An Israeli strike on Khan Younis in Gaza has killed dozens of Palestinians, mostly children, Palestinian news agency Wafa has reported.

The attack on Saturday morning marked a dramatic escalation of airstrikes on southern Gaza by Israel.

The director of the Nasser hospital was quoted as saying that the facility had received 26 dead bodies and 23 people with serious injuries after a strike on a residential building in the city of Hamad.

For the past 42 days, the Israeli military has been pounding northern Gaza, telling residents to flee to south.

The attack on Khan Youni came just after Israel issued warnings to Palestinians in the southern city to relocate west, indicating an attack was imminent.

With the conflict entering its 43rd day, the death toll in Gaza has now surpassed 12,000 Palestinians, with the majority of those killed being women and children.

Israeli troops on Saturday ordered the evacuation of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City "in the next hour" over loudspeakers as troops combed the facility, news agencies reported.

Al-Shifa Hospital -- Gaza's biggest -- has become the focus of Israeli attacks in its ruthless invasion of the city.

The United Nations estimated 2,300 patients, staff and displaced Palestinians were sheltering at al-Shifa before Israeli troops moved in on Wednesday.

The health ministry in Gaza has announced dozens of deaths there as a result of power cuts caused by fuel shortages amid intense combat.

PRESS TV