Hospitals overrun as Israeli forces storm Khan Younis in south Gaza

Israel extends ground assault; Palestinians say no Safe place left as shelters are hit

GAZA Israeli forces on Dec 5 launched their long-awaited storming of the main city in the southern Gaza Strip, where hospitals are overrun with scores of Palestinian dead and wounded.

In what appeared to be the biggest ground assault since a truce collapsed last week, residents said Israeli tanks had entered the eastern parts of Khan Younis for the first time, crossing from the Israeli border fence and advancing west.

Some took up positions inside the town of Bani Suhaila on Khan Younis' eastern outskirts, while others continued further and were stationed on the edge of a Qatarifunded housing development called Hamad City, residents said.

After days of ordering residents to flee the area, Israeli forces dropped new leaflets on Dec 5 with instructions for people to stay inside shelters during the assault.

"In the coming hours, the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) will begin.

launching an intensive attack on your area of residence to destroy the terrorist organisation Hamas," said the leaflets, addressed to residents of six eastern and northern districts, amounting to around a quarter of Khan Younis.

"Don't move out yet. For your safety, stay in the shelters and the hospitals where you are. Don't get out. Going out is dangerous. You have been warned." The Israelis, who seized the northern half of Gaza in November before pausing for the weeklong truce, say they are now extending their ground campaign to the rest of the enclave as they try to annihilate its Hamas rulers.

"We're moving ahead with the second stage now. A second stage that is going to be difficult militarily," government spokesman Eylon Levy said.