Deadly bombardments and ground incursions force mass displacement as UN warns of genocide.
Gaza City has come under its heaviest Israeli assault in two years of war, forcing thousands of Palestinians to flee amid relentless airstrikes, ground operations, and mounting international condemnation. The United Nations has declared Israel’s campaign a genocide, as families struggle with displacement costs, dwindling options for safety, and fears they may never return.
Mass Exodus Under Fire
Columns of cars, donkey carts, and families on foot crowded Gaza’s al-Rashid coastal road, the only route designated by Israel for evacuation. Many carried only what they could afford, with residents reporting skyrocketing transport costs—up to 3,500 shekels (£735) for a ride south and 4,000 shekels (£840) for a tent. For those without means, walking or staying behind remained their only options.
Heavy Bombardments and Ground Push
On Tuesday alone, at least 91 people were killed in Gaza City, including passengers of a vehicle struck on the coastal road. Israeli strikes levelled 17 residential buildings and the Aybaki Mosque in Tuffah. The offensive, described by residents as “hell,” involved airstrikes, artillery, drones, and helicopter gunships. Overnight raids targeted al-Daraj, Sheikh Radwan, and the Beach refugee camp, leaving entire blocks destroyed.
Israeli Military Strategy
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Gaza City Hamas’s last stronghold, launching what he termed a “powerful operation.” Army spokesperson Effie Defrin admitted the offensive would take “several months” to secure the city, while tanks and explosive-laden robots pushed deeper into urban areas. Rights group Euro-Med Monitor reported that 15 such robots, each capable of demolishing 20 housing units, were deployed.
Civilian Struggles and Human Cost
Families recounted harrowing ordeals. Lina al-Maghrebi, a mother of three, said she sold her jewellery to pay for displacement after receiving a call from an Israeli officer ordering evacuation. Others, like Nivin Imad al-Din, left without furniture, unable to afford large trucks. Displaced residents described sleeping outside hospitals, facing overcrowded camps like al-Mawasi, which itself has been struck by Israeli fire.
UN Genocide Report and Global Response
The UN Commission of Inquiry concluded Tuesday that Israel’s war amounts to genocide, citing officials’ statements as evidence of “specific intent” to destroy Palestinians as a people. At least 64,964 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict began. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the offensive “morally, politically and legally intolerable,” while France, Ireland, and Germany condemned the campaign. Irish President Michael D Higgins urged cutting trade and UN membership for those “practising genocide.”
Divided International Reactions
While European governments pressed Israel to halt its campaign, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio signaled tacit support, saying negotiations with Hamas may not be possible. This divergence underscores growing global fractures over Israel’s war strategy and the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The escalation in Gaza City underscores both the catastrophic humanitarian toll and the deepening international divide over Israel’s actions. For Palestinians, displacement, loss, and survival dominate daily life; for regional actors including Indonesia and Singapore, the conflict highlights urgent questions about human rights, humanitarian response, and the future of peace in the Middle East.
Sources: Al Jazeera (2025) , BBC (2025)
Keywords: Gaza City Bombing, Israeli Assault, Palestinian Displacement, Genocide Report, United Nations, Netanyahu
