Israel faces growing resistance from Hamas as the fighting rages from house to house and ‘tunnel shaft to shaft’ throughout Gaza City

Israel is facing growing resistance from Hamas as house-to-house and 'tunnel shaft to shaft' fighting rages across Gaza City.

The Israeli army stormed the strip today as it stepped up its attacks, hitting more than 450 targets.

Refugees who fled the north at the start of the conflict now have nowhere to go as operations have been launched in the south.

Aid agencies warned that Gaza society was “on the brink of complete collapse” ahead of a UN Security Council vote on a ceasefire today.

Despite the upcoming vote, Israel pressed ahead with most of the attacks it has carried out since the truce collapsed last week.

Israeli commander Brigadier General Dan Goldfuss said his troops were fighting house to house and shaft to shaft in Khan Younis.

The southern city has seen some of the heaviest fighting, with reports that the main hospital is overwhelmed with dead and wounded.

Patients today lay sprawled across the blood-stained tile floor of Nasser's medical center.

It comes as the Red Cross was criticized for allegedly telling the family of an Israeli hostage to “think about the Palestinian side.”

Roni and Simons Steinbrecher – whose daughter Doron, 30, is being held by Hamas – have been trying to get essential medicine to her through the charity. But they claim representatives called them to a meeting where they reprimanded them.

Ms. Steinbrecher claims they told her, “Think of the Palestinian side. It is difficult for the Palestinians, they are being bombed.'

The Hamas-led Health Ministry in Gaza claimed another 350 deaths were reported on Thursday, bringing the total death toll to 17,478.

The Israeli military said 94 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the ground invasion began.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken – who met with Arab leaders today – urged Israel to protect Gaza's citizens. He said there was a “gap” between “the intention to protect civilians and the results we see on the ground.”

Today's vote in the UN Security Council on a demand for a humanitarian ceasefire was not adopted after the US vetoed it.

The US representative described the resolution as “unbalanced” and “detached from reality.”

Britain abstained, while the remaining thirteen other members of the council voted in favor.

The UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) said: 'We are reaching a point of no return in Gaza, where the blatant disregard for international humanitarian law damages our collective conscience.'

Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner General of UNRWA, said: “States must find the political will to put an end to this tragedy. “Failure to act now and stop the carnage will forever damage our credibility as representatives of the international community, fueling endless cycles of violence that will eventually engulf us all.”

The agency says that since October 7, 133 of its employees have been killed and 1.9 million people have been displaced.

But US Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood backed Israel when he indicated his country would veto the UN Security Council resolution on a ceasefire.

He said America did not believe an immediate ceasefire would lead to “lasting peace, in which both Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace and security” because Hamas would remain in charge.

A halt to military action would only “sow the seeds of the next war,” he said, “because Hamas has no desire for a lasting peace, for a two-state solution.”