Israelis look for any sign of victory as death toll mounts

Israeli planes bombed refugee camps in Gaza last weekend as its troops expanded ground operations and tens of thousands of Palestinians fled their homes, setting the stage for a new year as bloody as the last three months of 2023.

The threat of wider escalation also looms large over the region, as skirmishes on the northern boundary with Lebanon intensify, and Israeli officials have hinted that the "diplomatic hourglass" is running out to reach a negotiated solution.

For now there seems little hope of even a temporary break in hostilities, despite Egypt-hosted talks last week.

A senior Hamas official told AP last Saturday that the militant group is firm in its position that no hostages will be released without a permanent ceasefire. Israel will not accept ending a war its leaders describe as "without limit".

The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says Hamas must be destroyed after the brutal attacks of 7 October, when gunmen crossed into Israel and murdered 1,200 people, the majority civilians.

The scale of death and suffering inside Gaza has isolated Israel internationally, with even allies such as the UK now calling for a "sustainable ceasefire". More than 21,600 people have been killed in Gaza, the majority women and children, and thousands more are buried under the rubble, health authorities in Gaza said.

The intense attacks last Friday and Saturday, including on the refugee camps of Nuseirat and Bureij, killed 165 people in 24 hours, authorities said.