34 killed as Israel presses on with Gaza Strip assault

Israel’s military kept up its assault on Gaza City and the wider Gaza Strip on Saturday, dismantling underground shafts and booby-trapped structures in attacks that left 34 Palestinians dead, according to Gazan health authorities.

The assault came as 10 countries including Australia, Belgium, Britain and Canada are scheduled to formally recognise an independent Palestinian state on Monday, ahead of the annual leaders’ gathering at the UN General Assembly.

Israel’s intensified military demolition campaign targeting high-rise buildings in Gaza City began this week alongside a ground assault.

Its forces, which control Gaza City’s eastern suburbs, have in recent days been pounding the Sheikh Radwan and Tel Al-Hawa areas from where they would be positioned to advance on central and western parts of the city, where most of the population is sheltering.

The military estimates it has demolished up to 20 Gaza City tower blocks over the past two weeks and believes some 350,000 people have left Gaza City since the start of September. Another 600,000 or so remain, however.

Included in that tally are some of the Israeli hostages being held by the militant group Hamas.

Hostages at risk due to Tel Aviv’s attacks: Hamas

Hamas’ military wing released an image of the hostages on messaging site Telegram earlier on Saturday, warning that their lives were at risk due to Israel’s military operation in Gaza City.

In almost two years of fighting, Israel’s offensive has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities, spread famine, demolished most structures and displaced most of the population, in many cases multiple times.

Israel says the hunger crisis in Gaza has been exaggerated and that Hamas could end the war if it surrendered, freed Israeli hostages, disarmed and disbanded. Hamas says it will not disarm until a Palestinian state is established.

A total of 48 of the hostages remain in Gaza, and around 20 are thought to be alive.