Gaza City endured its most intense bombardment in two years of war on Tuesday, with Israeli strikes killing at least 91 people and forcing thousands of Palestinians to flee. This exodus occurred as high-rise buildings, homes, and mosques were destroyed under relentless fire, prompting the UN chief to condemn the offensive as “horrendous.”
Residents described a city engulfed in flames and smoke. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared on X, “Gaza is burning,” as long lines of vans, donkey carts, and families on foot carried belongings along al-Rashid Street. Despite initial vows to stay, many residents have now abandoned their homes, fearing they may never return. Those who could afford the journey moved south, though no safe zone is guaranteed.
Heavy Civilian Toll
Health officials confirmed that at least 91 people were killed in Tuesday’s strikes, including victims of an Israeli bomb that hit a vehicle carrying evacuees on the coastal road. Seventeen residential buildings were destroyed across Gaza City, including the Aybaki Mosque in the Tuffah neighborhood, which was struck by an Israeli warplane. The military also deployed explosive-laden robots capable of demolishing dozens of housing units at once. The rights group Euro-Med Monitor reported that 15 such machines are already in use.
Tanks Push Deeper into City
Reports indicated that Israeli tanks were advancing into the northern, southern, and eastern areas of Gaza City. Entire neighborhoods have been reduced to rubble, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. Approximately 1 million Palestinians had returned to Gaza City after earlier phases of the war, but their numbers are now rapidly decreasing. An Israeli army official estimated that 350,000 have fled. Gaza’s Government Media Office stated that 350,000 were displaced within the city, and 190,000 have left entirely.
For those fleeing, conditions in the south remain dire. Al-Mawasi camp, already overcrowded with families displaced from Rafah and Khan Younis, has itself come under Israeli bombardment, leaving displaced civilians with very few safe options.
