Airstrikes continue to pound Gaza

Khan Younis (Gaza Strip): Israel bombarded the Gaza Strip early Friday, hitting areas where Palestinians had been told to seek safety, and it began evacuating a sizable Israeli town near the border with Lebanon, the latest sign of a potential ground invasion of Gaza that could trigger regional turmoil.

Amid the fighting, Israel's defence minister said the country did not have plans to maintain control over civilians in Gaza after its war against the Hamas militant group. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant's comments to lawmakers were the first time a top Israeli official discussed its long-term plans for Gaza.

Gallant said Israel expected a three-phase war, starting with airstrikes and ground manoeuvers. It anticipates then defeating pockets of resistance, and finally, ceasing Israel's “responsibility for life in the Gaza Strip.”