Aid hopes boosted in Gaza; Israeli soldiers killed by friendly fire

The international community's hopes of getting more aid into the Gaza Strip were boosted on Thursday by the completion of a temporary harbor and Israel allowing 365 lorries into the Palestinian territory.

The West has pleaded with Israel to avoid another humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza by attacking the southern city of Rafah, which borders Egypt and has seen waves of refugees from areas of the coastal strip already bombarded by Israeli troops.

Israel says it is searching for Hamas members and has already begun its Rafah operation.