Gaza City residents describe 'night of terror' as IDF troops advance

The Israeli military has advanced further into the southern and western regions of Gaza City, which is located in the north of the Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported on Monday.

In the early hours of Monday, the military began counterterrorism operations in the area and called on civilians to leave before the operation began, it said.

IDF troops reached the headquarters of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza City, it said.

On Monday, army radio reported clashes with armed members of the Islamist group Hamas, with no initial reports of casualties.

The Israeli military has previously advanced into the northern section of the besieged coastal area during war.

Residents of the affected neighbourhoods described the overnight advance as a "night of terror," a dpa correspondent reported on Monday.