Israel’s Prime Minister has warned people living in Gaza to leave the area as he vowed to reduce parts of the territory “into rubble” in revenge for a “black day”.
Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier said Israel was at war with Palestinian militants from Hamas, which governs Gaza, after their fighters launched a surprise attack on his country on Saturday morning.
Rescue service officials told Israeli media at least 250 people were killed in the deadliest attack on the country in decades.
Israel’s health ministry said at least 1,590 people had been injured.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Health Ministry said at least 232 people had died and 1,700 wounded in Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes on Gaza.
In a televised address, Mr Netanyahu said the country’s military would “take revenge for this black day” but he warned: “This war will take time. It will be difficult.”
In a statement he later posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, he wrote: “All of the places which Hamas is deployed, hiding and operating in, that wicked city, we will turn them into rubble.
“I say to the residents of Gaza: Leave now because we will operate forcefully everywhere.”
Rockets were seen landing on Gaza hours after Mr Netanyahu issued the threat.
Israel will stop supplying electricity, fuel and goods to Gaza, which is already blockaded, according to a statement from Mr Netanyahu’s office on Saturday night.
Much of Gaza was already thrown into darkness by nightfall after electrical supplies from Israel, which serve power to almost all of the territories, were cut off earlier in the day.
Mr Netanyahu also said the “first phase” of the counter-operation had ended, and that Israel had fought off the majority of Hamas militants.
He vowed to continue the offensive “without reservation and without respite”.
