Street Fighting and Bombardment Rock Rafah Again

Street fighting and Israeli bombardment rocked Rafah in the Gaza Strip , a day after Israeli tanks rolled into the city center near the Egyptian border, as the Israeli military pushed on with its mission to defeat Hamas despite global outcry over deadly strikes.

The UN Security Council met for emergency talks after a strike that ignited a fire killing 45 people in a crowded camp, an incident UN chief Antonio Guterres called a "horror" that "must stop." However, Israel's security adviser said the war could last until year's end to "destroy Hamas's power."

Fighting flares again in Rafah, where an Israeli helicopter fired on targets as Hamas militants launched rockets. Footage showed bloodied Palestinians wounded in strikes being taken to hospital. Three Israeli soldiers were killed in Rafah , bringing the military's death toll to 292 since the ground offensive began on October 27.

The US has urged Israel to avoid a full Rafah offensive over civilian risks, though the White House said it has not seen "red lines" crossed yet. A steady stream of civilians has fled Rafah, with 1 million displaced, according to the UN.

Israel called the deadly strike a "tragic accident" while targeting Hamas, saying it is investigating. Gaza officials said another strike killed 21 more people in a displaced persons camp, which Israel denied.

The war erupted after a Hamas attack on October 7 that killed 1,189 people, mostly civilians. Israel's retaliation has killed at least 36,171 in Gaza so far, according to Hamas officials.

At the UN, Algeria proposed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire as world powers voice increasing opposition amid escalating violence and cases before international courts over the 8-month war.