"Children Turned to Shreds": Destruction Looms Over Gaza City

Gaza City is rapidly turning into rubble and ruins as the Israeli military expands its ground operations, a move that has been accompanied by a vow from Defense Minister Yisrael Katz to completely destroy the city. The humanitarian crisis is escalating, with eyewitnesses describing horrific scenes of destruction. One resident, Abu Abd Zaqout, poignantly stated, "We pulled out children after they had turned into shreds," a stark and shocking account of the devastation impacting civilians, especially children.

The relentless Israeli aerial and artillery strikes are leaving a growing number of victims trapped under the debris of their homes. A local resident emphasized that most of the demolished homes were inhabited, with "a large number of civilians under the rubble screaming," highlighting the profound tragedy unfolding. Ahmed Ghazal, a 25-year-old resident of Gaza City, described the situation as "very heavy bombardment that has not stopped and the danger is increasing." He recounted a Tuesday morning explosion that "shook the ground in a terrifying way," which targeted a residential block, completely destroying three homes and underscoring the targeting of civilian areas.

Amidst this chaos, the Israeli army announced the opening of a temporary evacuation route for residents from Gaza to the south via Salah al-Din Street. However, options for residents remain limited. Thousands are refusing to leave the city for fear of the unknown, while others are forced to flee under Israeli fire, despite warnings from residents that there are no safe places in the south.

Mahmoud Bassal, spokesperson for the Gaza Civil Defense, confirmed that the number of casualties and injuries is steadily rising due to the heavy bombardment. These developments come as an independent international commission of inquiry mandated by the United Nations accused Israel of committing "genocide" in the devastated Palestinian territory. This is the first time such a commission has reached this conclusion. The accusations add significant weight to the international discourse, especially as the UN estimates that around one million people live in and around Gaza City, with approximately 350,000 already displaced according to Israeli estimates.