Israel has started a new ground operation in Gaza, reclaiming territory it ceded as part of a now-shattered ceasefire and threatening further military force if Hamas does not release the remaining hostages held in the strip.
The ground manoeuvres come a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ended the truce, launching wide-ranging air strikes that killed more than 400 people in Gaza in what was one of the deadliest days since the war began 17 months ago.
“The air force attack against Hamas terrorists was only the first step,” said Israel Katz, the defence minister, threatening the “complete destruction” of the besieged enclave “if all the Israeli hostages are not released and Hamas is not eliminated from Gaza”. “Israel will act with force you have never known before,” he said in a statement.