Israel presses ahead in battle against Hamas in southern Gaza

Amid reports of a 'catastrophic' health situation in Gaza from the World Health Organization (WHO), Palestinian activists called for a global strike on Monday

Smoke rises from town of Khan Younis after Israeli strikes on Sunday (Picture: AP Photo/Mohammed Dahman)

Israeli tanks on Monday sought to push further west in their battle against Hamas in and around Khan Younis, the southern Gaza Strip's main city, as UN officials reiterated calls for a ceasefire to avert a humanitarian catastrophe.

The fighting in Khan Younis comes as Israel refocuses its more than two-month war effort to the south after pounding northern Gaza and driving the majority of the Palestinian enclave's 2.3 million people from their homes.