Israel pushes deep into Gaza as US warns of post-war anarchy

Rafah bombardment stepped up; incursion on scale acceptable to US’

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CAIRO Israeli forces battled Hamas across the Gaza Strip on May 13 amid warnings from the US of postwar "anarchy" in the Palestinian enclave.

Israel pushed deep into the ruins of Gaza's northern edge to recapture an area where it claimed to have defeated Hamas months ago.

Tanks and troops, meanwhile, drove across a highway on the outskirts of Rafah in the far south.

Israeli forces, under cover of heavy fire from the air and ground, pushed farther into Jabalia, the biggest of Gaza's eight historic refugee camps, in northern Gaza on May 13.

Residents said tank shells were landing at the centre of the camp, and that air strikes destroyed clusters of houses. Several people were killed and wounded in the air strikes, residents and medics said.

Medics said they were unable to send teams to some of the bombed areas because of the intensity of the Israeli bombardment.

In Rafah, near the border with Egypt, Israel stepped up aerial and ground bombardment on the eastern parts of the city. Residents said Israeli tanks have cut off Salahuddin Road, and that half of Rafah is a "ghost town".

Hamas' armed wing said its fighters were engaged in gun battles with Israeli forces in one of the streets east of Rafah, and in the east of Jabalia.

Mr Jack Lew, the US Ambassador to Israel, signalled on May 12 that the Rafah incursion was still on a scale acceptable to Washington.