In south Lebanon, Israel has intensified its attacks overnight and has launched the deadliest single strike of the conflict.
Israeli air strikes and a naval bombardment on the Christian town of Srifa near Tyre overnight killed more than 30 people.
With many of the dead believed to be civilians, those still in the south are being presented with a dangerous choice.
Israel's army has ordered residents of dozens of villages near the border to leave their homes. But the United Nations peacekeeping force in South Lebanon says virtually every civilian or humanitarian convoy that's chanced the roads has come under Israeli fire.
London Times correspondent Nicholas Blanford is based in the port city of Tyre on the south coast of Lebanon, and he's been speaking to The World Today's Sabra Lane.
NICHOLAS BLANFORD: The Israelis have turned most of south Lebanon into a free-fire zone in the past week since this whole escalation began.
I'm in Tyre, which is about 15, 20 kilometres north of the border with Israel, and any travel south of Tyre towards the border is effectively committing suicide at the moment.
The Israelis are allowing a few vehicles to leave villages closer to the border to head north. But any other vehicles are being hit.
...
SABRA LANE: The Israelis are telling these people to get out, but it doesn't sound like they're actually giving them safe passage?
NICHOLAS BLANFORD: There's no... there's certainly not safe passage.
But wait! We must not be critical. Israel has had a hard time of it! And they're a democracy!
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