The intensifying Israeli bombardment has killed thousands of Palestinians, and those sheltering from the assault are running out of clean water and facing increasing health risks as public services become unable to operate and hospitals close.

Duiring heavy clashes on the outskirts of Gaza’s urban areas in recent days, 18 Israeli soldiers have been killed, including a senior officer, as troops have faced a series of ambushes.

Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary general of the Lebanese Shia militant group, is due on Friday to make his first public remarks in Beirut since Hamas’s surprise attack on southern Israel.

Germany has said it will ban activities linked to Hamas, already a designated terrorist organisation in the country, as well as those of the pro-Palestinian group Samidoun, which was accused of handing out baked goods in Berlin to celebrate the 7 October attack.

Some Israeli commentators and analysts said that behind the government’s continued rhetoric of vanquishing Hamas and total victory a rethink was taking place, prompted in part by the prospect of mounting IDF casualties and waning international support for Israel amid carnage in Gaza.

“Defeating Hamas has evolved from an immediate tactical objective into a long-term Israeli strategy, one that will include establishing a security zone, mining the border with Gaza and applying ongoing pressure,” Nadav Eyal wrote in Yedioth Ahronoth.

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