In leaked audio recordings, the former head of Israeli military intelligence can be heard saying that the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza is “necessary and required for future generations.

Groups representing families of hostages organized the demonstrations as frustration grows in Israel over plans for a new military offensive in some of Gaza's most populated areas.

Microsoft has launched an urgent investigation into reports that Israel’s Unit 8200 spy agency used its Azure cloud service to store millions of intercepted Palestinian phone calls for surveillance in Gaza and the West Bank.

Large crowds of Israelis took to the streets on Sunday, launching a nationwide grassroots strike and widespread protests to demand the government secure the release of 50 hostages still in Gaza.

Gaza residents will be provided with tents and other shelter equipment starting Sunday ahead of relocating them from combat zones to the south "to ensure their safety," the Israeli military said on Saturday.

The Hamas-run municipality of Gaza City's southern Zeitoun district described the situation as 'catastrophic', with residents enduring almost constant explosions from Israeli air strikes.

Palestinian residents of Gaza City have come under relentless Israeli bombardment as the military prepares for a major offensive to seize and ethnically cleanse the area, barring emergency workers from reaching people trapped in the residential Zeitoun neighbourhood.

Twenty years ago, Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip, dismantling 21 Jewish settlements and pulling out its forces. The Friday anniversary of the start of the landmark disengagement comes as Israel is mired in a nearly two-year war with Hamas that has devastated the Palestinian territory and means it is likely to keep troops there long into the future.