More civilians die as Israel moves deeper into Gaza

Israeli forces edged closer to Gaza’s major population centres today attacking new targets and taking more civilian lives after ignoring mounting international calls for an immediate ceasefire.

One airstrike hit a United Nations school killing three civilians among hundreds who had fled there from a refugee camp.

“There’s nowhere safe in Gaza. Everyone here is terrorised and traumatised said John Ging, the top UN official in the region, blaming the international community for allowing the violence to continue.

“I am appealing to political leaders here and in the region and the world to get their act together and stop this,” he said, speaking at Gaza’s largest hospital. “They are responsible for these deaths.”

The Israeli army would not comment on the incident, but has previously accused militants of using schools, mosques and residential districts to store weapons or launch attacks.

Israel launched its offensive 11 days ago to halt repeated Palestinian rocket attacks on its southern towns. After a week-long air campaign, ground forces invaded Gaza. More than 500 Palestinians have been killed, including more than 100 civilians. Nine Israelis have died since the operation began.

In other fighting today at least 18 Palestinians were killed in shelling from tanks and naval craft.

Tanks moved closer to the towns of Khan Younis and Dir el Balah in south and central Gaza but were still several miles outside.

The rising civilian death toll has drawn international condemnation and raised concerns of a looming humanitarian disaster. Many Gazans are without electricity or running water, thousands have been displaced from their homes and residents say that without distribution disrupted, food supplies are running thin.

Israel says it will not stop the assault until its southern towns are freed of the threat of Palestinian rocket fire and it receives international guarantees that Hamas, a militant group backed by Iran and Syria, will not restock its weapons stockpile. It blames Hamas for the civilian casualties, saying the group intentionally seeks cover in crowded residential areas.

A high-level European Union delegation met President Shimon Peres today in a futile bid to put an end to the violence. Commissioner for external relations Benita Ferraro-Waldner acknowledged Israel’s right to self-defence, but said its response was disproportionate.

“ Israel’s image is being destroyed,” she said.

In Geneva, the international Red Cross said Gaza was in a “full-blown” humanitarian crisis. Its head of operations, Pierre Kraehenbuehl, said the few remaining power supplies could collapse at any moment, leaving 500,000 people without clean water and at risk of disease.

The EU delegation was one of a flurry of diplomatic efforts to forge a cease-fire. French President Nicolas Sarkozy left Israel after a day of meetings with leaders.

In New York, Arab delegates met the UN Security Council, urging members to adopt a resolution calling for an immediate end to the attacks and a permanent cease-fire.

Palestinian medics said the death toll from the airstrike outside the UN school has risen to 30.

It was the second deadly Israeli attack to strike a UN school in a few hours.

Hospital director Bassam Abu Warda confirmed the 30 deaths from the second airstrike.

In both cases, the schools had been used as shelters for people displaced by Israel’s offensive against Hamas militants.