The Israeli military claims it has taken control of the vital Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt - hours after rejecting a ceasefire deal accepted by Hamas.

Israel said it was conducting "targeted strikes" against Hamas in the east of Rafah, which is the group's final stronghold in Gaza. A Gaza border authority spokesperson told Reuters news agency the crossing, a major route for aid into the devastated enclave, has been closed because of the presence of Israeli tanks.

Middle East latest: Follow live updates The Israel Defence Forces said special forces are now in the area and claims 20 gunmen were killed in the operation, which also located "significant" tunnel shafts. The activity inside the city itself was described as a "very precise and limited-in-space counterterrorist operation.