Palestinians accuse Israel of “crimes against humanity” in Gaza

Thousands of Palestinians are fleeing south in the Gaza Strip ahead of an expected Israeli ground offensive. More than a million people have been warned to move south by Israel, as its forces mass on the border of the territory which is home to around two million people.

Israel is acting in response to the recent attacks on Israel by Hamas, a group designated as a terror organisation by many western governments. More than 1,300 people were killed in those attacks and Hamas seized more than 100 hostages.

Several days of airstrikes on Gaza are said to have left around 1,900 Palestinians dead, including 600 children.

Fuel, food and water supplies are running out in Gaza but Israel says it won't lift its blockade until Hamas frees all the hostages it seized in Israel.

The Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations appealed for it to stop a “crime against humanity” and said the evacuation order amounts to ethnic cleansing.

The UN Secretary General has warned all sides that there are rules of war and civilians must be protected.