At least 60 Palestinians were killed on Saturday as Israel stepped up its longstanding offensive in Gaza City and wider Gaza Strip, health officials in Gaza said. The intensified assault targeted underground shafts and booby‑trapped structures, part of a broader demolition campaign that’s left many civilian high‑rise buildings destroyed.
Israeli forces, which already control the eastern suburbs of Gaza City, have focused recent attacks on neighbourhoods such as Sheikh Radwan and Tel Al‑Hawa, seen as key to pushing deeper into the city center and western districts. The military claims it has demolished up to 20 tower blocks in Gaza City over the past two weeks, contributing to the displacement of more than half a million people since early September. Gaza authorities, including Hamas, dispute these numbers, saying closer to 300,000 have fled while some 900,000 remain trapped, many without adequate shelter.
The assault comes amid a worsening humanitarian crisis. According to Gazan health authorities, more than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict intensified, with much of the population facing repeated displacement. Residential buildings, tents housing displaced families, and civilian infrastructure have been extensively damaged.
Amid the hostilities, the issue of humanitarian access has become contentious. Israel’s COGAT agency accused Hamas of firing on UN aid teams and obstructing opening of a new humanitarian route in southern Gaza. Hamas denied the claim, accusing “armed gangs” alongside Israeli firepower of looting and using aid trucks as targets.
International attention is being drawn to the situation as ten countries, including Australia, Britain, Belgium, and Canada, are set to formally recognise a Palestinian state. Their action is timed ahead of the upcoming UN General Assembly, where global leaders are expected to further scrutinise both the conflict and worsening conditions in Gaza.
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