The Israeli military destroys el-Wafa hospital in the Gaza Strip, Foreign Affairs Correspondent Jonathan Miller hears, as he witnesses another strike on a 4-storey block elsewhere in Gaza.

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#Gaza attack #c4news 50 people lived in here, most children, said the Pharmacist from next door: shop destroyed pic.twitter.com/bnCHGSig2X — Jonathan Miller (@millerC4) July 18, 2014

#Gaza #c4news We witness a knock on the roof from a drone and then this: an F-16 strike on a 4-storey block. pic.twitter.com/u02e8hNNdJ — Jonathan Miller (@millerC4) July 18, 2014

#c4news We have spoken to Ali Hassan, senior nurse we filmed with at #Gaza hospital on Wed. “My hospital has vanished” he said. — Jonathan Miller (@millerC4) July 18, 2014

#c4news Ali Hassan says #Gaza Wafa hosp evacuated late pm. Then it was hit by 15-20 rockets and shells. “It has been obliterated” he said — Jonathan Miller (@millerC4) July 18, 2014

#c4news Ali Hassan told us on Wed that without Wafa, which specialises in brain + spinal injuries, 200 people in #Gaza would die every yr — Jonathan Miller (@millerC4) July 18, 2014

#c4news #Gaza Wafa hospital stood on the eastern edge of the city. With 4 floors it offered a vantage point over Israeli positions — Jonathan Miller (@millerC4) July 18, 2014

.@citzgirl @GailLythgoe They have been evacuated to a clinic in central #Gaza City. Hopefully I can go and find them later. #c4newa — Jonathan Miller (@millerC4) July 18, 2014

#c4news Aya Abdam, 16, who has spinal tumour and is paralysed + Ali Hassan, senior nurse from al-Wafa hospital #Gaza pic.twitter.com/qJESEmpiYf — Jonathan Miller (@millerC4) July 18, 2014

Aya told me that when Wafa was hit the power went out and her ward filled with dust and smoke. She was evacuated under fire. #Gaza #c4news — Jonathan Miller (@millerC4) July 18, 2014

Israel stepped up its ground offensive in Gaza early on Friday pounding targets with artillery fire and using tanks and infantry to battle Hamas fighters. The attack came only hours after Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crashed Ukraine.



Palestinian health officials said 24 Palestinians had been killed in the ground offensive, while Israel said one of its soldiers had been killed in fighting. From the Israeli-Gaza border, thick plumes of smoke could be seen rising from the Gaza City skyline.



Israel signalled the invasion would be limited in scope - targeting tunnels dug by gunmen - and said it was not intended to topple Hamas, the Gaza Strip's dominant Islamist group.



Residents in several areas of the densely populated strip of 1.8m Palestinians said they saw small numbers of Israelis.