Israeli forces continued their ground offensive in Gaza City on Monday as world leaders gathered in New York for the U.N. General Assembly and as more countries prepared to join the surge of nations recognising the Palestinian state, AP reported.

Hundreds of thousands have remained in the enclave that is already in ruins as Israel's war in Gaza continues for almost two years. The U.N. announced that the region is undergoing a famine last month.

On Monday, the Israeli Defence Forces ordered the evacuation of the Jordanian Hospital, a key health clinic, as per a Palestinian health official, AP reported.

The latest Israeli operation, which started Sept. 16, further escalates the conflict and likely pushes any ceasefire farther out of reach. While the Israeli military hasn't given a timeline for the operation, there are indications that it could take months. The Israeli military says it wants to "destroy Hamas' military infrastructure."

Following the Israeli military's calls for a full evacuation, many have been attempting to relocate from the city, which was once home to 1 million Palestinians.

According to the U.N., around 1 million Palestinians were in the city before Israel launched its latest operation. The IDF claims that more than 500,000 Palestinians have left the city, but hundreds of thousands are still sheltering in the city as troops move in.

Prabowo Subianto, the president of Indonesia, said his country is willing to provide peacekeeping forces in Gaza. He made the remarks during a speech at the United Nations' General Assembly session. The day before, the U.K. joined Australia and Canada to recognise Palestinian statehood despite opposition from Israel and the United States. 

Some Gazans fleeing the city said they see the surge of recognitions as "a glimmer of hope" and urged other countries to join the move, AP reported.

In Italy, thousands of workers and students joined a general strike in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

In Milan and Rome, more than 20,000 people gathered to protest the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Student organisations and unions criticised the EU governments for their inaction.

The Israeli military has told aid workers in private messages that all humanitarian sites, except hospitals, must evacuate.

Dr Muneer al-Boush, director general of the Gaza Health Ministry, told the AP that the Jordanian Hospital has at least 300 patients, as well as medical staff and family members of the patients. The evacuation order came on Monday as residents reported that Israeli troops were approaching the facility where dozens of families were trapped in their homes and seeking shelter around the hospital.