The Israeli military has intensified its campaign in Gaza City, striking multiple high-rise buildings after forcing residents to evacuate under threat of death. Entire neighborhoods have been reduced to rubble as Israeli forces continue their ground operations aimed at seizing Gaza’s largest urban center. Witnesses in Khan Younis described scenes of destruction in the al-Amal district, where families inspected the ruins of their homes. Residents say they were given as little as 30 to 60 minutes to leave before the bombings began, sparking widespread fear and panic.
One of the buildings destroyed was the 15-storey Soussi Tower in the Tal al-Hawa neighborhood, located across from a United Nations facility. A day earlier, the Mushtaha Tower, another multi-story complex, was flattened. According to the enclave’s Ministry of Health, at least 68 Palestinians were killed and more than 360 others injured in the latest wave of Israeli air raids. Among the victims were aid seekers, while reports confirmed that several people died from starvation as the siege continues. Health officials now estimate that over 64,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, with more than 160,000 injured.
The Israeli army defended the bombings, claiming without presenting evidence that the buildings were being used by armed groups for surveillance and tunnel operations. Gaza’s media authorities strongly rejected these assertions, accusing Israel of fabricating reasons to justify strikes on civilians and civilian infrastructure. Officials stressed that nearly 90 percent of Gaza’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed in the course of the war, leaving displaced families with nowhere safe to return.
Reports from Deir el-Balah highlighted that even so-called “humanitarian zones” announced by Israel in areas like al-Mawasi have not provided protection. Field hospitals, tents, and shelters designated as safe havens have repeatedly been targeted, leading to hundreds of deaths among those who fled their homes in search of refuge. Many Palestinians express distrust, stating that such zones are illusions of safety while attacks continue unabated.
Survivors returning to Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood, where Israeli forces recently withdrew, found entire districts destroyed. Families described their homes and communities as resembling a landscape hit by a nuclear blast. “Fifty years of work and memories were erased in just five days,” one resident said. Another, walking among the ruins, noted that the devastation not only wiped out physical structures but also left countless loved ones buried beneath the debris. For many, the sense of loss is total, with residents questioning how Gaza’s largest urban center could ever be rebuilt.
Analysts note that the ongoing military operations, coupled with starvation deaths, displacement, and destruction of critical infrastructure, have pushed Gaza into one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent memory. Despite international criticism, the offensive shows no sign of slowing down. Local voices insist that the crisis is not only physical but also psychological, as communities face despair, grief, and the painful reality of having nothing left to return to.
