September 17, 2025 | 08:02 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Thousands of Palestinian residents have begun to leave Gaza City amid an intense Israeli bombardment, which marks the most brutal phase in the two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas.
"Gaza is burning," said Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, as reported by Al Jazeera. Images show long lines of vans and donkey carts, along with people on foot carrying their last possessions, traveling down al-Rashid Street on the coast. Black smoke from the devastated city rises in the background.
At the start of Israel's attack on Gaza, many residents vowed to stay in the city. However, the intensification of the attacks, including deadly bombings that have caused tall buildings to collapse and destroyed homes and civilian infrastructure, has forced them to flee. Those who can are traveling south, despite having no guarantee of safety.
On Tuesday, the military killed at least 91 people in the city. Health authorities reported that one of the bombs hit a vehicle carrying people trying to escape on the coastal road.
At least 17 residential buildings in the city were destroyed, including the Aybaki Mosque in the Tuffah neighborhood, which was targeted by Israeli warplanes. As bombs fell, the Israeli military continued to destroy areas in the north, south, and east of the city with explosive-laden robots.
Earlier this month, the human rights group Euro-Med Monitor stated that the military had deployed 15 robots, each capable of destroying up to 20 housing units.
Approximately one million Palestinian residents were reported to have returned to Gaza City to live among the ruins after the Israeli attacks two years ago. Reports vary regarding how many still remain.
An Israeli military official estimated on Tuesday that about 350,000 people have been displaced, while the Gaza Government Media Office stated that 350,000 people fled to the center and west of the city, with 190,000 having left the city entirely.
The Government Media Office also noted a reverse trend in displacement, stating on Tuesday that 15,000 people had returned to Gaza City after witnessing terrible conditions in al-Mawasi.
As people fled, the Israeli military released aerial footage showing a large number of tanks and other armored vehicles advancing towards Gaza City. The Israeli military acknowledged on Tuesday that it would take several months to gain control of the city.
"No matter how long it takes, we will operate in Gaza," said military spokesperson Effie Defrin, as battles raged in the enclave's largest city.
According to medical sources, at least 106 people have died in Gaza since dawn on Tuesday.
UN Accuses Israel of Deliberate Genocide
The United Nations Human Rights Chief, Volker Turk, stated on Tuesday that the evidence of genocide occurring in Gaza is becoming increasingly clear.
"We see the piling up of war crime after war crime after war crime, of crime against humanity, and potentially even more," Turk said, as reported by Al Arabiya. "It’s for the court to decide whether it’s genocide or not, and we see the evidence mounting."
Turk's remarks followed the release of a report from an independent UN investigative team, which concluded that Israel had committed genocide in its war in Gaza.
Turk also condemned Israel's ground assault on Gaza City, deeming it unacceptable. "It is absolutely clear that this carnage must stop," he declared, emphasizing that the genocide must be halted.
"I can only think of what it means for women, malnourished children, for people with disabilities, if they are again attacked in this way," he added.
Editor’s Choice: Israel Has Committed Genocide in Gaza, UN Commission Says
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