Doctors at one of Gaza City's last functioning hospitals say they are overwhelmed with casualties from Israeli strikes and are having to carry out operations in filthy conditions with few or no anaesthetics.

One Australian medic volunteering at al-Shifa hospital told the BBC that every day was a mass casualty event, while another described how a baby had been saved from the body of a pregnant woman who had been killed.

Israeli forces are now just 500m (1,640ft) away from the hospital as they expand their ground offensive to fully occupy Gaza City, which Israel's military calls Hamas's 'main stronghold'.

Al-Shifa hospital was once the biggest medical complex in the Gaza Strip. It now lies in ruins, pockmarked by craters, with burned-out wards and bullet holes. But inside, medics are working beyond full stretch. Many of the beds do not even have mattresses, medicines are in short supply, and the casualties are endless.

Last week, they had to perform an emergency Caesarean on a nine-month pregnant woman whose head had been blown off. Despite the horrific circumstances, they managed to save the baby. The hospital is inundated with critical cases; where painkillers and anaesthesia are luxuries that cannot be afforded.

Israeli air and artillery strikes continue, displacing tens of thousands of Palestinians daily. Reports from humanitarian agencies indicate a severe humanitarian disaster as facilities close and resources dwindle.

The UN estimates that more than 320,000 individuals have fled northern Gaza since mid-August due to the ongoing military operations. Movement towards supposed 'safe zones' is hindered by military actions and strained resources, leaving families in perilous situations.