Deir Al-Balah (Gaza Strip), Oct 14 (AP) Medical officials say an estimated 35,000 people have crammed into the grounds of Gaza City's main hospital, seeking refugee ahead of an expected Israeli ground offensive.

Mohammad Abu Selim, general director of Shifa Hospital, confirmed that massive crowds had thronged the building and the courtyard outside. Shifa is the largest hospital in the entire Gaza Strip.

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“People think this is the only safe space after their homes were destroyed and they were forced to flee,” said Dr. Medhat Abbas, a Health Ministry official. “Gaza City is a frightening scene of devastation.”

The Israeli military has ordered roughly half of Gaza's population, including all of Gaza City, to evacuate as it prepares to send in ground forces.

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Israel has been bombing Gaza for the past week in response to a bloody cross-border Hamas attack that killed over 1,300 Israelis. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)