Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to destroy Hamas in a televised address on Friday, warning that the fierce bombardment of Gaza was "only the beginning" of his country's response to the deadly attacks by Hamas militants last week. His threat came as thousands of Palestinians fled to southern Gaza in search of refuge after Israel warned them to evacuate ahead of a possible ground offensive in the Hamas-held enclave, where the death toll from Israeli air strikes has surged to at least 1,900, according to the local health ministry. Follow our live blog for all the latest developments. All times are Paris time (GMT+2).
