Ammon News - The Israeli army urged Gaza City residents to leave for a "humanitarian zone" in the south on Saturday ahead of a planned offensive to capture the territory's largest urban centre.

In a message to the city's residents posted on social media, army spokesman Avichay Adraee said: "Take this opportunity to move early to the (Al-Mawasi) humanitarian zone and join the thousands of people who have already gone there."

Adraee did not specify when the new offensive would start, and another spokesman has previously said it would not be announced in advance to preserve the element of surprise.

The UN estimates there are about a million people in and around Gaza City, warning of a coming "disaster" if the Israeli military goes ahead with its plans to seize the city.

Israeli forces have been carrying out an offensive on the suburbs of the northern city for weeks after occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to capture it.

On Thursday, the military said it had control over almost half of the city. It says it controls about 75% of all of Gaza.

The military has been carrying out heavy strikes on the city for weeks, advancing through outer suburbs, and this week forces were within a few kilometres of the city centre.

Defense Minister Israel Katz on Friday said military operations in Gaza would intensify until Hamas accepts Israel’s conditions for ending the war: releasing the hostages and disarming. Otherwise, the group would be destroyed, he said.

AFP + Reuters