More than two dozen Western countries called for an immediate end to the war in Gaza on Monday, saying that suffering there had "reached new depths" as Israel's military expanded its operations to the central city of Deir el-Balah.

After more than 21 months of fighting that have triggered catastrophic humanitarian conditions for Gaza's more than two million people, Israeli allies Britain, France, Australia, Canada and 21 other countries, plus the EU, said in a joint statement that the war "must end now".

"The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths," the signatories added, urging a negotiated ceasefire, the release of hostages held by Palestinian militants and the free flow of much-needed aid.

The plea came as Deir el-Balah came under intense shelling on Monday, after Israel's military warned of imminent action in an area where it had not previously operated.

The military a day earlier had ordered those in the central Gaza area to leave immediately as it was expanding operations, including "in an area where it has not operated before".

Between 50,000 and 80,000 people were in the area when the........

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