World Health Organisation officials voiced concern about the possible collapse of hospitals in southern Gaza as the conflict intensifies around the city of Khan Younis, with many medical staff and patients fleeing for their lives, Reuters reports.

“So what we’re seeing is really worrying around a lot of the hospitals and an intensification of hostilities, very close to the European Gaza hospital,” Sean Casey, WHO Emergency Medical Teams coordinator in Gaza, told a Geneva press briefing by video link.

“We are seeing the health system collapse at a very rapid pace,” he added, saying that an estimated 600 patients had fled one facility.