Gaza endured one of its deadliest weekends in recent months as Israeli forces intensified assaults on Gaza City and surrounding neighborhoods on September 20, killing dozens and forcing mass displacement, while international recognition of a Palestinian State gained momentum.
On Saturday, September 20, Israeli warplanes pounded high-rise buildings and residential blocks across Gaza City. At least 60 Palestinians were killed in the attacks, among them women and children, according to local health officials.
Entire families were wiped out, including a devastating strike in the Sabra neighborhood that killed at least 25 members of one family.
Other attacks hit Bureij refugee camp and parts of central Gaza, compounding fears among civilians already displaced multiple times since the war began.
The offensive has triggered a fresh wave of displacement, with nearly 300,000 Palestinians fleeing Gaza City between August 14 and September 20, many on foot or using overcrowded vehicles.
Aid workers reported scenes of exhaustion and despair as families sought shelter in designated “safe zones” in the south.
Humanitarian conditions remain dire, with power outages, limited medical supplies, and communication blackouts hampering relief efforts.
On Saturday, the Israeli military warned aid organizations that only hospitals would be treated as “protected sites” in northern Gaza , a move that raised alarm among humanitarian groups.
On Sunday, Israeli forces went further, ordering the evacuation of the Jordanian field hospital in Gaza City’s Tal al-Hawa district, one of the last functioning medical facilities in the north.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said its operations targeted underground tunnels, weapons caches, and what it described as “booby-trapped buildings” used by Hamas.
COGAT, the Israeli defense body overseeing civilian affairs, accused Hamas fighters of firing at UN vehicles trying to deliver aid, further straining already fragile relief corridors.
The escalation in Gaza coincided with a surge in diplomatic activity. In a landmark move, the UK, Canada, and Australia officially recognized a Palestinian state over the weekend.
France and Saudi Arabia also announced plans for an upcoming world summit to push for a two-state solution, seeking to build momentum at the UN General Assembly this week.
While these recognitions were welcomed by many Palestinians as historic, some fleeing Gaza City voiced frustration that symbolic gestures abroad have done little to ease the immediate suffering inside the besieged enclave.
As Gaza reels from the latest bombardments, questions remain over the trajectory of both the military campaign and international diplomacy.
With hospitals under threat, civilians on the move, and global powers sharpening their positions, the crisis is entering a new and uncertain phase.
For families in Gaza, however, survival remains the only priority. “Recognition doesn’t stop the bombs,” one displaced resident told reporters. “We need safety, not speeches.”
Written by Joy Mbunge
