seychelles, the Gambia, and Benin all offer entry without a visa to African citizens.

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