Illustrative. Palestinians, displaced by the Israeli offensive, shelter in a tent camp as the Israeli military prepares to relocate residents to southern Gaza, in Gaza City August 17, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas

Israel’s military kept up its assault on Gaza City and the wider Gaza Strip on Saturday, dismantling underground shafts and booby-trapped structures.

The attack came as 10 countries including Australia, Belgium, Britain and Canada are scheduled to formally recognize an independent Palestinian state on Monday, ahead of the annual leaders’ gathering at the U.N. 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 terrorist group Hamas.

Hamas 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.

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.

The war began after Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, led attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. A total of 48 of the hostages remain in Gaza, and around 20 are thought to be alive.