Hamas-Israel conflict live updates: IDF tells Gaza City residents to evacuate amid imminent ground invasion

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Netanyahu: Counter-offensive is ‘just the beginning’

In televised remarks a few hours ago, Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel’s actions in Gaza are “just the beginning”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this year.Credit: AP

Here’s some of what he said:

I would like to emphasise, this is just the beginning.

Our enemies have only started paying the price. I will not detail now what is yet to come, but I would like to tell you this is just the beginning.

We’re going to eradicate Hamas, and we’re going to bring victory.

Let’s bring you up to speed with everything that’s happened in the last few hours.

At least 1300 Israelis have been killed in the conflict so far, the Israeli Defence Force said, with at least 3200 people injured.
And at least 1799 have been killed in Gaza, Palestinian health authorities reported, with as many as 7388 people injured.
Late yesterday (Australia time) Israel directed more than 1.1 million people living in northern Gaza to immediately evacuate ahead of an expected ground invasion of the strip. The UN, reporting that Israel had given only 24 hours to complete the evacuation, labelled the order “impossible”.
Israel says it has been conducting “localised raids” in sections of the Gaza Strip. Involving infantry and armed forces, the ground raids “thwarted terrorist cells and infrastructure located in the area”, the IDF said.
70 people fleeing Gaza City, mostly women and children, have been killed by Israeli airstrikes so far, Hamas officials reported.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned his country’s counter-offensive is “just the beginning”, and that Israel “will end this war stronger than ever”.

Good morning, Anthony Segaert here for our live coverage of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. Thank you for joining us.

It’s just past 9pm in Israel and Gaza, as the region ends its seventh day at war.

We’ll bring you everything you need to know.