US and France join calls for Israel to cease civilian bombings

Israel is facing increasing pressure to protect civilians in Gaza as the United States and France join international calls to stop the bloodshed.

Hospitals have become the latest battlefields with various facilities in the north now surrounded by Israeli tanks and troops.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk says even if civilians are being used by Hamas as human shields, it doesn’t absolve Israel’s responsibility to spare them.

“We have very serious concerns that these amount to disproportionate attacks in breach of international humanitarian law,” Mr Turk said.

The White House announced Israel will begin to implement daily, four-hour humanitarian pauses but there is yet to be a lull in fighting.