Israel steps up strikes on high-rise buildings in Gaza Strip
Illustrative photo: Israel intensifies strikes on high-rise buildings in the Gaza Strip (Getty Images)
Israeli forces have intensified their campaign of demolishing high-rise buildings in Gaza, triggering mass displacement of residents and drawing criticism from international organizations, according to a publication by the Reuters news agency.
At the beginning of September, Israeli aircraft struck the 15-story Mushtaha tower in Gaza. The incident marked the launch of a wide-ranging campaign to destroy residential high-rises ahead of a ground offensive. According to the Israeli army, such buildings were being used by Hamas, but hundreds of families were left homeless.
Gaza resident Shadi Salama al-Rayyes, who had been paying a mortgage on his apartment for decades, said he was forced to leave his home for the safety of his children. "I never thought I would leave Gaza City, but the explosions are non-stop," Al-Rayyes said on Wednesday. "I can't risk the safety of my children, so I am packing up and will leave for the south."
Since the start of the month, up to 20 towers have been destroyed in different districts, including Zeitoun, Tuffah, Shejaiya, and Sheikh Radwan. Damage has also been confirmed by satellite imagery.
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights stated that the forced displacement of residents could amount to ethnic cleansing.
Israeli military officials insist the goal of the campaign is to dismantle Hamas infrastructure and free hostages. Army spokesman Nadav Shoshani said: "There's no strategy to flatten Gaza." International experts, however, consider the destruction of residential neighborhoods a potential war crime.
Humanitarian organizations report that more than half of Gaza’s buildings have been destroyed. The housing and food situation is critical, and evacuations are taking place amid widespread panic.
The European Commission has presented a plan of measures aimed at pressuring Israel over its military actions in Gaza and the worsening humanitarian situation.
Meanwhile, Greta Thunberg has organized a humanitarian flotilla that set sail from Barcelona toward the Gaza Strip. This is the activist’s second attempt to break the maritime blockade of the Palestinian enclave and deliver aid to residents.
