Israel-Gaza conflict: France adds to ceasefire pressure on US as violence rages

International calls for action grow as Netanyahu reportedly says fighting could end within days'

Egypt has urged a brokered end to the fighting between Israel and militants in Gaza, and France has called for a UN security council resolution on the violence, as international pressure for a ceasefire intensifies.

The US has so far stopped short of demanding an end to the clashes, confining its public efforts to urging that attacks are scaled back. Washington has repeatedly blocked efforts before the UN security council to draft joint statements calling for the fighting to end. The latest US rejection came at a security council meeting late on Tuesday that again ended without a statement, as airstrikes and rocket fire continued into the night.