The Media Line: Israeli Military Strikes Gaza Tower, Citing Hamas Operations Inside 

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Israeli Military Strikes Gaza Tower, Citing Hamas Operations Inside 

By The Media Line Staff 

The Israeli military struck a 15-story residential tower in Gaza City on Saturday as part of its widening campaign across the Gaza Strip. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Al-Sousi Tower was being used by Hamas for surveillance and combat operations. 

According to the IDF, the building housed intelligence-gathering equipment and observation posts to track Israeli troop movements. “Hamas also established underground infrastructure adjacent to the building, from which terrorists direct attacks against our forces,” the army said in a statement. Military officials added that evacuation alerts were issued before the strike to reduce civilian casualties. 

The strike came roughly 24 hours after the demolition of the 13-floor Mushtaha Tower, also in western Gaza City. Both incidents left the surrounding neighborhoods heavily damaged, with many families losing their homes. Gaza’s Civil Defense teams reported they were searching through debris but did not immediately announce casualties. 

Israel has expanded operations in recent weeks. The army has said its objective is to dismantle the group’s military infrastructure and eliminate its leadership. 

The escalation follows the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel, which killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken. Since then, Gaza health authorities say Israeli operations have killed more than 64,000 Palestinians and injured 161,000. The fighting has displaced large numbers of civilians, with living conditions deteriorating as the conflict drags on.