Scores of people, mainly women and children, have been killed in multiple Israeli air strikes on the main road connecting north and south Gaza, as Palestinians carried out an Israeli order to flee their homes.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, at least 70 people have been killed in three separate air strikes on the road, with the latest killing at least 40.

The Israeli army said in a statement on Friday that civilians must leave Gaza City in the north, and that they would not be allowed to return “until we say so” and until “a statement is issued allowing this”.

However, locals have reported a number of attacks on the Salah al-Din Road since then. Survivors, speaking to local media, implored others not to make the journey for fear of being targeted by the Israelis.

“Do not leave,” a distraught survivor of the attacks told local media.

“They bombed the convoy. They bombed it on Salah al-Din Road. They bombed the ambulances.”

Another survivor said the attacks were a “direct targeting of women and children”.

“I was in the truck. There were about 200 people. 90 percent were women and children. We took the main road that the entire world knew we were taking. My entire family were with me. Out of nowhere, they dropped a bomb. Everything was black and I lost conscience for 10 mins,” they told local media.

“When I woke up I saw a mother lying with her baby, whose brain was right next to him. I heard the ambulances then they bombed again. I took cover and after a few minutes tried to check the damage, then they bombed again.”