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) said about 250,000 people had left the city and moved south. It also said it had destroyed a high-rise building used to advance and execute terrorist attacks against its troops.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Gaza City is Hamas's last major stronghold. However, this plan has drawn international criticism.
The UN warned that the escalation of the offensive on a territory where famine has already been declared could push civilians into an even deeper crisis. Gaza City, known as the largest urban center in the area, holds significant historical and political importance for Palestinians.
Residents claim that the Israeli military has targeted schools and makeshift shelters, often providing only minutes of warning before bombardments. This has forced many families to flee in darkness towards western parts of Gaza.
Saly Tafeesh, a mother sheltering in the city, expressed her terror: 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.
The Israeli military has urged civilians to head south, but many families find the journey financially unfeasible, with costs reaching up to $1,100 (£800). Hamas has reinforced appeals for people to remain in the city, insisting on resistance.
Rubein Khaled, a father of nine preparing to move south, voiced his frustration, stating: 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.
As the situation evolves, some eastern neighborhoods have remained relatively untouched, yet the current Israeli efforts suggest a move to dismantle entire districts.
The day following recent strikes, the Hamas-run health ministry announced that 47 people killed by Israeli actions had been received in local hospitals. Since the declaration of famine on August 22, reports revealed that at least 142 individuals have succumbed to starvation and malnutrition within the territory.
Meanwhile, a Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson condemned Netanyahu's leadership amid the ongoing conflict. The spokesman pointed out that Israel’s recent military actions could further frustrate diplomatic efforts.
On the international front, the fallout from military escalations and efforts to negotiate peace continue to develop as global attention remains fixated on the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.
