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.

The central city is one of the few parts of Gaza so far spared a major ground operation during the Israel-Hamas war.

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,