Israel news live: 1,600 rockets fired from Gaza as ‘ground invasion plans drawn up’

Catch up on yesterday’s developments

An alarmed United Nations has warned of the possibility of “all out war” in the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas as a third consecutive day of violence saw the death toll climb above 70, writes Bel Trew.

World leaders urged both sides to pull back from the edge and Joe Biden, facing his first major foreign policy test as US president, backed Israel and said he was hopeful the trading of airstrikes and rocket fire would end soon, following a phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“My expectation and hope is this will be closing down sooner than later, but Israel has a right to defend itself,” Mr Biden told reporters after the call.

Militants have fired some 1,600 rockets towards Israel from Gaza in just a few days, according to the Israeli military.

That is one-third the total fired in the 50-day-long war in 2014, a barrage James Cleverly, the UK’s Middle East minister, called “unprecedented”.

However, about 400 fell short and landed inside the enclave, spokesperson Lt Col Jonathan Conricus said.

Six civilians in Israel have been killed and one soldier.

Israel has hit “600 military targets” in Gaza including rocket manufacturing sites as well as larger storage facilities, Lt Col Conricus added.

Israeli media reported on Thursday that Israel’s army chiefs will approve plans for a possible ground invasion of Gaza later today.

An army spokesperson did not confirm or deny whether such an invasion was imminent, but told foreign reporters that “additional troops have been called down … comprised of three regular brigades, one infantry and one armour”.

He said that “preparing themselves for ground operations” was part of the battle procedure.

Even if agreed by military chiefs, the plans for ground invasion would then need to be presented to the country’s political leadership for approval.

Israel has prepared combat troops along the Gaza border and was in “various stages of preparing ground operations” a military spokesman said, a move that would recall similar incursions during Israel-Gaza wars in 2014 and 2008-2009.

“The chief of staff is inspecting those preparations and providing guidance … we have a division headquarters and three manoeuver brigades down in Gaza preparing themselves for that situation and for various contingencies,” Lt Col Jonathan Conricus said.