A White House official on Monday reiterated US President Donald Trump’s opposition toward Israel annexing the West Bank.

“A stable West Bank keeps Israel secure and is in line with this administration’s goal to achieve peace in the region,” the official said.

International outrage grew yesterday at Israeli plans to tighten the country’s grip over the occupied West Bank, with the United Nations chief saying he was “gravely concerned”.

Earlier, Saudi Arabia and seven other Muslim-majority countries condemned the new Israeli measures, which pave the way for more settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Announced on Sunday by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defence Minister Israel Katz after being approved by the security cabinet, they include allowing Jewish Israelis to buy West Bank land directly, and extending greater Israeli control over areas where the Palestinian Authority exercises power.

It was unclear when the new rules would take effect but they do not require further approval, reports AFP.

Meanwhile, Israeli attacks in central Gaza killed three Palestinians yesterday. A source at al-Aqsa Hospital has told Al Jazeera that two people have been killed by Israeli bombing on Salah ud-Din Street in central Gaza.

A Palestinian woman has been killed by Israeli forces in al-Masdar village in central Gaza. The sixth batch of returnees, comprising 40 people, arrived in the Gaza Strip via Rafah crossing.