Israel’s Katz Says “Gates of Hell” Are Opening in Gaza Amid Plans to Occupy Gaza City
Gaza (Quds News Network)- Israel’s Defence Minister has warned that the "gates of hell" are opening in Gaza, as the military destroyed a high-rise tower in a densely populated area of Gaza City and announced plans to target more multistorey buildings as it escalates its offensive to occupy the city.
On Friday, Katz said, “When the gate is opened, it will not be closed, and [Israeli military] activity will intensify” until Hamas accept Israel’s conditions for ending the war – led by the release of all the hostages and disarmament – or they will be destroyed.”
He said the military had issued a forced evacuation order for the Mushtaha Tower, a high-rise building in the west of Gaza City, which had been attacked and partially destroyed by Israeli forces earlier in the war.
Shortly after, Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee has claimed that the Israeli military will target several buildings in Gaza City over the coming days that he claims are being used by Hamas.
“Over the coming days, the [Israeli military] will attack several buildings that have been converted into terrorist infrastructure in preparation for expanding the operation into Gaza City: cameras, observation rooms, sniper and anti-tank missile launching positions, and command and control centres,” he said in a statement.
He alleged that Israeli intelligence had determined that Hamas is making use of several multistorey towers.
“In accordance with Hamas’s combat doctrine, the organisation has integrated intelligence gathering tools, cameras, sniper and anti-tank missile launching positions into these buildings, and in some, observation rooms and command and control centres have been established,” he said.
“In addition, Hamas’s underground infrastructure runs close to these buildings, with the aim of setting up ambushes against [Israeli] forces and providing potential escape routes from the headquarters located there.”
15 Minutes later, the 12-storey Mushtaha Tower was levelled to the ground by Israeli fighter jets. The tower was hit by multiple missiles that led to its full destruction.
The tower is surrounded by hundreds of makeshift tents, as this portion of the city is considered to be the last refuge for families fleeing areas of bombardment in the eastern outskirts. The Israeli military claimed that the multistorey building included “Hamas infrastructure” and was used to plan and carry out operations against Israeli forces.
The management of the Mashtaha Tower has denied the Israeli claims, adding the building was only accessible to displaced people.
The moment Israeli fighter jets showered the Mushtaha Tower in Gaza City with missiles this afternoon, reducing it to rubble and displacing hundreds of its residents as well as many others who had sought refuge nearby. pic.twitter.com/6d1Ip3FU1X
The Israeli attacks and threats came as the military pushed deeper into Gaza City, forcing residents to flee amid intense bombardment as Israel approved plans to seize the City, despite international condemnation from the United Nations and states. The plan reportedly involves forcing around one million residents southwards before surrounding the city and launching incursions into residential areas, followed by an expansion into refugee camps in central Gaza.
