The Israeli military has intensified its campaign in Gaza City, deploying explosive robots and remote-controlled vehicles to demolish densely populated urban areas. Once considered safe havens for displaced families, many of these neighborhoods have now been reduced to rubble. Residents report that entire blocks of buildings are being detonated overnight, often without warning, leaving many buried and missing beneath the debris.
The offensive, which expanded last month, has forced the vast majority of Palestinians to flee towards Gaza’s western coastal road, the only route left open to the south. Survivors describe the journey as exhausting and perilous, with constant threats from air strikes and shelling.
In recent weeks, the destruction has shifted from high-rise towers to entire districts, making it increasingly difficult for civilians to find safety. Gaza’s once-crowded urban centers have eroded into flattened landscapes, erasing spaces that previously sheltered forcibly displaced families.
Beyond Gaza City, targeted attacks have continued in the south. According to reports, three civilians were killed in an Israeli strike on a vehicle east of Khan Younis. A separate drone attack on al-Mawasi—the area Israel labels a “humanitarian safe zone”—killed a young girl and injured several others. Local news agency Wafa said homes in the Nassr and Sabra neighborhoods were also hit by remote explosives and air strikes.
Meanwhile, Hamas political bureau member Mohammed Nazzal told Al Jazeera that the group is reviewing a U.S.-backed proposal aimed at ending the war. The plan, announced by former U.S. President Donald Trump, calls for halting the offensive, releasing captives, and establishing governance in Gaza. Nazzal emphasized that Hamas would respond based on the interests of the Palestinian people, not under external pressure.
With vast sections of Gaza reduced to rubble and the humanitarian crisis deepening, international attention now turns to whether a ceasefire deal can emerge before further devastation unfolds.
