ANKARA

The Israeli army on Friday destroyed the Al-Safadi Tower and nearby residential buildings in Gaza City’s Al-Nasr neighborhood, an Anadolu correspondent reported, citing witnesses.

The airstrikes caused widespread destruction in the densely populated area, displacing scores of families and triggering fires that spread panic among residents.

The attack occurred on the seventh day of Israel’s campaign to demolish high-rise buildings under its ongoing military operation “Gideon’s Chariots 2,” which began on Sept. 5.

At least eight residential towers taller than seven stories and dozens of apartment blocks have already been leveled across Gaza City.

Gaza’s Civil Defense said Israel’s strikes deliberately target residential clusters “to push families toward displacement, regardless of the catastrophic humanitarian conditions they face.”

It added that many families warned to evacuate struggle to find alternative shelter and often return to damaged homes within hours, risking their lives amid collapsing structures.

The Israeli army has repeatedly ordered displaced civilians to move to the southern Al-Mawasi area, designated as a “safe humanitarian zone,” though it too has come under airstrikes.

On Sept. 3, the Israeli army formally declared its intention to seize all of Gaza City after more than three weeks of bombardment, a move that has sparked internal criticism in Israel for the risks to soldiers and captives.

Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that “the gates of hell are opening on Gaza” as the operation intensified.

Human Rights Watch reported last month that Israel has destroyed nearly 90% of Gaza’s infrastructure since October 2023, including homes, schools, and public services, leaving most displaced families with nowhere to shelter except overcrowded classrooms and damaged university buildings.

The Israeli army has continued a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip, killing more than 64,700 Palestinians since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.