CAIRO/JERUSALEM, Sept 14– Israeli forces have destroyed at least 30 residential buildings in Gaza City, forcing thousands to flee, Palestinian officials said on Sunday. The strikes came just as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Israel to discuss the conflict and the future of the besieged enclave.
Israel says it intends to seize Gaza City — where nearly one million Palestinians are sheltering — as part of its campaign to eliminate Hamas. The military has ramped up airstrikes, calling the city Hamas’ “last stronghold.”
Rubio, who will remain in Israel until Tuesday, said Washington’s focus is on securing the release of 48 hostages still held by Hamas — only 20 believed to be alive — and planning Gaza’s reconstruction. “We’re going to meet with Israeli leaders and talk about what the future holds,” Rubio said before visiting Jerusalem’s Western Wall, calling it a reaffirmation of U.S. recognition of the city as Israel’s capital.
Meanwhile, Arab states are set to hold an emergency summit in Qatar on Monday to discuss next steps.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, said the agency has suspended operations at its Beach camp clinic, the only health facility north of Wadi Gaza. Ten UNRWA buildings have been hit in recent days, he added, warning that water and sanitation services are running at half capacity.
The situation on the ground is dire: at least two more Palestinians died of starvation in the last 24 hours, raising the malnutrition death toll to 422 — including 145 children. Aid groups warn an Israeli takeover of Gaza City would be catastrophic.
West Bank Tensions and Regional Fallout
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has approved plans for new settlement expansions in the West Bank, a move condemned by the UAE, which warned it could undermine the Abraham Accords that normalized ties with Israel.
U.S. officials called last week’s Israeli strike on Hamas members in Qatar a “unilateral escalation” that risked damaging relations with the Gulf state.
Relentless Offensive
Israel says it has conducted five waves of airstrikes in Gaza City over the past week, hitting more than 500 targets including tunnels, sniper positions, and weapons depots. Local officials reported at least 45 people killed on Sunday alone.
Since the start of Israel’s nearly two-year campaign against Hamas — triggered by the group’s October 7, 2023 attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and saw 251 taken hostage — more than 64,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to local health authorities.
Despite Israeli calls for civilians to evacuate Gaza City, hundreds of thousands remain trapped, with many saying they have nowhere safe to go.
