South Africa has said the UN should deploy what it calls "a rapid protection force" to intervene in the Israel-Gaza conflict "to protect the civilian population from further bombardment".

In a hard-hitting statement, the international relations ministry highlighted the number of children who have been killed so far in the conflict and also accused Israel of violating international law.

Israel has defended the bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza on the grounds of self-defence, following the killing of 1,400 people by Hamas on 7 October.

230 people were kidnapped as hostages.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says more than 8,000 people have been killed since Israel's retaliatory bombing began.