The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday renewed its ban on American flights to Tel Aviv for another 24 hours, citing the "potentially hazardous situation" in Israel and Gaza.

It first imposed the ban on Tuesday, then renewed it at 1615 GMT with a Notice to Airmen, or NOTAM, that it said would be updated "within 24 hours."

The U.N. Human Rights Council on Wednesday launched a probe into the Gaza offensive, backing calls by the Palestinians to hold Israel to account despite fierce opposition from the Jewish state.

The decision came after a marathon seven-hour emergency session of the top U.N. human rights body, where the Israelis and the Palestinians traded accusations over war crimes.

Gunmen killed a female former candidate for Iraq's parliament and wounded a women's rights activist on Wednesday, in attacks that underscore deteriorating conditions for Iraqi women.

Insurgents from the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group killed Sanaa al-Juburi and wounded Khawla al-Juburi in Sharqat, some 300 kilometers (180 miles) northwest of Baghdad, tribal and military sources said.

Hamas said Wednesday that the suspension of international flights to and from Israel over security concerns about Gaza rocket fire was a "great victory."

"The success of Hamas in closing Israeli airspace is a great victory for the resistance, and is the crown of Israel's failure," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said in a statement.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Wednesday defended Egypt's role in trying to broker a Gaza truce between Israel and Hamas, which accuses him of proposing a ceasefire favorable to Israel.

Unlike his Islamist predecessor Mohammed Morsi whom he toppled and detained last year, ex-army chief Sisi has sought to isolate the militant Palestinian movement in the neighboring Gaza Strip.

The General National Congress, which has governed violence-wracked Libya since dictator Moammar Gadhafi's overthrow, said Wednesday it will hand over legislative power to a newly elected parliament on August 4.

But hopes that the announcement would signal an end to fighting among rival factions were dashed as a more than week-long battle intensified for control of Tripoli airport.

Damascus on Wednesday said it welcomes the nomination of Staffan de Mistura as new U.N. peace envoy, while demanding he show "objectivity and integrity" in pursuing his Syria mission.

The Italian-Swedish diplomat was on July 10 named to replace hugely respected Algerian Lakhdar Brahimi, who resigned in May after two frustrating rounds of peace talks between the regime and rebels ended in failure.

Iraqi lawmakers on Wednesday postponed choosing a new president for their ailing country while air strikes, suicide car bombs and summary executions yielded their daily grim crop of bodies.

Parliament adjourned without even broaching the issue and agreed to meet again on Thursday, their last chance to pick a new leader before the week-long Eid al-Fitr Muslim holiday.

For the first time in years, Gaza City's Greek Orthodox church is packed to overflowing, having offered refuge to hundreds of Palestinians who fled their homes under Israeli bombardment.

Around 600 people, mostly women and children, are sheltering in the church compound in the old sector of Gaza City, after escaping the inferno of neighbouring areas like Shejaiya.

Yemeni President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi called Wednesday for unity during a visit to the northern city of Amran, briefly seized by Shiite rebels in clashes with government forces and loyal tribes.

The capture on July 2 of Amran, just 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Sanaa, by Huthi rebels threatened a federalization plan that was agreed in February following national talks as part of a political transition.