Fighting raged Wednesday between Israeli troops and Palestinian militants in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah, witnesses said, as fears grow of a wider regional war drawing in Lebanese Hamas ally Hezbollah.
Israel’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip however appeared to ease days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the “intense phase” of the war was nearing its end, and as his defence minister visited Washington for crisis talks.

The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Wednesday that at least 37,718 people have been killed during more than eight months of war.
The toll includes at least 60 deaths over the past 24 hours, a ministry statement said, adding that 86,377 people had been wounded in the Gaza Strip.
As the war in Gaza nears its 10th month, Israel’s top ally the United States warned it of the risk of a major conflict against Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon following an escalation in cross-border fire.

“Another war between Israel and Hezbollah could easily become a regional war, with terrible consequences for the Middle East,” US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told his visiting Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant.

“Diplomacy is by far the best way to prevent more escalation,” Austin said.
Top Israeli officials including Netanyahu have suggested they are open to a diplomatic resolution of the border tensions, though Gallant said Israel should be ready for “every possible scenario”.
Israel’s military said last week plans for an offensive in Lebanon were “approved and validated”, prompting fresh threats from Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah.

In Beirut on Tuesday, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warned that any “miscalculation” could trigger all-out war and urged “extreme restraint”.
UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini warned of the war’s dire impact on children. “We have every day 10 children who are losing one leg or two legs on average,” Lazzarini told reporters.