Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza
About 26 Palestinians, mostly children, were killed in an Israeli strike of Khan Younis in southern Gaza on Saturday morning, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
Israel had earlier dropped leaflets on Khan Younis asking residents and those who had moved to the south to evacuate and move to shelters.
There was no mention of the location of these shelters.
The leaflet translates as: “To residents of eastern neighbourhoods in Khan Younis. For your safety, you have to evacuate your place of residence immediately and head to known shelters. All those located near terrorists or their infrastructure are placing their lives in danger. And each house being used by terrorists will be targeted.”
It suggested military operations in the city were imminent and would compel hundreds of thousands of Gazans to relocate, along with residents of Khan Younis, a city of more than 400,000 people.
On Friday, an aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said residents would be warned to leave.
“We're asking people to relocate,” said Mark Regev on Friday. “I know it's not easy for many of them, but we don't want to see civilians caught up in the crossfire.”
Thousands of Palestinians have already fled south from Gaza city to escape bombardment by Israel's military. More than 11,400 Palestinians – two-thirds of them women and children – have been killed since the war began, according to Palestinian health authorities. About 2,700 people are reported missing.
On Monday, several Palestinians were killed and others injured in an attack on Tal Al Zater school in Biet Lahya, north of the Gaza Strip, witnesses told The National.
The Gaza health ministry said around 40 patients were killed – among them four newborn babies – inside Al Shifa Hospital. The hospital is currently housing from 7,000 to 10,000 people. The ministry said there is enough food for just 400 people.
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Palestinian children wounded in Israeli strikes amid the Israel-Gaza war wait for treatment at Nasser Hospital. Reuters -
Wounded Palestinians are assisted out of an ambulance to receive treatment at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. Reuters -
Displaced Palestinian children gather for breakfast at a refugee camp in Rafah. AFP -
Children inside a damaged building following strikes on Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP -
People salvage belongings from a damaged building following strikes on Rafah. AFP -
A girl is assisted as Palestinians search for casualties after an Israeli strike on a house, in Rafa in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters -
A Palestinian woman is evacuated at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, in Rafah. Reuters -
Police officers push back a counter protester who snatched a pro-Palestinian placard from a woman during a demonstration in solidarity with Gazans, London. Reuters -
Israeli soldiers inside the Gaza Strip, amid the continuing ground operation. Reuters -
An Israeli flag can be seen inside the Gaza Strip, from the Israeli side of the border. Reuters -
A Palestinian woman evacuates her home, heading to the southern Gaza Strip. EPA -
Thomas Hand, the father of Irish-Israeli Emily Hand, 8, who was announced dead following the October 7 attack, then later confirmed as one of the hostages held in Gaza, speaks from his hotel where he was evacuated to in Israel. Reuters -
A residential building on fire following Israeli air strikes in Gaza city. Bloomberg -
The rubble from destroyed residential buildings fills a street in Gaza city. Bloomberg -
A Palestinian child drinks water as they evacuate to the southern Gaza Strip. EPA -
Palestinians displaced from Gaza city head towards the south. Bloomberg -
Palestinians flee to the southern Gaza Strip. AP -
Palestinians flee to the southern Gaza Strip on Salah al-Din Street in Bureij, Gaza Strip. AP -
A group picture ahead of an emergency meeting of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation in Riyadh. AFP
Clashes continued in the Sabra and Zaytoon neighbourhoods, south and east of Gaza city, with heavy shelling around the Indonesian Hospital north of the Gaza Strip.
Israel has vowed to wipe out the Hamas militant group that controls the Gaza Strip following an October 7 rampage into Israel that killed about 1,200 people and saw militants take 240 hostages.
Following the attack, Israel has bombed much of Gaza city, ordered the depopulation of the entire northern half of the enclave and left about two thirds of the strip's 2.3 million Palestinians homeless.
Many of those who have fled fear their displacement could become permanent.
