Israel hits north Gaza's main city from 2 sides

Palestinian health officials say air strikes hit near three large hospitals

- 

Israeli troops and tanks attacked Gaza's main northern city from both sides on Monday, three days after they began a major ground offensive in the Palestinian enclave that has drawn more international calls for civilians to be protected.

Israel's military said it had struck more than 600 militant targets over the past few days as it expanded ground operations in the Gaza Strip, where Palestinian civilians are in dire need of fuel, food and clean water as the war enters its fourth week.

The militants said they had repelled an attempted push from Israel tanks into Gaza City from the east and were fighting them on the border with Israel.

"Our duty today is fight and fight," the Islamic Jihad militant group, fighting alongside Hamas, said in a statement, adding that now was not the time for a truce.