By Eniola Amadu
Israeli forces destroyed at least 30 residential buildings in Gaza City over the weekend, displacing thousands of residents, Palestinian officials said, as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in the region to discuss the trajectory of the war and prospects for rebuilding.
Israel has declared Gaza City, where an estimated one million displaced Palestinians are sheltering, as Hamas’s final stronghold.
The Israeli military said it carried out five waves of airstrikes over the past week, targeting more than 500 sites including sniper positions, tunnel openings, and weapons depots.
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Local authorities reported at least 40 deaths across the enclave in the last 24 hours, 28 of them in Gaza City.
Hamas said the bombardment has destroyed at least 1,600 residential buildings and 13,000 tents since August 11, further compounding the humanitarian crisis.
Aid agencies warned that an Israeli takeover of the city would be “catastrophic” for civilians already enduring food shortages and deteriorating living conditions.
Gaza’s health ministry said two more people died of malnutrition in the past day, bringing the death toll from starvation-related causes to at least 422, including 145 children.
The escalation coincides with heightened regional diplomacy. Rubio arrived Sunday, with plans to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem and visit the Western Wall.
He said discussions would focus on the release of 48 hostages still held by Hamas, of whom 20 are believed to be alive, as well as long-term reconstruction of Gaza.
“What’s happened, has happened. We’re gonna meet with them. We’re gonna talk about what the future holds,” Rubio told reporters.
His visit follows Tuesday’s Israeli airstrike in Doha targeting Hamas’ political leadership, a move that drew condemnation from Washington and Arab capitals.
Qatar, a U.S. ally and key mediator, will host an emergency Arab-Islamic summit on Monday to coordinate a regional response.
Meanwhile, Israel has continued to urge civilians to evacuate Gaza City toward designated humanitarian zones in the south. Tens of thousands have fled, but hundreds of thousands remain, citing overcrowding, insecurity, and lack of resources.
“The bombardment intensified everywhere and we took down the tents, more than twenty families, we do not know where to go,” said Musbah Al-Kafarna, a displaced resident.
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The war, now nearing its second year, has claimed more than 64,000 lives in Gaza, according to local health authorities.
Israel’s campaign began after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, in which militants killed 1,200 people and abducted 251 hostages, Israeli officials say.
