'We escaped certain death': Israel intensifies Gaza City bombardment, forcing families to flee
Israeli forces have stepped up their assault on Gaza City with a wave of heavy air strikes, marking a sharp escalation from previous military operations.
Unlike earlier phases of the war, the current offensive has relied heavily on aerial bombardments, with entire apartment blocks and large concrete structures reduced to rubble.
The intensification of strikes in recent days has triggered a surge in civilian displacement.
Israel has warned all residents of Gaza City to leave immediately in anticipation of a huge ground offensive.
On Saturday, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported about 250,000 people had left the city and moved south. It also stated that it had destroyed a high-rise building that it claimed was used to advance and execute terrorist attacks.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserts that Gaza City is Hamas's last major stronghold. However, the effort to occupy Gaza City has faced international criticism.
The UN has expressed concern that intensifying the offensive in an area already experiencing famine will push civilians into an even deeper catastrophe. Gaza City, regarded as the largest urban center in the territory, is a historic heart of Palestinian political and social life.
Residents argue that the Israeli military has been targeting schools and makeshift shelters, often issuing warnings only moments before bombardments.
Many families have been compelled to flee in darkness toward western Gaza.
One mother, Saly Tafeesh, shared her harrowing experience: We escaped certain death, my husband, our three children and I. My brother died in my arms after being shot by a quadcopter drone. We ran in the dark to the west of Gaza.
While the Israeli military has instructed residents to evacuate south, many families claim they cannot afford the journey, which costs up to $1,100 (£800). Hamas leaders, on the other hand, have intensified calls for residents to remain and resist leaving the city.
Rubein Khaled, a father-of-nine preparing to move south, voiced his frustration with the pressures placed upon families. The Hamas preacher at Friday prayers accused anyone leaving Gaza City of being a coward running from the battlefield. But why doesn't he tell Hamas leaders to surrender and release the Israeli hostages so this war can stop? We don't want to leave either, but we have no choice.
Israeli forces have yet to reach some eastern neighborhoods that have endured little damage since earlier raids, but the current campaign implies efforts to dismantle entire districts.
Additionally, a Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson sharply criticized Netanyahu, claiming that the Israeli leader is unyielding to international calls for restraint. The spokesman argued that Israel's actions indicate a lack of intention to pursue peace.
In Gaza, the consequences of ongoing military operations are severe. The Hamas-run health ministry reported the arrival of bodies of 47 individuals killed in the previous day's strikes. Since the UN recognized a famine in Gaza, at least 142 starvation and malnutrition-related deaths have been documented.
The toll of the conflict continues to rise, with at least 64,803 reported fatalities in Gaza as a consequence of Israeli counterstrikes following Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, which resulted in 1,200 deaths in Israel.
