Military Airstrikes intensified amid warnings of catastrophe

Israel yesterday said it was intensifying attacks on northern Gaza and warned that anyone who stayed risked being considered "an accomplice in a terrorist organisation", as airstrikes continued in the south, where civilians had fled from the war

- Emma Graham-Harrison Ruth Michaelson , Harriet Sherwood

A second trickle of aid was allowed into Gaza from Egypt yesterday, but the head of the World Food Programme (WFP) warned that the humanitarian situation was now catastrophic for the 2.3 million people trapped inside the territory.

The WFP chief, Cindy McCain, described the amount of aid delivered into Gaza so far as a "drop".

Speaking on ABC television, she said: "We need secure and sustainable access in there... This is a catastrophe happening and we just simply have to get these trucks in."

Up to 19 aid trucks crossed yesterday, but there was a brief panic at the crossing when witnesses said a blast was heard on the Egyptian side followed by ambulance sirens. 

Later, the Israeli military said one of its tanks accidentally hit an Egyptian post near the border. The military expressed sorrow for the incident but gave no further details. Several Egyptian border guards sustained minor injuries, an Egyptian army spokesperson said in a statement.

Israel is preparing for a ground invasion that is likely to deepen civilian suffering. People are going hungry and drinking dirty water, and some doctors have been reduced to using vinegar as anaesthetic and operating with sewing needles, the Associated Press reported.

The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, convened his cabinet late on Saturday, reportedly to discuss sending troops over the frontier. There has been pressure for a delay in military action from some Israeli allies and from the relatives of some hostages.