Two Israeli soldiers killed in fighting in Rafah
Two Israeli soldiers were killed yesterday in clashes between Hamas and the Israeli army in the southern Gaza Strip, the Israeli army announced. Four soldiers, including two officers, were seriously injured.

Hamas said it was involved in heavy fighting near Rafah in southern Gaza and had killed and wounded several soldiers in an ambush. Earlier this week, Israel announced it was expanding its attacks on Gaza , seeking to capture and occupy more territory.

Rafah, a city of 200,000 before the war, has been almost completely destroyed. Israel wants it to become part of a "buffer zone" from which the Palestinian population will be expelled.