TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Israeli military on Friday, September 5, 2025, bombed a residential building in western Gaza City, a densely populated area where tens of thousands of civilians have sought shelter. The strike affected hundreds of Palestinian residents who were taking refuge in the building.
The targeted building, known as the Mushtaha Tower, sustained severe damage across multiple floors. Thick smoke was seen billowing from the area, as reported by an Anadolu correspondent and cited by Antara.
According to local sources, the Israeli military has bombed the same building four times since its genocide in Gaza began on October 7, 2023.
The Mushtaha Tower is adjacent to the Kteiba Camp, one of the largest displacement camps in Gaza, which houses tens of thousands of people. The surrounding area, near Al Azhar University and the Islamic University, is also filled with thousands of tents, accommodating countless refugees.
In total, the western area of Gaza now houses approximately one million refugees, most of whom are from the eastern and northern parts of the territory.
The management of Mushtaha Tower denied Israel's allegations. "The building is free of any military or security installations and serves solely as shelter for displaced Palestinians," they stated. "All floors were open and exposed, containing no light or heavy weapons."
Local residents expressed shock at Israel's claims. "I no longer have a home. What is our crime that the Israeli army destroys our houses in front of our eyes?" Obadah Saifuddin, a resident of the tower, told Anadolu.
Another resident, Nidal Abu Ali, added, "I sought refuge in the tower with my family to protect my children, but Israel has left no safe place in Gaza."
Israeli Escalation and Justification
The Israeli military has announced plans to target several multi-story buildings in Gaza in the coming days and has issued evacuation orders for residents in affected areas.
Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee claimed that intelligence reports indicated that Hamas had "military infrastructure" inside these buildings.
According to Channel 12, the Israeli Air Force has begun a phased operation to destroy buildings across Gaza, marking an expansion of its military operations in the city.
Israeli forces also dropped leaflets in the Sheikh Radwan area of Gaza City, instructing residents to vacate certain blocks and stating that the military "continues to expand its operations westward. Move south from Gaza City immediately."
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that a multi-story building in Gaza had received an early evacuation notice, with a warning that military activity would escalate if Hamas did not comply with demands, including the release of hostages and disarmament.
Crimes against Humanity
The Palestinian resistance group Hamas condemned Katz's decision to expand the military operation, calling it "an unprecedented challenge to international laws and humanitarian norms."
"It constitutes a public admission of criminal intentions to destroy a populated city and coerce its civilians under threats and brutal massacres, while committing acts of genocide, destroying neighborhoods, and forcibly displacing its residents," Hamas stated.
"The targeting of residential towers, crowded with residents and displaced people, by the fascist occupation army is part of its criminal attempts to pressure the city's residents into forced displacement – a policy that amounts to a crime against humanity."
On August 18, 2025, Hamas accepted a ceasefire proposal from Egyptian and Qatari mediators, but Israel did not respond. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly ordered the plan to occupy Gaza City to continue.
Tel Aviv estimates that nearly 50 Israeli hostages are still held in Gaza, including 20 who are believed to be alive. Meanwhile, more than 10,400 Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons have reportedly suffered torture, hunger, and medical neglect, leading to many deaths, according to media reports and human rights organizations.
The Israeli genocide in Gaza reached its 700th day on Friday, September 5, 2025, with more than 64,000 Palestinian casualties. The Israeli military campaign has devastated the area, which now faces the threat of starvation.
Last November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former defense chief Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide lawsuit at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its actions in the region.
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