The planned offensive has drawn condemnation from the United Nations, which warned it would lead to the forced displacement of about a million Palestinians.

The Israeli military said it had called up an additional 60,000 reservists and extended the service of 20,000 "as part of the next phase" of Israel's military operation in Gaza.

Palestinian residents of Gaza City have come under relentless Israeli bombardment as the military prepares for a major offensive to seize and ethnically cleanse the area, barring emergency workers from reaching people trapped in the residential Zeitoun neighbourhood.

Israeli bombardment and booby-trapped robots have leveled the Zeitoun neighborhood in east of Gaza City, destroying some 400 homes and displaying

Israel approved new settlements in the occupied West Bank, while its troops have reached the outskirts of Gaza City. The developments raise questions about the viability of a cease-fire proposal.