Gaza civil defence says 450,000 Palestinians evacuated Gaza City

Gaza's civil defence agency said Friday that 450,000 Palestinians have evacuated Gaza City since ‘Israel’ began its major assault to seize the territory's largest urban centre.

"The number of citizens displaced from Gaza to the south has reached 450,000 people since the start of the military operation on Gaza City in August," said Mohamed al-Mughayir, an official of the rescue force.

The ‘Israeli’ military, which has called on residents to evacuate as it presses its ground assault, had told AFP that it estimated "approximately 480,000" people had fled the city.

Read more: Gaza’s death toll rises to 65,174

The ‘Israeli’ military warned on Friday it would operate with "unprecedented force" in Gaza City, telling residents to flee as it presses its ground assault.

‘Israel’ has pummeled Gaza City with air strikes and tank fire in its bid to seize it, nearly two years into the war that has devastated the Palestinian territory and left Gaza City gripped by a UN-declared famine.

The assault comes ahead of a planned move by several Western governments, including Britain and France, to recognise a Palestinian state at a UN summit next week.

The military launched its ground assault on Tuesday and has for days been telling residents to head south.

The United Nations estimated at the end of August that about one million people were living in Gaza City and its surroundings.