Netanyahu vows to 'eliminate Hamas' as Israeli tanks push further into Gaza

Israeli tanks pushed further into Rafah and parts of Central Gaza and Shujaiya on Sunday as it intensified its ground assault on the besieged enclave.

Residents told Reuters that Israeli tanks had killed at least six people and destroyed several homes in Rafah on Sunday.

Speaking after his weekly Sunday cabinet meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised his troops and said they would continue fighting until "Hamas is eliminated".

"Our forces are operating in Rafah, Shejaia [Shujaiya], everywhere in the Gaza Strip. Dozens of terrorists are being eliminated every day. This is a difficult fight that is being waged above ground, sometimes in hand-to-hand combat, and below ground as well," Netanyahu said.

"We are committed to fighting until we achieve all of our objectives: eliminating Hamas, returning all of our hostages, ensuring that Gaza never again constitutes a threat to Israel and returning our residents securely to their homes in the south and the north."