Fighting has continued around three of Gaza Strip’s hospitals, raising fears for patients, medical staff and displaced people inside them, AFP reports.

Earlier today, the army said fighters had been firing on troops from within and outside the emergency ward at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.

The UN has reported “intensive exchanges of fire between the Israeli military and armed Palestinians”. It cited the health ministry as saying the army has confined medical staff and patients to one building, not allowing them to leave.

Israel’s army claimed troops had evacuated civilians, patients and staff “to alternative medical facilities” it set up.

Troops began raiding Al-Shifa early last week, and on Wednesday night carried out an air strike on the emergency ward “while avoiding harm to civilians, patients, and medical teams,” the army claimed.

Israeli tanks and armoured vehicles have also massed around the Nasser Hospital, the health ministry said, adding that shots were fired but no raid had yet been launched. The Palestine Red Crescent warned that thousands were trapped inside.

The Al-Amal hospital in Khan Younis, near Rafah, “has ceased to function completely”, the Red Crescent said earlier this week, following the evacuation of civilians from the medical centre.