Israel Intensifies Gaza Assault as Nations Move to Recognize Palestinian State

Israel’s military continued its assault on Gaza City and across the Gaza Strip on Saturday, targeting underground tunnels and booby-trapped sites in operations that killed at least 60 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. The strikes come as 10 countries, including Britain, Canada, Belgium, and Australia, prepare to formally recognize a Palestinian state on Monday, ahead of the U.N. General Assembly.

Israel has escalated its demolition campaign on Gaza City’s high-rise buildings, with forces pounding Sheikh Radwan and Tel Al-Hawa neighborhoods to prepare for deeper advances. Israeli media report that more than 500,000 residents have fled Gaza City since early September, though Hamas counters that fewer than 300,000 have left, leaving about 900,000 civilians and Israeli hostages still inside.

Hamas accused Israel’s offensive of destroying or damaging over 1,800 homes and 13,000 tents since August 11. The group’s military wing also warned that hostages’ lives are at risk due to ongoing air and ground operations.

The conflict, now nearing two years, has left more than 65,000 Palestinians dead, according to Gaza health authorities, while famine and mass displacement continue to worsen. Israel disputes those figures, arguing that Hamas bears responsibility for humanitarian suffering.

On Saturday, Israel’s COGAT agency claimed Hamas fired at U.N. teams and blocked a new aid corridor in southern Gaza. Hamas denied the allegation, blaming armed gangs shielded by Israeli forces for looting aid convoys. The U.N. has yet to respond.

The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led attacks in Israel killed 1,200 people and abducted 251. Israel says 48 hostages remain in Gaza, with around 20 believed alive.