Israel has ordered residents out of the centre of Gaza’s main southern city Khan Younis and pounded the length of the enclave overnight, Reuters reports.

Israel said its campaign was making progress. National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi said Israeli forces had killed at least 7,000 Hamas fighters, without saying how that estimate was reached, and military chief Lieutenant-General Herzi Halevi told soldiers “we need to press harder”.

Some residents reported hearing tank shelling and fierce gun battles between Israeli forces and Palestinian fighters, and a series of air strikes as Israeli forces attempted to advance further west.

“We try to put the children to sleep and we stay up fearing the place would be bombed and we’ll have to run carrying the children out,” said Zainab Khalil, 57, displaced with 30 relatives and friends near Jalal street where evacuations were ordered.

“During the day begins another tragedy, and that is: how to feed the children?”