The Gaza Strip faces a "a full-blown humanitarian crisis", the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says.

The Gaza Strip faces a "a full-blown humanitarian crisis", the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says.

The ICRC's head of operations for Gaza, Pierre Kraehenbuhl, told the BBC that life was becoming intolerable in Gaza after 10 days of conflict.

Clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian gunmen continue as Israel attempts to end militant rocket fire.

At least 12 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli strike on UN-run school in in Gaza, medical officials said.

At least 110 people have died since the ground assault began on Saturday, medical officials say.

Nowhere is safe for civilians here in Gaza at the moment

John Ging
Director, Unrwa

More than 560 Palestinians have been killed since Israel moved to end rocket attacks from Gaza 11 days ago, Palestinian medical officials say. The UN says at least 25% of those are civilians.

At least 30 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday, while four Israeli soldiers were killed by fire from one of their own tanks.

Israel says it has killed 130 Hamas fighters and has denied claims that Hamas has killed 10 of its soldiers.

Israel says its offensive is stopping militants firing rockets, but at least five missiles hit southern Israel on Tuesday, with one reaching the town of Gedera, about 40km (25 miles) from the Gaza Strip.

'Horrific'

"After 10 days of uninterrupted military operations in the Gaza Strip, what we're dealing with is clearly and beyond doubt in my mind a full-blown and major humanitarian crisis," the ICRC's Pierre Kraehenbuhl told the BBC.

"For the people inside Gaza, the situation has become intolerable... The reports we've had during the night is that the last night has been the most intense in terms of bombardments and military operations."


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There was heavy fighting around Gaza City overnight as infantry supported by tanks and helicopters approached the outskirts of the city.

More clashes were reported on the edges of the Deir al-Balah and Bureij refugee camps in central Gaza, and witnesses said Israeli tanks and infantry were advancing on Khan Younis.

The Israeli army said four of its soldiers had been killed in two separate friendly-fire incidents on Tuesday, when errant Israeli tank shells hit their positions. A fifth soldier was killed on Sunday.

At least three Palestinians were killed on Tuesday morning when an Israeli air strike hit a United Nations school, where about 400 people were sheltering, UN officials said.

Later, at least 12 people were killed near another UN-run school in the Jabaliya refugee camp, when two tank shells exploded outside, medical officials said.

An Israeli military spokesman said he was checking the reports, but it has in the past accused Hamas of using schools, mosques and residential areas for cover.

In an interview with the BBC, the director of the UN aid agency Unrwa, John Ging, said the conditions in Gaza were "horrific".