Israeli military orders the evacuation of Gaza City

Destroyed buildings stand in the Gaza Strip (Picture: Leo Correa/AP)

The Israeli military has urged all Palestinians to leave Gaza City and head south, pressing ahead with a fresh offensive across the north, south and centre of the embattled territory that has killed dozens of people over the past 48 hours.

The stepped-up military activity came as US, Egyptian and Qatari mediators were meeting with Israeli officials in Doha for talks trying to push through a long-elusive ceasefire deal with Gaza’s Hamas militant group.