(MENAFN) Since the start of its ground campaign earlier this month, Israel has demolished more than 1,500 homes in the Al Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense.

Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesperson for the agency, said no buildings remain standing in the southern part of the neighborhood following Israel's approval around the beginning of the month of its plan to occupy Gaza.

Bassal explained that the Israeli army has used construction machinery together with bomb-laden robots, detonating seven sites each day while deploying quadcopter drones to drop explosives onto rooftops.

"The weapons have intensified the scale of destruction in the area," he added.

The ongoing demolitions have caused 80% of Al Zeitoun’s residents to relocate to the western or northern sectors of Gaza City, Bassal said.

Israel's Security Cabinet authorized a plan on August 8 to occupy Gaza City, which includes displacing roughly one million Palestinians southward, surrounding the city, and taking control after heavy attacks.

Since October 2023, nearly 63,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza. The military operations have left the enclave in a state of devastation and famine.

In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Reports also indicate that Israel is facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its actions in the enclave.

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