GAZA CITY, Palestine \/ ISTANBUL<\/p>\n
More than 6,000 civilians were displaced by Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City on Saturday, as Tel Aviv pressed ahead with an offensive to occupy the city, Gaza\u2019s Civil Defense said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMore than 6,000 civilians have been left homeless after their homes were targeted today,\u201d spokesperson Mahmoud Basal said in a statement.<\/p>\n
The Isralei army escalated bombardment of Gaza City since early Saturday, targeting homes, residential towers and three schools belonging to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).<\/p>\n
Basal said the attacks on homes were staged without prior warning, leading to the death of dozens of civilians.<\/p>\n
\u201cResidents of Gaza City are now living in extremely difficult conditions under the ongoing siege and bombardment,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The spokesman warned that more than one million people, including thousands of children, are at risk of dying \u201cas a result of the current Israeli policies.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to the Gaza Government Media Office, nearly 1.3 million people are living in Gaza City, who are forced by Israel to evacuate towards Al-Mawasi, Khan Younis, where 800,000 people live without basic necessities.<\/p>\n
Since Aug. 11, the Israeli army has completely destroyed 1,600 towers and residential buildings in Gaza City, in addition to 13,000 tents, causing the displacement of more than 100,000, according to the media office.<\/p>\n
The vast majority of Gaza City residents are now crowded into the western neighborhoods of the city, which have witnessed concentrated and intense Israeli bombing since Friday.<\/p>\n
The Israeli campaign comes under \u201cGideon\u2019s Chariots 2,\u201d a ground operation launched Sept. 3 to occupy all of Gaza City. The push has stirred criticism inside Israel, with critics warning it could endanger the lives of soldiers and captives still held in the enclave.<\/p>\n
Israel\u2019s ongoing war on Gaza has killed more than 64,800 Palestinians since October 2023, and devastated the enclave, which faces famine.<\/p>\n
Israel is facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its war on the territory.<\/p>\n