TEL AVIV. The Israeli military warned Palestinians in Gaza City to evacuate south on Saturday before striking a high-rise tower as its forces pressed deeper into the enclave’s largest urban center.
Israeli forces have been targeting the northern city’s suburbs for weeks after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered its capture. Netanyahu has described Gaza City as a Hamas stronghold, calling its seizure necessary to defeat the Palestinian Islamist group whose October 2023 attack on Israel ignited the war.
The latest offensive risks displacing hundreds of thousands of civilians already sheltering there. Before the war, nearly one million people, almost half of Gaza’s population, lived in the city.
Military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on X that residents should relocate to a designated coastal area in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, described as a “humanitarian zone” with access to food, medical care, and shelter. Evacuation warnings were also issued to specific neighborhoods ahead of planned strikes.
Later, the military bombed a high-rise tower in Gaza City, claiming it was used by Hamas for intelligence operations and to plant explosives nearby. Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz released a video on X showing the building collapsing in a cloud of dust. No casualties were immediately confirmed.
Hamas denied using the building for military purposes, stating it was monitored and used to shelter displaced civilians. “These towers are strictly monitored, entry is permitted exclusively for civilians,” Hamas said, calling the strike part of “a systematic forced displacement” campaign.
Gaza health officials reported at least 40 people killed across the enclave on Saturday, half of them in Gaza City. The day before, another high-rise was also struck under similar claims.
The military says it now controls about half of Gaza City and roughly 75% of the enclave. Despite repeated displacement orders, many residents have refused to leave, citing previous cycles of evacuation and return.
Israeli officials said Netanyahu, supported by his right-wing coalition, pushed for the city’s capture despite objections from military leadership. Tens of thousands of reservists have been called up to sustain the operation.
International criticism has intensified. Amnesty International on Friday urged Israel to halt the offensive and mass displacement, warning of destroyed homes and “scores of civilians” killed in recent days.
The war began after Hamas fighters stormed southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Gaza health authorities say more than 64,000 Palestinians have since died, with much of the enclave in ruins and its population facing a humanitarian crisis.
Israel believes 20 of the remaining 48 hostages are alive. Families of captives have demanded a negotiated deal for their release, but Netanyahu insists on an all-or-nothing agreement requiring Hamas to surrender.
A Hamas video on Friday showed two hostages held in Gaza City, one of whom expressed fear of being killed in Israel’s assault. Hamas has offered partial releases in exchange for temporary ceasefires, similar to proposals discussed in July before talks collapsed.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that Washington is in “very deep” negotiations with the group. Hamas has said it would release all hostages if Israel agreed to withdraw its forces and end the war.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
