Israeli forces have significantly escalated their bombardment of Gaza City, leading to a single-day death toll of 49, Al Jazeera reports.
The intensified attacks on Saturday saw Israeli forces systematically level buildings, including United Nations-run schools that had been converted into shelters for displaced civilians.
The 49 casualties in Gaza City contributed to a total of 62 Palestinians killed across the strip on that day.
The Palestinian Civil Defence reported that the relentless airstrikes forced more than 6,000 people to flee their homes in the city, adding to the growing humanitarian crisis.
"Residents of Gaza City are now living in extremely difficult conditions under the continuous siege and bombardment," said Mahmoud Basal, a spokesman for the agency.
Israeli forces launched strikes in rapid succession on Gaza City, according to witnesses, in a bid to clear the urban centre for takeover, dropping leaflets warning starving and terrified Palestinians to flee for their lives.
Al Jazeera's Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City, said that Israeli fighter jets were dropping bombs "every 10 to 15 minutes" on residential buildings and public facilities, often failing to give people sufficient time to evacuate to safety.
"The pace and pattern of the attacks suggest one thing: The Israeli army is deliberately putting extreme pressure on places that are densely populated with displaced families," he said, adding that displaced people were now concentrated in the city's western flank.
But, he added, even as the military pummels the city, many residents are staying put or even returning after attempting the journey south to the "crammed and under-resourced" camp of al-Mawasi, where Israel has been frequently striking shelters.
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