The Israeli army said it was taking “aggressive” action against “Hamas and other terrorist organisations” in Khan Yunis, in the south of the Gaza Strip, where it has been widely expected to begin ground operations, AFP reports.

The advance of Israeli forces meant that in the north and east of the city, civilians could no longer travel along the Salah al-Din road that runs through the Palestinian territory, it said.

The road “constitutes a battlefield, so it is extremely dangerous to go there”, it warned.