Israeli tanks have entered the outskirts of Gaza City, witnesses said, as the IDF stepped up its crackdown on Hamas, saying it had killed dozens of fighters in hundreds of strikes.
"In the last 24 hours we have hit more than 600 targets," a military spokesman said, compared to 450 the previous day, with Hamas fighters also reporting "heavy fighting" in northern Gaza.
Tanks entered the Zaytoun neighborhood on the southern outskirts of Gaza City, cutting off a key north-south road in the war-torn Palestinian territory, witnesses told AFP.
"They have cut off the Salaheddin road and are shooting at any vehicle that tries to pass on it," said one resident, who did not give his name.
Israel has repeatedly warned the 1.1 million people living in northern Gaza, including Gaza City, to head south to avoid its military strikes as it continues its mission to "destroy" the territory's rulers, Hamas .
Although huge numbers have left in recent weeks, tens of thousands more are believed to still be in the zone.
Since Friday, Israeli forces have stepped up their ground offensive as part of a military response to the October 7 attacks by Hamas, which have killed 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and taken another 239 hostage, according to official figures.
The Israeli army said soldiers killed "dozens" of fighters in the overnight clashes, saying they had "barricaded themselves in buildings and tunnels and tried to attack the soldiers".
In one of the incidents, a fighter jet targeted a building "with over 20 Hamas terrorist agents inside" and another fighter jet targeted an anti-tank missile launcher in the area of Al-Azhar University, it said. The university is located in the center of Gaza City.
The announcement also said that "weapons depots, dozens of positions for launching anti-tank missiles, as well as hiding places and sites for the preparation of actions used by the terrorist organization Hamas" were hit. /BGNES
