GAZA CITY: According to Al Jazeera, Israeli airstrikes hit two UN schools in Gaza City that were sheltering displaced Palestinians, with more than 40 people killed across the war-battered Strip since dawn on Saturday.
Situation in Northern Gaza
Gaza’s Government Media Office states that over 1.3 million Palestinians, including 350,000 children, remain in Gaza City and the north, despite Israel’s relentless bombardment and forced evacuation orders. Israeli forces fired artillery shells and smoke bombs at the al-Nafaq and Yarmouk areas. Al Jazeera also reported that three Israeli airstrikes targeted the public prosecution building southwest of Gaza City.
Destruction and Evacuation in the City
Since the morning, Israeli forces have destroyed one residential tower, three shelters, and more than 20 buildings. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alleged on Saturday that eliminating Hamas leaders living in Qatar would remove the main obstacle to releasing all prisoners and ending the war in Gaza. Israel had previously targeted the Hamas leadership in Doha on Tuesday.
The Israeli military also said on Saturday that over 250,000 people had fled Gaza City since it began intensifying operations there. However, Palestinian officials reported that many had been unable to evacuate south due to overcrowding. The United Nations estimated in late August that about one million Palestinians lived in and around Gaza’s largest urban center, where a famine was unfolding after months of worsening conditions. The world body and members of the international community have urged the military to abandon its plans to capture the city, warning that the assault and subsequent displacement could worsen the already dire humanitarian situation.
Displacement Figures and Conditions in the South
On Saturday, Arabic-language army spokesman Avichay Adraee said on X that “more than a quarter of a million residents of Gaza City have moved out of the city for their own safety.” However, Gaza’s civil defense agency reported a much lower figure, stating that fewer than 70,000 had managed to leave.
The Israeli military dropped leaflets on Saturday urging residents in western districts to evacuate, with the civil defense reporting continuous airstrikes. The leaflets read, “The Israeli army is operating with very intense force in your area and is determined to dismantle and defeat Hamas,” urging people to evacuate south and warning, “You have been warned.”
Mohammad Abu Salmiya, head of the Al-Shifa medical complex, told AFP that displacement was continuing within Gaza City, but “only a small number of people have been able to reach the south.” He added that even those who manage to flee often find no place to stay, as Al-Mawasi and Deir al-Balah are overcrowded, leading many to return to Gaza City.
Civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that the actual number of displaced people to the south is “approximately 68,000 only.” He said, “Many residents are still holding their ground, and many others cannot find space in the south.” Bakri Diab, a 35-year-old father of four who fled to the south, said Israeli strikes continue there as well. “Bombing happens here too — the south isn’t safe either,” he said.
Israel is facing increasing international pressure to halt its Gaza City offensive but says it is determined to dismantle what it describes as one of Hamas’s last strongholds.
