Thousands flee carnage as Israeli tanks storm into city

TANKS were yesterday pushing from two directions into the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis after an intense Israeli bombardment.

- Cyril Dixon

Terrified families piled on to vehicles to escape the onslaught.

Others mourned loved ones who were killed in overnight Israeli air raids on Saturday.

The exodus came after Tel Aviv ordered residents to evacuate the central area ahead of another offensive.

Mark Regev, a top aide to prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urged civilians to "leave the area, move to safer zones, get out of harm's way".

Generals vowed to carry on targeting the 200,000-strong settlement, swelled by refugees form the north.

They claim they have no alternative if they are to rout the perpetrators of the October 7 outrage. Israel Defence Forces' General Herzi Halevi claimed Hamas was beginning to crumble, adding: "We need to press harder."