Israel is preparing this Saturday to launch a ground assault on the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip after telling Palestinians living in the densely populated territory to flee south to a closed border with Egypt, Reuters reports.
Israel's national security adviser meanwhile warned the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah against starting a war on a second front in northern Israel, threatening the "destruction of Lebanon" if it did.
Israel has vowed to destroy the Hamas militant group that controls Gaza in retaliation for the attack by its fighters, who attacked Israeli cities a week ago, killing civilians and taking scores of hostages.
About 1,300 people were killed in a brutal attack that left Israel in deep shock, both at the scale of the killing and at the horrific cellphone footage and reports from medical and emergency services of atrocities in the towns and kibbutzim that were attacked.