High-Rise Buildings in Gaza City Crumble under Intense Assault
Several high-rise buildings in Gaza City have been reduced to rubble as the city undergoes significant destruction. The Civil Defence team of Palestine reports that a minimum of 50 multistorey buildings have been leveled recently as the city comes under relentless assault. Concurrently, forced evacuations are also underway.
Various neighborhoods in the city are witnessing near-total annihilation. For instance, in the Zeitoun zone of Gaza City alone, around 1,500 homes and other buildings have vanished since early August, leaving some sections of the district barren.
Movement of Residents Towards Southern Gaza
Witnesses in Gaza City have observed residents gradually moving towards the southern and central parts of the Gaza Strip. However, many are returning due to an inability to find adequate shelter. The only accessible routes to the south are Salah al-Din Street and the coastal al-Rashid Street. However, these paths are fraught with danger as snipers patrol Salah al-Din and al-Rashid is overflowing with displaced families living in tents.
Regrettably, there seems to be no safe haven in Gaza, including the "humanitarian zone" located in the southern coastal area of al-Mawasi.
Devastation Revealed in Satellite Images
Satellite images from September depict the extent of the damage, with entire neighborhoods flattened and critical infrastructure like hospitals, schools, places of worship, and homes either severely damaged or completely destroyed.
Gaza Neighborhoods Suffering Major Damage
- Sheikh Radwan: This densely populated area, known for its crowded markets and narrow streets, has suffered intense military operations recently. Refugees seeking shelter here have been met with tanks advancing into the area and setting fires.
- Remal: Home to key landmarks, including Gaza's largest hospital and the main seaport. Recent attacks have resulted in the destruction of several high-rise residential and office buildings in Remal.
- Tuffah: Known for its bustling markets, schools, and community spaces, Tuffah has been targeted with multiple air strikes and ground operations, leaving entire sections of the once vibrant neighborhood in rubble.
- Sabra: More than 1,000 buildings have been destroyed in this neighborhood since the start of the sustained assault on the city.
- Zeitoun: Once a thriving neighborhood known for its busy markets and tight-knit community, Zeitoun is now unrecognizable with entire blocks flattened.
- Shujayea: This residential and commercial hub has been particularly vulnerable due to its proximity to areas of intense bombardment and ground incursions.
- Beit Lahiya: This area, once known for its strawberry fields, now lies barren as heavy machinery has razed the fields.
- Beit Hanoon: This area remains one of the most devastated in the ongoing conflict, with the closure of the crossing with Israel exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
- Jabalia: This densely populated refugee camp, home to several UN-run schools, has been repeatedly hit, with schools now serving as shelters for displaced families.