Israel downplays truce prospects after Hamas response

He also approved plans for a military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than a million people from other parts of Gaza are sheltering.

The army was preparing for the evacuation of civilians, he said. On Thursday the IDF said it planned to move displaced Palestinians in Gaza to what it called “humanitarian islands” in the middle of the strip.

It is not clear what the “islands” will look like, or how they will operate. But the military suggested that aid and temporary housing would be provided. No timeframe has yet been given about when the operation could happen.

The UN and US have warned that a full-scale assault in Rafah could be disastrous but Israel has repeatedly signalled its need for such an operation, insisting Hamas cannot be fully removed in Gaza without targeting Rafah.

Meanwhile a ship towing a barge loaded with 200 tonnes of food supplies was visible off the Gaza coast in a pilot voyage aimed at opening up a maritime route for aid.