GAZAreelkingmegawaysfreeplay, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of Palestinians were killed or wounded on Sunday in Israeli strikes on neighborhoods in east of Gaza City, northern Gaza Strip, Palestinian sources reported.

Dozens of injuries, including children, were admitted to the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza due to the bombardment, medical sources told Xinhua.

The shelling occurred after the Israeli army instructed residents of Tuffah, Daraj, and other areas to evacuate immediately to shelters in the western part of Gaza City.

"To all residents and displaced persons in Tuffah, Old Town, Daraj, and other areas, for your safety, evacuate immediately to the established shelters in western Gaza City," Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said in a statement on Sunday.

Many people fled their homes at sunset and into the evening hours in search of a safe place in western Gaza City. Video footage shared by Palestinian activists on Facebook depicted families leaving in private vehicles or on foot, carrying some of their belongings.

Marwan Sultan, director of the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza, declared a state of extreme emergency in hospital departments following the evacuation of the Baptist Hospital in Gaza City.

Earlier on June 28, the Israeli army announced the initiation of a ground operation in the Shejaiya neighborhood adjacent to Tuffah and Daraj.

The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement on Sunday that over the past week, soldiers from the Paratroopers Reconnaissance Unit have been operating in the Shejaiya area.

"The soldiers have been locating large quantities of weapons, destroying dozens of booby-trapped buildings, and eliminating terrorist cells in close-quarters encounters," it added.

Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage.■