The Israeli army says its forces are battling Hamas fighters inside Gaza’s largest city, signaling a major new stage a month into a war that has claimed thousands of lives and leveled swaths of the territory. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel is likely to maintain control of security in Gaza once Hamas is defeated. The move into Gaza City risks a further escalation in casualties one month into the war. Netanyahu’s comments pointed to the uncertainty surrounding the endgame of a war that Israel says will go on for some time until it destroys Hamas rule.
