Israeli forces demolished houses in eastern areas of Gaza City overnight, killing at least 11 people in aerial and tank fire, local health authorities said, as the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas told mediators it was ready to resume ceasefire talks.

Netanyahu has described Gaza City as Hamas’s “capital of terrorism,” claiming that the militant group uses the area to launch rockets at Israeli communities. But it remains unclear what an occupation of the city might look like and how long such an offensive may last.

That means a ceasefire is still possible though talks have been floundering and conflict still rages. Israeli planes and tanks bombed eastern areas of Gaza City heavily, residents said, with many homes destroyed in the Zeitoun and Shejaia neighbourhoods overnight.