Israel vows to broaden Rafah sweep amid heavy fighting in parts of Gaza

Aid agencies warn of widespread hunger and dire shortages of fuel, medical supplies

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Israel made a new push in central Gaza on May 20, bombarding towns in the north, and said it intends to broaden its military operation in Rafah despite American warnings of the risk of mass casualties in the southern city.

Gaza medics said at least 23 people have been killed in the latest fighting.

Israeli tanks carried out a limited incursion into areas of Wadi AlSalqa and Al-Karara near Deir AlBalah, a central Gazan city that Israeli forces have not entered during more than seven months of fighting.

Battles raged as US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan was in Israel for talks. He called on the Israeli military to go after the Palestinian militant group Hamas in a targeted way, not with a full-scale assault on Rafah.

However, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant signalled there would be no let-up in its operation, intended to clear Rafah of Hamas militants and rescue hostages seized in the Hamas-led raid on Israel on Oct 7 that triggered the war.

"We are committed to broadening the ground operation in Rafah to the end of dismantling Hamas and recovering the hostages," a statement from Mr Gallant's office quoted him as telling Mr Sullivan.

Israel describes Rafah, which abuts Gaza's border with the Egyptian Sinai, as the last stronghold of Hamas.

Israel's allies in the West are concerned over the hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians sheltering there, despite Israeli assurances about humanitarian safeguards.