Israel Destroys High-Rise Tower in Gaza City
Israel escalated its attacks on Gaza City again by destroying a high-rise tower on Friday, September 5, 2025.
The target of this attack was the Mushtaha Tower, a 12-story building located in a densely populated area on the western side of Gaza City and surrounded by hundreds of refugee tents. The Israeli military had previously issued an ultimatum for residents to evacuate the building before it was hit twice, including by an airstrike using F-16 fighter jets.
The Israeli military claimed the tower was “Hamas infrastructure” used for planning military operations. However, Mushtaha Tower management denied these allegations and insisted the building was occupied solely by civilian refugees.
Several civilians were reportedly injured and rushed to al-Shifa Hospital. An Al Jazeera journalist reported that the shockwave from the attack caused chaos and damaged several makeshift tents in the area.
“Israeli forces attacked twice, first as a warning, then with F-16 strikes,” an Al Jazeera journalist reported.
Second Phase of Israeli Military Operation
Israeli Army Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, previously announced the start of the second phase of Operation Gideon Train, targeting Gaza City.
“We have entered the second phase of achieving the war’s objectives. Repatriating the hostages is our moral and national mission,” he said.
This step is part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s strategy, approved by the Israeli Security Cabinet on August 8. The offensive aims to reoccupy the Gaza Strip, with an initial focus on Gaza City.
Hamas Response and Current Situation
In response to the Israeli aggression, the Al-Qassam Brigades—Hamas’s military wing—announced Operation Moses Staff. They claimed to have successfully attacked an Israeli military vehicle in Jabalia, northern Gaza.
Netanyahu even ordered the acceleration of the occupation of Gaza on August 20, despite strong international condemnation.
Since the war began in October 2023, Israeli aggression has killed more than 64,200 people, mostly children and women.
Meanwhile, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report on August 22nd recorded that more than 500,000 Gazans are facing starvation. At least 132,000 children under five are at risk of acute malnutrition, with 43,000 of them at risk of developing life-threatening conditions in the coming months.
