The Israeli military announced on Sunday that it will continue to facilitate the evacuation of Gaza residents to the south, as the death toll rises to over 2,300 and preparations for a ground assault on the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip intensify.

Israel has pledged to eliminate the militant group Hamas after a series of unprecedented attacks that saw its fighters enter Israeli towns, resulting in the deaths of many civilians, including men, women, and children. These attacks have been described as the worst in Israel’s history.

Gaza authorities report over 2,300 deaths, with a quarter of them being children, and nearly 10,000 people wounded.

Clashes on Israel’s border with Lebanon resumed on Sunday when Hezbollah fighters launched a missile at an Israeli border village, resulting in one death and three injuries. The Israeli military responded with strikes in Lebanon.

“Conditions inside Gaza are dire. People, especially children and women, continue to suffer,” said Palestinian Health Ministry officials, as they reported the deaths of 300 people and the injury of 800 others in Gaza in the last 24 hours.

Rescue efforts continue amidst nightly air raids, and approximately one million people have fled their homes.

The only route out of Gaza not under Israeli control is a checkpoint at Rafah with Egypt. While Egypt officially states that its side is open, traffic has been halted due to Israeli strikes.

Egyptian sources reported that the Egyptian side is being reinforced, and Cairo has no intention of accepting a mass influx of refugees.

Israel has urged residents of the northern half of the Gaza Strip to move south, with assurances of safety on two main roads.

Hamas has advised people not to leave, claiming that evacuation routes are unsafe and citing casualties among those fleeing. Gaza residents face a difficult choice in the midst of the escalating conflict.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in the region to secure the release of 126 hostages taken by Hamas and to prevent the conflict from spreading.

Blinken stated that he had a “very productive” meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Sunday and is expected to travel to Egypt, which has become the main gateway for aid to reach Gaza.