Hamas using Gaza hospitals as ops centres for attacks: Israeli army

United Nations warns that many more will die’ in Gaza from catastrophic shortages

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The Israeli army on Friday accused Hamas of using hospitals in the Gaza Strip as operational centres for directing attacks against Israel, as the war rages in the Palestinian territory.

"Hamas wages war from hospitals" in Gaza, military spokesman Daniel Hagari told journalists, adding that the Islamist group was also using fuel stored in these facilities for carrying out its operations.

The United Nations warned on Friday that "many more will die" in Gaza from catastrophic shortages after nearly three weeks of bombardment by Israel in response to Hamas staging the deadliest attack in its history.

And it raised the alarm over "war crimes" being committed as the deadly Israel-Hamas conflict raged into its 21st day. The Israeli army said its troops had mounted another brief land incursion into Gaza while it prepares for a ground offensive.

Israel has heavily bombarded Gaza since Hamas gunmen stormed across the border on Oct 7, killing 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping more than 220 others, according to Israeli officials.

The Health Ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip says the strikes have now killed 7,326 people, mainly civilians and many of them children.

"People in Gaza are dying. They are not only dying from bombs and strikes. Soon many more will die from the consequences of (the) siege," said Mr Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN's agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).

Israel has cut supplies of food, water and power to Gaza, notably blocking all deliveries of fuel, saying it would be exploited by Hamas to manufacture weapons and explosives.