Israeli troops enter Gaza hospital

Israeli forces stormed Gaza's Al-Shifa hospital on Wednesday, targeting what they believe is a Hamas command centre is housed among thousands of ailing and sheltering civilians.

The Israeli army described it as "a precise and targeted operation against Hamas in a specified area" of the facility. After sharp warnings from the United States and others that Al-Shifa must be protected, Israel said the raid was being executed based on "an operational necessity".

Witnesses have described conditions inside the hospital as horrific, which Israel says sits atop an underground Hamas command base -- a charge denied by the militant group. The United Nations has said it estimates that at least 2,300 people are inside and may be unable to escape because of fierce fighting.