Israeli troops press forward into Gaza City as more Palestinians flee and death toll passes 65,000

Meanwhile, the Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war surpassed 65,000.

The Israeli military said air force and artillery units had struck the city more than 150 times in the last few days, ahead of ground troops moving in. The strikes toppled high-rise towers in areas with densely populated tent camps. Israel claims the towers were being used by Hamas to watch troops.

Regulators said the severed phone and internet services hindered the ability of Palestinians to call for help, coordinate evacuations or share details of the offensive that began Monday and aims to take full control of the city.

Overnight strikes killed at least 16 people, including women and children, hospital officials reported. The death count in Gaza climbed to 65,062 since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government. Another 165,697 Palestinians have been wounded.