The Israeli military has been recovering the bodies of whole families who were killed when communities were stormed by Hamas gunmen.
The BBC’s International Editor Jeremy Bowen has visited the village Kfar Aza – the site of a massacre committed by Hamas near the border with Gaza.
Fighting was continuing nearby as he witnessed scenes of terrible brutality.
Israeli soldiers said that Hamas stormed in, burning homes and killing families.
An Israeli officer told the BBC that some of the dead had been beheaded.
Israel has launched massive airstrikes on Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas attacks. In Gaza, hundreds of civilians including women and children have been killed in the attacks.
Clive Myrie presents BBC News at Ten frontline reporting by Jeremy Bowen.
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