By Nidal al-Mughrabi

CAIRO (Reuters) - Israeli forces pounded Gaza City early on Monday, sending columns of tanks into the heart of the city from different directions in what residents said was one of the heaviest attacks since Oct 7.

The Gaza Civil Emergency Service said they believed dozens of people were killed in eastern Gaza areas but emergency teams were unable to reach them because of ongoing offensives in Tel Al-Hawa, Sabra, Daraj, Rimal, and Tuffah suburbs.

The Israeli military said in a statement it had been mounting an operation against militant infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, and that it had taken out of action more than 30 fighters who posed a threat to Israeli troops.

(Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi; Editing by Bernadette Baum)