Israeli ground forces conducted their initial incursions into the Gaza Strip on Friday, following a sudden attack and killings by Hamas terrorists in southern Israel a week ago.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed that this retaliatory campaign had just commenced.

Israel has pledged to eliminate Hamas after its fighters launched an offensive from Gaza a week ago, advancing through towns and villages, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,300 Israelis, mostly civilians, and the abduction of several people.

Following the aggression, Israel has imposed a complete blockade on the Hamas-governed Gaza Strip, home to 2.3 million Palestinians, launching unprecedented air strikes. According to Gaza authorities, around 1,900 people have lost their lives.

On Friday, Israel issued a 24-hour ultimatum to over a million residents in the northern part of Gaza, asking them to relocate to the south to evade an impending assault.

Hamas vowed to resist until the last drop of blood and advised residents against leaving.

"Our enemies have only just started paying the price. I cannot reveal what will happen, but I am telling you this is just the beginning," Netanyahu said in a brief statement which, unusually, was televised after the Jewish Sabbath had begun.

He added, "We will never forgive, we will never let the world forget these horrors inflicted on the Jewish people. We will fight our enemies using power without limit."

This marks the first official confirmation of ground troops in Gaza since the crisis began.

While several thousand Gaza residents opted to leave the northern area of the Gaza Strip, accurately estimating their numbers proved challenging. Many others expressed their intent to remain.