The city of Khan Younis is the focus of Israeli air strikes and artillery fire after fighting resumed on Friday following the collapse of a week-long truce.
Its population has swelled in recent weeks as several hundred thousand people from the northern Gaza Strip have fled south.
Abu Wael Nasrallah, 80, scoffed at the Israeli army's latest order to move further south to Rafah, bordering Egypt.
The message was delivered via leaflets dropped from the sky over several districts in Khan Younis.
"We've not asked the whole population of the south to relocate, we've not even asked the whole population of Khan Younis to relocate.
Persons:
Nasser, Khan Younis, Saleh Salem, KHAN YOUNIS, Abu Wael Nasrallah, scoffed, Nasrallah, Benjamin Netanyahu, We've, we've, Mark Regev, Deir al Abalah, Israel, Arafat Barbakh, Nidal Al, Maggie Fick, Giles Elgood
Organizations:
Hamas, REUTERS, Health, Reuters, Israel, Thomson
Locations:
Israel, Khan, Gaza, stairwells, Rafah, Egypt, Tel Aviv, Gaza City, Deir