Sat Sep 06 15:16:55 UTC 2025: ## Israeli Forces Intensify Destruction in Gaza City, Raising Fears of Forced Displacement
**Gaza City** – The Israeli military is systematically demolishing infrastructure in Gaza City as it advances to seize control of the urban center, prompting widespread panic and condemnation. In the latest escalation, the 15-story Soussi Tower was bombed on Saturday after residents were given short notice to evacuate.
The Israeli military claims the targeted buildings were used by Hamas for intelligence gathering, but Gaza’s Government Media Office refuted the claims, calling them a deceptive justification for targeting civilians and infrastructure. They estimate that 90% of Gaza’s infrastructure has been destroyed.
“These attacks are causing panic amongst the people, especially considering the time they are given to evacuate. Half an hour or an hour is not enough time for people to escape from these buildings,” reported Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud from Gaza City.
The bombing follows a similar destruction of the 12-story Mushtaha Tower on Friday. At least 68 Palestinians were killed and 362 wounded across the Gaza Strip in the past day, according to the enclave’s Ministry of Health.
The dire humanitarian situation is worsening. The Ministry of Health reports that 23 aid seekers were killed and 143 wounded by Israeli forces. At least six more Palestinians died of Israeli-induced starvation, bringing the total number of starvation deaths during nearly two years of war to 382, including 135 children.
Despite the designation of areas like al-Mawasi as “humanitarian zones,” reports indicate these areas have been repeatedly bombed, resulting in civilian casualties. A recent Israeli airstrike on a tent housing displaced people in al-Mawasi killed at least two Palestinians and wounded many more.
Palestinians returning to areas where Israeli forces have withdrawn, like the Zeitoun neighborhood, find widespread devastation. Residents describe entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble, with homes, roads, and infrastructure destroyed.
“What we have built in 50 years was flattened in five days,” said resident Aqeel Kishko. “Nothing remains standing – buildings, roads and infrastructure. We are walking not only on ruins but also on dead bodies of our loved ones.”
The ongoing destruction and rising death toll have intensified international criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza. The UN and various human rights organizations have called for an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access to the besieged enclave.
*Note: Casualty figures and other statistics are as reported by the sources cited in the original text.*
First Piper 