A French warship has arrived in the Egyptian town of El-Arish near the border with the conflict-torn Gaza Strip to serve as a hospital for wounded civilians, a port source said, AFP reports.

The Dixmude ship is expected to accommodate two operating rooms and around 60 beds.

Hundreds of critically wounded Palestinians have crossed into Egypt in recent weeks with special exit permits, after the majority of hospitals in Gaza were forced out of service, according to the United Nations.