Israel turns northern Gaza into brutal battlefield as death toll soars

After a week of heavy fighting Israeli troops have effectively severed Gaza in two. Meanwhile fighters from Hamas, which the UK proscribes as a terrorist organisation, are reported to have pulled back to embed themselves in dense urban areas.

Israeli forces have almost completed their encirclement of Gaza City from the north west, the north east and the south

The IDF says the ground troops have now got as far as the coast and bombed Hamas targets in Gaza City.

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