Israel has decimated Hamas’s military wing, along with much of Gaza. But the group’s small-scale, hit-and-run approach poses a threat in the enclave’s north.

Thousands of Palestinian civilians have been filmed fleeing northern Gaza amid fierce fighting and a resurgence of Hamas activity. Footage shows hundreds of Gazans moving through the rubble of a destroyed street as an Israeli armoured car watches on from the side.

The Israeli military confirmed that Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, was killed on Wednesday. His body was identified by the Israeli authorities, the military said.

The development comes as Israel continues intense air and ground campaigns against Hezbollah in Lebanon and against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and mulls its response to Iran's latest ballistic missile attack.