'Worse than earthquake': Gaza hammered as Israel widens war
economictimes.indiatimes.comGaza Strip has become an indistinguishable wasteland of rubble, with residents likening the devastation to that of a natural disaster.
The intense bombardments «changed the landscape», Mahmud Bassal, a spokesman for the Gaza Civil Defence told AFP of the damage.
«Hundreds of buildings and houses were completely destroyed and thousands of other homes were damaged,» he added.
The destruction followed an announcement from the Israeli military that its forces had expanded operations in Gaza, following three weeks of intense bombardments in the wake of the October 7 attacks by Hamas in southern Israel.
More than 7,700 people have since been killed in retaliatory Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip, including some 3,500 children, according to the territory's health ministry.
They came after Hamas militants crossed the heavily fortified border to southern Israel, killing some 1,400 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli officials.
The Islamist group has also taken some 229 people to the Gaza Strip as captives, according to the army.
Just hours before Israel intensified its bombardment on Friday night, army spokesman Daniel Hagari accused Hamas fighters of waging war on Israel from Gaza's hospitals and using civilians as «human shields».
In Shati refugee camp on the outskirts of Gaza City, widespread damage was visible.
«What happened in Shati is worse than an earthquake,» camp resident Alaa Mahdi, 51, told AFP. «There was bombing from everywhere, the navy, artillery and the planes,» he continued.
