Gaza strip- September 8,2025
Israel Intensifies Gaza City Destruction, Bombs Another High-Rise Tower. The Israeli military has destroyed yet another high-rise building in Gaza City, the third such tower to be leveled in as many days. The systematic bombing of residential and commercial towers comes as Israel intensifies its offensive to seize the largest urban center in the Gaza Strip. The attacks have triggered mass displacement and are compounding a humanitarian crisis that has seen Gaza City confirmed to be in a state of famine.
Headline Points:
* Systematic Destruction: Israel has destroyed at least three high-rise buildings—the Soussi Tower, the Mushtaha Tower, and the Al-Ra’iya Tower—in Gaza City over the past three days as part of its intensified offensive.
* Justification and Counter-Claims: The Israeli military claims the buildings were used by Hamas for intelligence-gathering, surveillance, and to plan attacks. Hamas and residents have denied these claims, calling them a pretext to justify the bombing of civilian infrastructure.
* Humanitarian Crisis Deepens: The destruction of the buildings is forcing residents and displaced families to flee, with thousands now heading south. The UN has confirmed that Gaza City is in a state of famine and that a significant portion of the city’s young children are acutely malnourished.
* Global Condemnation: The bombing of residential towers has drawn strong international condemnation, with the UN human rights chief and other international bodies raising concerns about the mass killing of Palestinian civilians and the destruction of a city already on the brink of collapse.
* Displacement and Chaos: The attacks have created widespread panic, with residents scrambling to find safety, often with nowhere to go. Roads leading south from the city are packed with people attempting to escape the bombardment.
The latest attack on Sunday leveled the Al-Ra’iya Tower, a seven-story building that had been home to hundreds of displaced Palestinians. The bombing came shortly after an evacuation order from the Israeli military, which claimed, without providing evidence, that Hamas was using the building for military activities. This follows a similar pattern of destruction seen on Friday and Saturday, when the 12-story Mushtaha Tower and the 15-story Soussi Tower were reduced to rubble.
The Israeli military has doubled down on its strategy of targeting high-rises, arguing that the buildings are being utilized by Hamas for surveillance and other military purposes. Defence Minister Israel Katz posted a video of one of the attacks on social media, writing that Israel was “continuing” its campaign. However, Palestinian officials and residents on the ground have consistently rejected these claims. One Palestinian man, who had to flee his home in the Soussi Tower, told Al Jazeera, “We quickly left the building without bringing anything with us. The Israelis attacked the building half an hour later.”
The ongoing destruction of infrastructure is exacerbating the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza City. The UN’s Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has confirmed that famine is now a reality in the city, with more than 28% of children under five suffering from acute malnutrition. Aid organizations have reported that the military operations, including the systematic leveling of buildings, are making it nearly impossible to deliver lifesaving aid. UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, stated that it has not been allowed to bring humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip for almost six months.
The international community has reacted with growing alarm. The UN human rights chief, Volker Türk, has condemned Israel for the “mass killing of Palestinian civilians” and “hindering of sufficient lifesaving aid,” saying the country has a case to answer before the International Court of Justice. As Israel pushes forward with its offensive, the humanitarian toll is mounting, and the future of Gaza City remains in peril.
