Israeli strikes kill 31 people in Gaza City, as tanks advance

Israeli forces blew up more residential buildings in Gaza City on Sunday, killing at least 31 Palestinians and prompting many others to flee, Gazan health authorities said, as Israel's tanks pushed further into the densely populated city.

Nearly two years into the war, Israel describes Gaza City as the last bastion of Hamas and the military has been demolishing housing blocks it says were being used by Hamas since launching its ground assault in the city this month.

A pregnant woman and her two children were among those killed on Sunday, medics said. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the deaths, issuing a statement saying its forces had killed "numerous" militants.

"The mother, the boy, the girl, and the baby in her womb – we found them all gone," said Mosallam Al-Hadad, the dead woman's father-in-law, saying his son had been seriously injured in the strike.

Israel said on Saturday its forces had expanded their operations in the Gaza City area over the past few days, killing 30 militants and locating weapons.

On Sunday, witnesses said Israeli tanks were advancing towards the west through Tel Al-Hawa, a southeastern suburb.

The Israeli military estimates that more than 450,000 people have left the city since the start of September. Hamas disputes this, saying just under 300,000 have left and that about 900,000 people remain.

In southern Israel, air raid sirens sounded when Gaza militants fired two rockets across the border, one of which was intercepted and the other fell in an open field, the military said. No casualties were reported.

Israel's Gaza City offensive has drawn rebuke abroad, prompting some of Israel's Western allies to announce they will formally recognize a Palestinian state ahead of the annual leaders' gathering at the UN General Assembly this week.

The offensive has also alarmed families of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza. Twenty of those 48 captives are thought to still be alive.

Thousands rallied on Saturday night outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's official residence in Jerusalem calling on him to make a deal that will end the war and bring the hostages home.