What’s Really Happening in Gaza City? The truth about the high-rise attacks

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched an airstrike on a high-rise building in Gaza City on Sunday, the latest in a series of targeted operations as the military ramps up pressure on the northern part of the strip. The IDF stated the building was used by Hamas for intelligence gathering and as an observation post to monitor Israeli troops.

Prior to the strike, the military issued specific evacuation warnings for residents in the Gaza Port area and the southern al-Rimal neighborhood, directing civilians to relocate to designated safe zones. According to the IDF's Arabic-language spokesperson, the military continues to act against what it calls Hamas's systematic exploitation of civilian infrastructure as human shields.

The airstrike is part of a broader multi-front effort in the Gaza City region. The IDF reported that ground combat teams from the Givati Brigade killed over a dozen terrorists in Jabaliya, while the 401st Brigade dismantled terror infrastructure and neutralized around ten Hamas operatives in the Sheikh Radwan area.

While the IDF has cited military necessity for the destruction of high-rises, analysts suggest the tactics also serve a broader strategic purpose. The ongoing strikes on multi-story buildings appear designed to increase the flow of civilians evacuating southward, a key objective of the military's campaign to clear the city ahead of a potential ground offensive.

The military's campaign has already led to a mass displacement of residents. As of Saturday, security officials estimate that more than 280,000 Gazans have fled the city, abandoning their homes amid the escalating strikes.