The Israeli prime minister rejects calls for a cease-fire to facilitate the release of captives or end the war, which he has said will be long and difficult.

Frequent explosions from airstrikes lit up the sky over Gaza City after nightfall Friday, when an Israeli blackout of internet, cellular and landline services hit.

Officials said that the more than 600,000 Americans living in Israel and Lebanon are of particular concern, but they stressed that an operation of such magnitude is a worst-case scenario.

Social media users have shared false claims that a top Israeli commander had been kidnapped, circulated a false video imitating a BBC News report, and pushed unrelated clips of Russian President Vladimir Putin with inaccurate English captions.

A third small aid convoy from Egypt entered Gaza, where the population of 2.3 million has been running out of food, water and medicine under Israel’s 2-week seal.