Israel's military said it was preparing for a coordinated attack on the Gaza Strip by land, air and sea, but so far has not given a specific time for its offensive. Tensions are also rising along Israel's northern border with Lebanon.

Israel has postponed its ground offensive in the Gaza Strip due to unfavorable weather conditions, the newspaper "New York Times" reported. The bad weather would make it difficult for Israeli pilots and drones to provide aerial support to the movement of ground forces, the publication said.

Thousands of Palestinians continue to flee northern Gaza. An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman said civilians should head south along a route running from Beit Hanoun to Khan Younis, which will not be subject to attacks during this time.

"Citizens of Gaza, I call on you again. Hamas is trying to prevent your evacuation, but we will let you through to the south. Leave Gaza City and the surrounding areas for your personal safety and head south, where there are conditions for survival," said the speaker.

According to the UN, Israel's evacuation order is pushing Gaza further into the abyss. The Palestinian Authority also said that the situation in the enclave was dramatic.

"The situation in Palestinian hospitals is a disaster. Children and babies in incubators are constantly dying because of the lack of electricity. In this way, Israel is not at war with Hamas, but with the entire Palestinian people," said a Palestinian doctor.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said a border village was hit by an anti-tank missile fired from Lebanese territory, killing at least one civilian. The Islamist movement Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack.

In response, Israeli artillery fired about 12 shells into southern Lebanon. The Israeli army also cordoned off an area within a 4km radius of the Lebanese border and said it was deliberately cutting off GPS services in that area.

The IDF has announced that another Hamas commander suspected of leading the large-scale attacks carried out by the Islamist organization last weekend has been killed in Gaza.

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