Israel Forces Gazans to Flee by Demolishing Homes in Zeytun Neighborhood

Kokcha News Agency – The Israeli military has been carrying out widespread destruction in the Zeytun neighborhood of Gaza City for the past five days, using explosive-laden robots and intense bombardment to force thousands of Palestinians to flee.

The neighborhood has been subjected to heavy bombing during Israeli attacks, which have destroyed large areas. The Israeli army has also occupied significant parts of the neighborhood, establishing so-called “buffer zones” in the Gaza Strip.

According to local sources, Israeli forces have been systematically blowing up Palestinian homes in the southern parts of the neighborhood using explosive-laden robots. These attacks are being carried out simultaneously with heavy artillery shelling and random gunfire.

Israeli warplanes have reportedly conducted intense attacks along 8th Street, a major artery in the neighborhood, and targeted different areas of the neighboring Sabra neighborhood, resulting in widespread destruction and significant material losses.

Dozens of Palestinians Killed in the Attacks
Over the past five days, dozens of Palestinians, including women and children, have been killed in Israeli attacks that were carried out without warning. Some families were completely wiped out.

Due to the attacks, many Palestinians have fled to the central and western areas of Gaza City, while others remain trapped in dangerous areas where ambulances and civil defense teams are struggling to reach them.

“The Situation is Literally a Disaster”
Husni Muhenna, spokesperson for the Gaza Municipality, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that “the Zeytun neighborhood is experiencing its worst days since the beginning of the current escalation due to intense and continuous Israeli bombardment, which has caused hundreds of homes to be damaged and put residents in grave danger.”

Muhenna described the situation in Gaza’s largest neighborhood as “literally a disaster,” noting that a massive wave of displacement is underway under Israeli bombardment.

He explained that residents are living under the weight of systematic destruction and attacks, stating:

“The occupation forces (Israel) are completely blowing up homes and using explosive-laden robots to enter narrow streets and crowded areas in the neighborhood. Civilians’ homes and vital infrastructure are being targeted. The attacks are causing entire apartment blocks to collapse and turn into rubble. The demolition operations are sequential and violent, accompanied by military (Israeli) bulldozers that level the remaining buildings. This leaves behind vast areas that are completely destroyed and devoid of life.”

Muhenna added that Israel’s continued actions are part of plans to wipe out entire neighborhoods, emphasizing that the events in Zeytun constitute comprehensive destruction and amount to war crimes under international law.

Israel Demolished 300 Homes in 3 Days
Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Civil Defense Directorate in Gaza, had earlier reported on Wednesday that Israeli forces were intensifying their occupation attacks in the Zeytun neighborhood of Gaza City.

Basal stated that the Israeli army was targeting civilian settlements, particularly buildings with five or more floors, and that the explosives used were also destroying surrounding structures.

He revealed that Israel had completely demolished 300 homes in the area within three days, with some houses collapsing while residents were still inside, resulting in deaths.

Basal noted that the Israeli army was carrying out demolitions without warning, and the intense attacks were preventing civil defense teams from reaching the wounded.

Israel’s Decision to Occupy Gaza City
The Israeli Security Cabinet approved a plan on August 8 to occupy Gaza City in the northern Gaza Strip.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an interview with Fox News before the cabinet meeting, stated that the goal was to occupy the entire Gaza Strip.

However, reports in the media prior to the cabinet meeting indicated that the occupation would be carried out in phases, starting with Gaza City and later extending to refugee camps in the central Gaza Strip.