Beleaguered Gazans, having fled the territory’s north, emerged from a night of bombardment wondering where to go next for safety.

Israeli forces pressed ahead with their air and ground bombardment of southern Gaza Strip, killing and wounding dozens of Palestinians, even as the United States and the United Nations repeatedly urged them to protect civilians.

The United States said on Monday it was too soon to make a final judgment on whether Israel was doing enough to protect civilians in Gaza despite some improvements and that it expected Israeli forces not to strike zones they have identified as safe.

The war has already killed more than 15,000 Palestinians and displaced over three-fourths of Gaza's 2.3 million residents, who are running out of safe places to go.

Israel has begun an invasion of southern Gaza, the last section of the territory that had been under full Hamas control, with dozens of armored vehicles rolling closer to its main city and strikes pummeling urban areas.

UN and US urge against a repeat of the destruction and displacement its attacks inflicted on northern end of Palestinian territory