The UN estimates 1.9 million of the territory’s 2.4m people have been displaced by the fighting, half of them children, AFP reports.

“Hamas is on the verge of dissolution — the IDF is taking over its last strongholds,” Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said.

Israel’s army chief Herzi Halevi visited the centre of Khan Younis, where he said his forces were “securing our accomplishments in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, the entrance in the southern part of the Strip, and also deep down into the ground”.