Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the ongoing ground operation in Gaza is the “second stage of the war” after additional forces entered the territory.

He described having troops on the ground as “only the beginning” and said Israel’s military would exert every effort to return those who have been taken captive.

Mr Netanyahu said Israeli forces are “committed to removing this evil from the world”.

He also reiterated a warning to the civilian population in Gaza to move to safe areas now.

The war inside Gaza would be difficult and long, Mr Netanyahu added.

It comes after Israel’s top military chief said there was “no other way” to “destroy” Hamas than to “enter its territory with force”.

Israeli chief of the general staff, Herzi Halevi, also said the country’s “best soldiers” were “now operating in Gaza”, while defence minister Yoav Gallant said on Saturday: “We moved to the next stage in the war.”

Israel-Gaza latest: Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu giving update

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Soldiers from the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) had previously conducted overnight raids in Gaza.

However, Israeli soldiers who crossed the border into the Gaza Strip on Friday night remained there on Saturday morning.

It came after Israeli officials announced they were expanding ground operations “to achieve the objectives of the war”.

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Hamas said on Friday that its fighters had clashed with Israeli troops in Gaza’s northeastern town of Beit Hanoun and in the central area of al Bureij.

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Gaza also came under heavy bombardment on Friday night, with Israeli fighter jets hitting 150 underground targets in the north, the IDF said on Saturday.

The Palestinian telecom provider, Paltel, said the bombardment caused “complete disruption” of internet, cellular and landline services as the besieged enclave’s 2.3 million people were largely cut off from contact with the outside world.

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