Airstrike by Israel demolishes a tower block in Gaza City

In the latest developments, the Israeli military has intensified its operations in Gaza City, expanding its forces and bombardments on the outskirts of the city. This comes after a series of airstrikes that have left a trail of destruction in their wake.

According to reports, the Israeli military struck a high-rise building in Gaza City, which was reportedly being used by Hamas to advance and execute attacks against Israeli troops in the area. The organization allegedly located within the fought buildings is Hamas, as stated by the Israeli military.

The Israeli military's goal is to capture Gaza City, the Palestinian territory's largest urban center, after nearly two years of devastating war. However, the conflict seems far from over, as some Gazans refuse to leave their homes despite Israel claiming control over 40% of the city.

The Israeli military's statement did not provide any update on the overall situation or progress of the conflict in Gaza. It did mention that precautionary measures were taken before Friday's strike to mitigate harm to civilians, including prior warnings.

The United Nations estimates that nearly one million people live in the area of Gaza City that was struck. Tragically, Gaza's civil defence agency reports that Israeli strikes killed 19 people on Friday in and around Gaza City. The Israeli military's statement did not mention any civilian casualties or damage to civilian infrastructure resulting from the strikes.

The Israeli Defence Minister, Israel Katz, stated that "the bolt has now been removed from the gates of hell in Gaza". Yet, the Israeli military's statement did not provide specific details about the timing or location of the planned strikes.

Residents like Ahmed Abu Wutfa, a resident of western Gaza City, are living in fear. Ahmed lives in a partially destroyed fifth-floor apartment and is scared due to the ongoing strikes. His children are terrified, and he fears there is no safe place, hoping for a quick death.

The Israeli military plans to strike structures converted into terrorist infrastructure in Gaza City, including cameras, observation command centers, sniper and anti-tank firing positions, and command-and-control compounds. However, the Israeli military's statement did not provide any evidence to support its claims about Hamas terrorist activity in the identified structures.

As of now, there has been no response from Hamas or any other Palestinian group regarding the strikes. The situation remains tense, with both sides showing no signs of backing down. The hope for a peaceful resolution to this conflict continues to elude the people of Gaza City.