Fighting with Hamas ongoing in ‍‍`seven to eight‍‍` locations around Gaza: Israel army

Fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas Palestinian militants was ongoing Monday in seven to eight locations around the Gaza Strip inside Israel, the army said.

"We‍‍`re still fighting. There are between seven to eight open places around Gaza (where) we have still warriors fighting terrorists," military spokesman Richard Hecht told reporters, two days after the Palestinian Islamist group launched a surprise attack on Israel.

"We thought by yesterday we would have full control. I hope we will by the end of the day."

During the night Israel carried out more than 500 air and artillery strikes targeting Hamas and Islamic Jihad militant groups in the coastal enclave.