Israeli forces stepped up their bombardment of Gaza City, reportedly killing dozens of people, including children, destroying residential towers, and compelling thousands to flee south.
In total, according to Al Jazeera, Israeli attacks killed at least 51 people across the besieged Palestinian territory on Saturday. The dead included two young girls who were killed in Israeli strikes on their homes in the crowded Shati camp.
The military had warned on Friday it would operate with “unprecedented force” while closing a temporary evacuation route that had been opened earlier in the week. “From this moment, Salah al-Din road is closed for southbound travel. The Israeli Defence Forces will continue to operate with unprecedented force against Hamas and other terrorist organisations,” spokesperson Avichay Adraee said.
Announcing the “temporary” new route for Palestinians fleeing the bombardment of Gaza City, Israel had said on Wednesday that it would remain open for only 48 hours from midday local time.
“The Israel Defence Forces will continue to operate with unprecedented force against Hamas and other terrorist organisations,” the spokesperson declared on Friday. “Take this opportunity and join the hundreds of thousands of city residents who have moved south to the humanitarian area.”
The latest Israeli bombardment comes amid a ground push towards central Gaza City and widespread demolition of residential blocks.
Satellite images show extensive destruction in neighbourhoods like Zeitoun, Shejaiya, Tuffah, and Sheikh al-Radwan. Residents told the news agency that at least 20 towers had been brought down in recent weeks.
Shady Salama Al-Rayyes described fleeing his 15-storey complex following an Israeli evacuation order.
“Panic, fear, confusion, loss, despair, and pain overwhelmed all of us,” the bank worker said. “We carried nothing with us, just ran.”
Israel alleges, without providing evidence, that the high-rise blocks are being used by Hamas as observation posts and booby-traps, and claims civilians are granted time to evacuate before strikes. Hamas denies using residential blocks for carrying out attacks.
Palestinian civil defence officials said nearly half of Gaza City’s population – over 450,000 people – had left since the start of the current Israeli offensive in August.
According to the UN, the latest Israeli offensive has already displaced over a quarter of a million people from Gaza City, with tens of thousands more leaving daily.
Israel’s war on Gaza, now approaching its second year, has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians so far, according to the local health authorities, and displaced the vast majority of the territory’s 2.2 million people.
Israel launched the war in October 2023 after nearly 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed and 251 taken hostage during a Hamas attack.
International condemnation of Israel’s war has grown in recent months. Portugal this week joined the UK, France, Canada and Australia in announcing plans to recognise a Palestinian state.
The Palestinian foreign ministry welcomed Lisbon’s “courageous decision”, saying it “supports efforts to achieve peace and implement the two-state solution”.
These developments come ahead of next week’s UN General Assembly session in New York where Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas will address world leaders by video after the US denied him a visa.
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