Israel-Hamas war live updates: Gaza Strip residents panic as 1.1 million told to evacuate by Israeli military

Israeli military forces on Friday ordered 1.1 million people in Gaza to evacuate — a sign that Israel is setting up a ground operation against Hamas.

But a United Nations spokesperson said it's impossible to evacuate civilians "without devastating humanitarian consequences," and said the U.N. "strongly appeals for any such order, if confirmed, to be rescinded avoiding what could transform what is already a tragedy into a calamitous situation."

A Reuters journalist was killed on Friday when his crew was struck by Israeli shelling near the Lebanon border. More than 3,000 people in Israel and Gaza have been killed in the conflict, with thousands of others injured.

According to U.S. officials, at least 27 Americans are among those killed in Israel since Hamas launched its assault last weekend, and another 14 U.S. citizens remain missing. "Less than a handful" of Americans are believed to be held hostage by Hamas.

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Cover thumbnail photo: Mahmud Hams/AFP via Getty Images