Massive explosions shook northern areas of Gaza from across the border with Israel — a rarity over the past two weeks after Tel Aviv announced a drawdown of forces from the area as part of a transition to smaller, targeted operations.

The rattle of gunfire reverberated across the border through the night. In the morning, contrails snaked through the sky as Israel’s Iron Dome defences shot down rockets fired across the fence.

Israel claimed its forces had killed “dozens” of Hamas fighters overnight in clashes in Beit Lahiya, on Gaza’s northern edge.

Health authorities said the last 24 hours of Israeli bombing had killed 158 people in the Palestinian enclave, raising their toll for the war to 24,285, with thousands more bodies feared lost in the rubble.