The neighborhood of Shuja’iyya was once home to 120,000 people. It has now been erased.

Israel’s latest plan to occupy Gaza City reveals that the assault on Gaza is more than just a war over territory. It is a war to extend, suspend, and dictate the tempo of killing and destruction – to exhaust Gaza into submission.

When the bombing of hospitals was still taboo in October 2023, Israel denied bombing al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City. This time, Israel claims it targeted a Hamas command-and-control center at the hospital. It has not provided any evidence.

Israel bombed three schools-turned-shelters, intensifying attacks across Gaza City and ordering residents to evacuate. Eyewitnesses report that the Israeli army is sending booby-trapped vehicles into neighborhoods and detonating them remotely.

Before the war resumed, I was able to visit my old neighborhood in Gaza City. Nothing of it was left.

Residents of a number of Gaza City neighborhoods received evacuation orders from the Israeli military, fueling fears that Israel may be extending it’s military operation, ‘The General’s Plan’ from the northern areas of Gaza to Gaza City.

This is the story of one family, and their desperate attempts to flee to safety under the bombardment of Israeli tanks. It is but one story among millions.

Civilians fleeing north Gaza are arriving in Gaza City and staying in newly established refugee camps. The camps are already overflowing and there aren’t any more tents.

I am in charge of waste management in Gaza City. The Israeli occupation has launched a war on our sanitation facilities and waste management systems, creating an environmental and health crisis that will take years to recover from.

Over the past week, the Israeli army has ordered a million civilians to evacuate central Gaza, and has bombed two schools sheltering displaced people in Gaza City mere minutes after issuing warnings.