Israeli troops are on the outskirts of Gaza City as thousands of people flee their homes in terror, trying to escape the escalating bombing of densely populated neighbourhoods like Sabra and Tuffah, Al Jazeera notes.

The decision to push ahead with the operation shows the Israeli government has “no intention to put an end to the war”, Gideon Levy, columnist for Israeli newspaper Haaretz, told Al Jazeera.

“So, either they [Israel] want to put more pressure on Hamas, which I’m not sure is very probable, or they’re really serious about reconquering Gaza City, pushing all the people to the south and then offering them to leave the Gaza Strip.

Al Jazeera’s Rory Challands said the operation had been “demanded” by Benjamin Netanyahu despite military opposition.

“His generals didn’t really want it. They pushed back, saying it was a trap for the military, that the military was tired after nearly two years of fighting, and wasn’t ready for it. But Netanyahu wanted it.”