Israel expands ground assault into Gaza

Khan Younis: Israeli troops and tanks pushed deeper into Gaza on Monday, advancing on two sides of the territory's main city, as the UN and medical staff warned that airstrikes have hit closer to hospitals where tens of thousands of Palestinians have sought shelter alongside thousands of wounded. Video circulating on social media showed an Israeli tank and bulldozer in central Gaza blocking the territory's main north-south highway, which the Israeli military earlier told Palestinians to use to escape the expanding ground offensive.

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who remain in the north would no longer be able to escape if the road is blocked since it's the only useable route south. When asked whether forces had positioned on the road, Israeli military spokesman Rear Adm Daniel Hagari said: “We expanded our operations" but would not comment on specific deployments.