Neighbourhood in southern Gaza in ruins after Israeli bombardment

The Al-Zahra neighbourhood in southern Gaza is in ruins after Israel bombarded the area earlier this week. 

Palestinian officials say more than 98,000 homes have been reduced to rubble across the territory.

Israel launched its bombing campaign on the 7th of October in response to the Hamas militant group’s attacks in southern Israel.

Over a million people are displaced across the Palestinian territory. Civilians, in the hundreds of thousands, heeded Israel’s orders to evacuate the north and move south ahead of Israel’s looming ground offensive.

Israel continues to bomb towns in the south – including those designated as “safe zones”.

On the 20th of October, Israeli missiles flattened more than 20 buildings in the Al-Zahra area.

“They say that there are terrorists here. Launching missiles, but it is a lie,” said local resident Mahmoud Ibrahim.

Salwa Eid, another resident, lamented the loss of her home: “I just saw my house that was destroyed, that was looted, to see what is left of it. There’s nothing. I took two blankets to cover my children with.”

With nowhere else to go, many will now be forced to rely on refugee camps set up by the United Nations.

Israel has vowed to crush Hamas and has killed more than 4,350 Palestinians since it stepped up its assault.