The area is packed with Palestinians who left their homes during 21 months of war in Gaza, hundreds of whom fled west or south after Israel issued an evacuation order on Sunday. Israeli tanks pushed into the southern and eastern districts of the Gazan city of Deir al-Balah on Monday,

Israeli tanks on Monday rolled into a part of central Gaza that has not previously seen ground operations in the 21-month war, according to Israeli media, aid agencies and witnesses.

Israeli military sends tanks into parts of city in central Gaza for first time since it launched the war on Gaza.