Israel hammered Gaza City and its outskirts overnight, residents said Thursday, after the defence ministry approved an expanded offensive to target the remaining Hamas strongholds in the strip.

The foreign ministers of Iran and Egypt condemned the Israeli regime’s plan for the military occupation of Gaza City and the forced displacement of its inhabitants.

As the earliest stages of a massive assault on Gaza City take shape, Israel is calling up tens of thousands of reservists to take part in the impending military operation.

Israel is planning a new phase of its military operation in Gaza, dubbed "Gideon's Chariots 2," prompting Hamas to condemn the move.