Israeli forces push further into Gaza City

Palestinians in Gaza are facing shortages of food, fuel, drinking water and medicine due to the hostilities between Israel and Hamas militants

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Israeli forces have pushed further into Gaza City in their assault on Hamas in the north of the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday, but they faced resistance from militant hit-and-run attacks from underground tunnels.

The Palestinian death toll from nearly four weeks of Israeli air and artillery strikes on the blockaded enclave meanwhile rose past 9,000 on Thursday, Gaza health authorities said.

The Gaza Strip's main population centre in the north has become the focus of attack for Israel, which has vowed to annihilate the Islamist group's command structure and has told civilians to flee to the south.

"We're at the height of the battle. We've had impressive successes and have passed the outskirts of Gaza City. We are advancing," Netanyahu said in a statement.

Gaza health ministry says 27 killed in Israeli strike

The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Thursday at least 27 people were killed in an Israeli strike near a UN school in the Jabalia refugee camp.