Gaza neighborhoods demolished by Israeli strikes with sole power plant set to run out of fuel

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Several neighborhoods in the Gaza Strip were demolished overnight Tuesday after Israeli forces pounded the area with numerous strikes, forcing Palestinians out of their homes as Israel ramps up its counteroffensive against Hamas.

The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) said Wednesday its fighter jets struck dozens of targets in the Gaza Strip, including bank branches, operational command centers, Hamas compounds used for weapon storage and training, and the Islamic University, which was being used as a training camp and for weapons production.

The series of strikes come after Hamas, a militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, launched a surprise attack on Israel over the weekend, invading multiple towns by land, sea and air while firing off rockets from the area.

Israeli forces quickly vowed to destroy the group and forcefully avenge the attacks. the IDF has also claimed that more than 2,290 Hamas targets have been hit already.

At least 200,000 Gaza residents have been displaced so far, with many taking shelter dozens of schools run by the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Tuesday.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant ordered a “complete siege” on the Gaza Strip earlier this week, vowing to halt the supply of food, electricity and water to the region.

OCHA estimated the the lack of resources will impact hundreds of thousands of Palestinians as basic supplies and electricity were already running low before Gallant’s order.

The Associated Press (AP) reported Tuesday that the last remaining access from Egypt was shut down following airstrikes near the border crossing. OCHA said Palestinians in Gaza only have electricity for around three to four hours per day as a result, but this soon could be even shortened.

Gaza’s sole power plant is set to run out on Wednesday, the area power authority said, per The AP, with power blackouts expected in the territory as a result. Generators were typically used to power buildings and homes in Gaza, with the order cutting off any fuel imports.

The strikes have also damaged or destroyed several medical facilities and infrastructure, hindering the ability to reach and treat those injured, OCHA said.

The conflict has already claimed at least 2,200 lives on both sides, with that number expected to increase as fighting continues.

Hamas also claimed to be holding around 150 hostages from Israel and has vowed to execute them if the strikes continue.

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