Earlier this evening, the Israeli military gave a media briefing that touched on the situation at Al-Shifa hospital and its military operations in the area.

IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said Israel had "opened designated routes" from hospitals in northern Gaza to the south and was speaking with officials at Al-Shifa to offer "assistance to safely transport the sick and the wounded".

He added that Israel was "ready to help" evacuate the dozens of babies being cared for at the site to another hospital.

Rear Adm Hagari also repeated an allegation that the IDF had left 300 litres of fuel close to the hospital overnight but that Hamas had been "preventing and placing pressure on the hospital" not to collect it.

In the last few hours, Hamas has issued a statement denying that it has stopped officials at the hospital from collecting the fuel.

The site's head of surgery has also told the BBC that 300 litres of fuel would only be enough to power its generators for half an hour.

/BBC