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Israel has told Palestinians in Khan Younis, The largest City in southern Gaza, to leave their homes.

The City hosts hundreds of thousands who fled northern Gaza as Israel began a ground operation against Hamas.

The New Order suggests The military operations could soon move towards The South of The Gaza Strip .

Israel says The aim is to wipe out Hamas, following its attack on Israel on 7 October in which 1,200 people were killed and More Than 240 taken hostage.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says More Than 12,000 people have been killed by Israel since then, including 5,000 children.

On Saturday, Israeli missiles struck a residential building in Khan Younis, killing 26 people, a local health official said.

Israel has Not Yet commented on The Incident .

But it has been dropping leaflets in The wider area, urging people to leave for shelters.

" We're asking people to relocate. I know it's not easy for many of them, but we don't want to see civilians Caught Up in The crossfire, " Mark Regev , an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , told US network MSNBC on Friday.

Israel did not want to see " civilians Caught Up in The crossfire" Mr Regev said.

He Said Israeli troops would need to advance into The City to remove Hamas fighters from underground tunnels, adding he was " pretty sure" those being urged to relocate " won't have to move again" if they head west, towards The Mediterranean Sea.

Mr Regev said The areas they were being asked to move to would " hopefully have tents and a field hospital" although no such plans have yet been publicised, and it is unclear if such facilities would be able to accommodate potentially well over A Million evacuees.

Because The Western Areas are close to The Rafah border crossing with Egypt, humanitarian aid could be brought in " as quickly as possible" Mr Regev said.

Like elsewhere in The Gaza Strip , southern Gaza has been in The grip of a humanitarian crisis since 7 October, when Israel enforced a full-scale blockage.

There have been widespread reports of water, food and fuel shortages, as well as concerns about healthcare facilities and sanitation conditions.

Israel has launched near-constant air strikes across much of The Gaza Strip , as well as a ground incursion into northern Gaza, including reducing much of Gaza City - The Enclave 's largest City - to rubble.

The UN estimates that at least 1. 5 million people in Gaza are internally displaced, with overcrowding a major concern. Many are sheltering in UN facilities, as well as hospitals, churches and public buildings.

Much of The recent fighting has centred on Gaza City 's al-Shifa Hospital, where Israel says Hamas has been operating a command-and-control centre, which Hamas denies. Israel is yet to provide substantial evidence to back its claim.

Hundreds of people are reported to have left al-Shifa on Saturday, with one journalist who left The Hospital telling The Bbc " we raised our hands and carried white flags".

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have denied ordering an evacuation of The Hospital , but said it had agreed to a request from a hospital director and was providing a " secure route" for those wishing to leave.

Hamas officials say 120 patients remain at The Hospital , along with premature babies.

There are also reports that a UN school-turned-shelter in northern Gaza has been hit, with many casualties.

The Hamas-run health ministry in The Gaza Strip told The AFP news agency that at least 50 people had been killed in an Israeli strike on The Al-Fakhoura school.

An IDF spokesman told The Bbc that he could not confirm it was an IDF strike and was looking into The Incident .

The Bbc cannot independently verify what has happened, but we have verified footage that shows many people injured at The Site , which is located in The Jabalia refugee camp.

Source of news: bbc.com