The enclave’s capital has been heavily bombed since the start of the war, but so far this year Israeli troops have focused ground operations elsewhere.
In this neighbourhood alone – which is half the size of Richmond Park – The Telegraph has located 12 high-rise buildings that have been attacked in advance of the ground assault.
This landmark in Al Rimal was one of the first to be destroyed. Israel Katz, the defence minister, said “the gates of hell are being unlocked” before two missiles hit the ground floor. He later posted a video of the destruction with a two-word caption: “we started”.
This high-rise near the port to the west of the city, stood adjacent to two camps for displaced people before it was hit by four IDF bombs that brought it thundering to the ground.
The IDF said it destroyed the structure to “eliminate the sources of incitement and terror”. Israel claims, without providing evidence, that it was used by Hamas to develop weapons.
