Israel orders Gaza residents to flee as tanks advance

123

CAIRO: Israeli tanks advanced into the heart of Gaza City from different directions on Monday as Israel ordered Palestinian civilians to evacuate neighbourhoods after a night of bombardments which Gaza authorities said had killed dozens.

Gaza City, in the north of the Palestinian enclave, was one of the first areas that Israeli troops moved into at the start of the war. But fighting with militants still holding out there has persisted and civilians have sought shelter elsewhere. Much of the city lies in ruins.