Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that Israeli forces had pushed further in than the outskirts of Gaza City in their assault on Hamas militants in the northern half of the Gaza Strip.

"We're at the height of the battle. We've had impressive successes and have passed the outskirts of Gaza City. We are advancing," Netanyahu said in a statement released by his office. It gave no further details.

The prime minister also said, in a press briefing, that the government had not made any decision about transferring fuel to Gaza, although it is helping with obligatory humanitarian aid like food, fuel and water.

"We haven't made any decision about transferring fuel. I haven't given any (such) instruction and the war cabinet has not authorized any decision," he told reporters. (Reporting by Maayan Lubell, Maytaal Angel, writing by John Davison; Editing by Alison Williams)