Nov 28 (Reuters) - In a press conference held in Beirut, Hamas' senior official Osama Hamdan extended an invitation to U.S. billionaire Elon Musk on Tuesday, urging him to visit the Palestinian Gaza strip and witness the devastating aftermath of the Israeli bombardment. The invitation comes in the wake of Musk's recent visit to the site of the Hamas assault on Israel, where he expressed his commitment to combat hatred and intolerance.

Calling for objectivity and credibility, Hamdan stated, "We invite him to visit Gaza to see the extent of the massacres and destruction committed against the people of Gaza." This request from Hamas comes amidst a temporary 48-hour truce extension between Israel and the group.

Highlighting the severity of the situation, Hamdan emphasized, "Within 50 days, Israel dropped more than 40,000 tonnes of explosives on the homes of defenseless Gazans." He further called upon U.S. President Biden to review America's relationship with Israel and halt the supply of weapons.

Hamdan additionally appealed to the international community for urgent assistance, urging specialized civil defense teams to be sent to Gaza to help retrieve the bodies of those who are still trapped under the rubble. The Palestinian foreign ministry estimates that there are still thousands of individuals who remain trapped.

The recent truce agreement marks the first cessation in fighting since the conflict began on Oct. 7 when Hamas initiated an attack on Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people and the capture of approximately 240 hostages. In response, Israel launched intense bombardments and initiated a ground offensive in the north, leading to the deaths of at least 16,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health officials. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have been displaced.

As the world closely monitors the situation, leaders and international organizations must assess the extensive destruction and loss of life in the Gaza strip. Hamas' invitation to Elon Musk serves to shed light on the ongoing humanitarian crisis and the urgent need for assistance and intervention to aid the affected population.