Israeli Airstrikes Intensify in Gaza City Amid Mass Evacuations

Israeli forces have intensified airstrikes in Gaza City, targeting multiple high-rise buildings and prompting mass evacuations. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that over 300,000 Palestinians have fled the city, which had a pre-offensive population of approximately one million. The military's objective is to capture Gaza City, considered a stronghold of Hamas.

On Sunday, the IDF struck three tall buildings in Gaza City after issuing evacuation warnings. Among these was a university building that Israel stated was being used by Hamas. Residents reported that the Kawthar tower in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood was flattened about an hour after an IDF warning, with no immediate reports of casualties. The military indicated that Hamas had placed surveillance equipment in the building to monitor IDF troop movements.

In the afternoon, Palestinian media showed footage of a strike against the Mahna Tower high-rise, also in Tel al-Hawa, following an IDF evacuation warning. Shortly afterward, the al-Munawwarah City building on the Islamic University of Gaza campus was destroyed. The IDF stated that Hamas had established observation posts in these buildings to track troop movements and plan attacks.

Hospitals in Gaza reported that Israeli strikes killed at least 13 people on Sunday. The Hamas-controlled health ministry claimed that two Palestinian adults died from malnutrition-related causes in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 422 deaths, including 145 children, since the war began. Israel denies the presence of starvation in Gaza and asserts that measures taken in July have facilitated the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid, stabilizing food prices.

The IDF confirmed that dozens of terror operatives were killed in airstrikes over the past 24 hours. In Jabalia and on the outskirts of Gaza City, the Givati Infantry Brigade reportedly killed more than 10 operatives and destroyed Hamas infrastructure. The 215th Artillery Regiment also targeted weapon depots. In the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, the 401st Armored Brigade led a strike that killed at least 10 Hamas operatives.

Water supply to the southern Gaza Strip via a pipeline from Israel has resumed following repairs carried out by international organizations, according to Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT). The Bani Suheila pipeline, near Khan Younis, is one of three water lines from Israel to Gaza. COGAT stated that with the line operational again, approximately 14,000 cubic meters of water are being delivered daily to Palestinians in Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis, and the Mawasi area on the coast.

The United Nations and aid groups have expressed concern that the mass displacement of hundreds of thousands of people will exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Sites in southern Gaza, designated by Israel as humanitarian zones, are reportedly overcrowded, and many displaced individuals lack the financial means to relocate.

Displaced Gazans have reported instances where they were prevented from setting up tents in certain areas of the southern Strip. A video circulating on social media showed a man claiming he was shot at when attempting to set up a tent north of Khan Younis. It was unclear who was responsible for the attack. Another resident reported that Hamas members blocked displaced residents from setting up tents, arguing the land was "government property."

The IDF has named several Hamas commanders killed in the past month, including Yousef Jumaa, the commander of a terror cell that raided Kibbutz Alumim on October 7, 2023. Other operatives killed include Samir Laqta, Issa Abbas, and members of Hamas's Beit Hanoun Battalion.

The ongoing conflict has drawn international attention, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visiting Israel to discuss the situation. Rubio's trip aims to reaffirm U.S.-Israeli ties and seek pathways to resolve the Gaza conflict, while also balancing relationships with Qatar—a key mediator. The recent Israeli airstrike in Doha targeting Hamas leadership has complicated ceasefire negotiations and prompted backlash from Arab and Muslim nations.

An Arab-Islamic summit is set to take place in Doha to express unified support for Qatar following the Israeli strike. A draft resolution criticizes the attack as a destabilizing act and rejects Israeli efforts to alter regional dynamics, though it stops short of proposing concrete retaliatory measures. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani reaffirmed Doha's commitment to mediation alongside Egypt and the U.S. in the ongoing Gaza conflict.

Turkey has voiced serious concerns that it may become Israel's next target following the airstrike in Qatar. Turkish officials, including Defense Ministry spokesman Rear Adm. Zeki Akturk, have condemned the strike, warning of regional destabilization. Relations between Israel and Turkey have significantly deteriorated since the 2000s and worsened further after the 2023 Gaza war.

Qatar strongly condemned Israel ahead of the pivotal summit of Arab and Muslim foreign ministers in Doha, following the Israeli strike that killed five Hamas leaders and a Qatari security officer. Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani labeled the attack as "state terrorism," accusing Israel of undermining Qatar's role as a mediator in the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The situation in Gaza remains dire, with over 64,000 Palestinians reported killed since the conflict escalated after Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. The humanitarian crisis continues to worsen, with mass displacement, rising malnutrition deaths, and limited access to essential services.