Israeli strikes kill 49 in Gaza City as attacks intensify, thousands displaced; Qatar hosts emergency summit

Israeli forces have intensified attacks on Gaza City, systematically destroying buildings,  including schools converted into United Nations shelters, and killing at least 49 people on Sunday. The toll from the city raised the total number of Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes across the Strip on Saturday to 62.

More than 6,000 residents were displaced by the relentless bombardment, the Palestinian Civil Defence said. “Residents of Gaza City are now living in extremely difficult conditions under the continuous siege and bombardment,” Al Jazeera quoted agency spokesman Mahmoud Basal as saying.

Witnesses reported that Israeli fighter jets were striking in rapid succession, dropping leaflets urging Palestinians to flee the city. Al Jazeera correspondent Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City, said bombs were falling “every 10 to 15 minutes” on residential and public buildings, often leaving little time for evacuation.

“The pace and pattern of the attacks suggest one thing: The Israeli army is deliberately putting extreme pressure on densely populated areas with displaced families,” Mahmoud said, noting that most of the displaced were concentrated in the city’s western flank.

Despite the ongoing bombardment, many residents are either staying in place or returning after attempting to move south to the overcrowded and poorly equipped al-Mawasi camp, which has also been repeatedly targeted by Israeli strikes.