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An Israeli strike has destroyed a high-rise building in Gaza City – the second in as many days – as the military demanded residents move to a so-called humanitarian zone in the south of the territory and slaughtered at least another 56 Palestinians, including aid-seekers.
Israel on Saturday issued evacuation warnings for two high-rises in Gaza City and surrounding tents. Avichay Adraee, a military spokesperson, claimed without providing evidence that the buildings were targets because Hamas had infrastructure inside or near them. Soon after, Adraee said that the military had struck one of the buildings.
Hamas said the allegations were “baseless lies” and that the high-rises were residential towers.
Residents of Sousi Tower, a prominent 15-story building, told the Associated Press that the Israeli army gave them about 20 minutes to grab their belongings and flee before warplanes razed the building to the ground.
“Suddenly, we were sitting at home and people started shouting,” said resident Aida Abu Kas, recalling the panic and confusion rippling through the building. “Some said it was a lie and other said it was real. We went out and didn’t know what to do.”
There was no immediate information on casualties.
Israel Katz, Israel’s defence minister, posted a video of the Sousi Tower collapsing in an enormous cloud of smoke along with the words: “We continue.”
It was the second tower demolished in as many days. On Friday, Israel hit Mushtaha Tower, a local landmark that housed dozens of families, claiming that Hamas militants used it for surveillance without providing any evidence. Hamas denied those claims.
Gaza civil defence agency spokesperson Mahmud Bassal told AFP that 56 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli fire on Saturday, including 19 near an aid distribution centre in the north.
Contacted by AFP, the Israeli military requested precise timeframes and coordinates to look into the reports.
The military also issued so-called “evacuation warnings” to civilians in certain areas of Gaza City, as it carried out further attacks ahead of its planned ground offensive. Israel has been threatening a new assault on the territory’s largest city for weeks, without issuing a timeline.
It has stepped up airstrikes and ground operations on the city’s outskirts, sparking fears it could worsen already dire conditions. In addition to bombing and shooting Palestinians every day, the Israeli blockade has also caused a famine.
On Saturday, Israeli aircraft dropped thousands of leaflets on western neighbourhoods calling on residents to evacuate, witnesses and an AFP journalist said.
Gaza City residents said they believed it made little difference whether they stayed or fled.
“Some say we should evacuate, others say we should stay,” said Abdel Nasser Mushtaha, 48. “But everywhere in Gaza there are bombings and deaths,” he added, pointing in particular to the strikes on al-Mawasi.
“It no longer makes any difference to us,” said his daughter Samia Mushtaha, 20. “Wherever we go, death pursues us, whether by bombing or hunger.”
Israel has urged Palestinians to move to al-Mawasi in the south, a desolate area it designated a safe zone early in the war. But since then it has carried out repeated attacks on the area. On Tuesday at least nine people including five children queueing for water were killed in an Israeli attack on al-Mawasi.
Israel has faced mounting domestic and international pressure to end the nearly two-year war in which at least 63,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed according to the health ministry. The figure does not include the tens of thousands believed to be buried under the rubble or killed by indirect consequences of the war.
Thousands demonstrated in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Saturday evening to call for a ceasefire and hostage release deal. In Tel Aviv, protesters unfurled a massive banner saying: “President Trump, save the hostages now!”
At the White House on Friday, Trump said the United States was in talks with Hamas over the captives being held in Gaza. “We’re in very deep negotiation with Hamas,” he said.
Hamas agreed last month to a proposal for a temporary ceasefire and staggered hostage releases, but Israel has demanded the militant group release all the hostages at once, disarm and relinquish control of Gaza, among other conditions.
The new head of US Central Command, Adm Brad Cooper, wrapped up a visit to Israel on Saturday, his first since taking up post last month, the Israeli military said.
Agence France-Presse and Associated Press contributed to this report
