IDF on Friday destroyed a high-rise tower in a densely populated part of Gaza City as part of its campaign to seize control of the capital, after Israel's Defence Minister, Israel Katz on X said "gates of hell are opening" in Gaza.
The Israeli military ordered people in Mushtaha Tower, a 12-storey building located on the western side of Gaza City, to evacuate, and later struck the building, claiming it was "Hamas infrastructure", reports Al Jazeera.
The building was surrounded by hundreds of makeshift tents, and the building's management said the site was only accessible to displaced people.
Al Jazeera's Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Deir el-Balah, said a number of civilians were wounded in the Israeli attack on the 12-storey tower and were transported to al-Shifa Hospital to receive emergency treatment.
"The shock wave of the attack spread over the entire area, triggering chaos. A number of makeshift tents have been affected by the attack, which signals a new phase of the Israeli military campaign," he said.
'Gates of hell are opening'
Prior to the attack on the tower, Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said on X that Israel's military activity in Gaza City is intensifying.
He said the "gates of hell are opening now" in Gaza and warned that they will not be closed until Hamas "accepts Israel's conditions for ending the war – led by the release of all the hostages and disarmament".
Reporting from Gaza City, Al Jazeera's Hani Mahmoud said Israel's attacks on high-rises in the region are not yet over.
The Israeli army issued a forced evacuation order for people living in Gaza City's largest residential building on Friday evening, he said.
"We're talking about a 16-storey building that houses at least 65 residential apartments and lots of department stores at the bottom of this residential tower," Mahmoud said.
Military analyst Elijah Magnier told Al Jazeera that Israel is targeting high-rise buildings in Gaza to minimise its potential troop casualties when they advance on the ground, while also spreading "panic and fear" among the civilian population.
"This is a preparation to occupy Gaza City," he said.
On Friday, an Israeli military spokesperson claimed that Israel controls 40% of Gaza City.
Israeli forces killed at least 51 people across Gaza on Friday, with at least seven children killed in attacks in Gaza City alone.
Al Jazeera's Khoudary said Palestinians have begun heading south due to the attacks in Gaza City.
"Tents have been filling up in az-Zawayda, al-Mawasi, Khan Younis and Deir el-Balah," she said.
"Palestinians must either survive by going south or stay in Gaza City – and we do not know what's going to happen if they stay. There's fear and desperation here."
Palestinian and United Nations officials, however, say nowhere is safe in Gaza, including areas Israel designates as humanitarian zones.
Since the start of Israel's war in October 2023, at least 64,231 people have been killed and 161,583 wounded across Gaza. A total of 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the October 7 attacks, and about 200 were taken captive.
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