Israeli forces

Israel's military said it had struck more than 600 militant targets over the past few days as it expanded ground operations in the Gaza Strip, where Palestinian civilians are in dire need of fuel, food and clean water as the war enters its fourth week.

Islamist militants said they had repelled an attempted thrust from Israeli tanks into Gaza City from the east and were fighting them on the border with Israel.

According to Israeli police spokeswoman Luba Samri, the attacker approached the checkpoint, telling border police officers there that he felt unwell. As he got closer, he pulled out a knife and stabbed one of the officers, who was slightly wounded. Another officer then fatally shot the attacker, Samri said.