The Israeli ground forces are pushing into southern Gaza, after three days of heavy bombardment.
Initial reports from Israeli army radio confirms that Israel has launched a ground operation to the north of Khan Younis.
The BBC has also verified images of an Israeli tank operating near the city.
The head of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) while speaking to reservists from the Gaza division about military objectives and the IDF's killing of Hamas commanders, Lt General Herzi Halevi told the soldiers they fought strongly and thoroughly in the northern Gaza Strip, and are also doing it now in the southern Gaza Strip.
An IDF spokesman confirms that Israel continues to expand the ground incursion across all of Gaza, including troops conducting face to face battles with terrorists.
Since a week-long ceasefire ended on Friday, Israel has resumed a large-scale bombing campaign on Gaza, which residents of Khan Younis have described as the heaviest wave of attacks so far.
The seven-day truce saw Hamas release 110 hostages being held in Gaza in return for 240 Palestinians being released from Israeli prisons.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says more than 500 people have been killed since the bombing resumed.
More than 15,500 people have been killed in the strip since the war began.
[Source: BBC News]
