Israeli jets decimate Qatar-funded housing in Gaza

In a harrowing turn of events, Israeli negotiators walked away from stalled truce talks in Qatar just as Israeli jets unleashed a barrage of airstrikes, reducing the prestigious Doha-funded Hamad City in the Gaza Strip to ruins.

The housing development, inaugurated in 2016, stood as one of the newest projects in the region, offering more than 1,000 flats to Palestinians who had lost their homes in previous conflicts.

Named after the former Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the complex boasted an impressive array of facilities, including a mosque, shops, and gardens.

However, on Saturday, the city became a target once again, just a day after a Qatar-brokered pause in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas expired.

Residents received abrupt evacuation orders via SMS around noon, only to witness five consecutive Israeli airstrikes pummel the neighborhood within a span of two minutes.

The devastating assault left apartment blocks in ruins, shrouding the area in a thick pall of black smoke. Amidst chaos, desperate cries for help and ambulances echoed through the air.

Survivors recounted their experiences, with 26-year-old Nader Abu Warda expressing astonishment at his survival.

The Israeli military’s strategy involves sending evacuation alerts to specific “blocs” in the Gaza Strip, aiming to minimize civilian casualties. However, the lack of detailed information about where residents should seek refuge has raised concerns.

The Gaza Strip has been divided into 2,300 blocs, with the military relying on SMS alerts to prompt evacuations before launching strikes aimed at “eliminating Hamas.”

The recent offensive by the Islamist movement resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths, predominantly civilians, according to Israeli authorities. In contrast, the Hamas-led Gaza Strip government claims over 15,000 casualties, mostly civilians, during the eight-week-long campaign.

The United Nations humanitarian agency, OCHA, emphasized the absence of guidance in the warning messages, leaving civilians unsure of where to seek shelter. Many of the 1.7 million displaced people in Gaza, lacking access to phones, rely on leaflets dropped by planes for information.

Hamad City, which had provided refuge for hundreds of displaced families, now lies in ruins, compounding the challenges faced by the vulnerable population.

The lack of clarity on evacuation directives has left residents like Nader Abu Warda bewildered, questioning, “Where are we going now, into the sea? Where are we going to put our children to bed?” As the conflict intensifies, the plight of Gaza’s displaced civilians remains a pressing humanitarian concern.