Amnesty International: Destruction of Gaza City High-Rises May Constitute War Crimes
A new investigation by Amnesty International reveals a systematic pattern of destruction targeting multi-storey residential and commercial buildings in Gaza City. The organization asserts that the leveling of these structures—often housing thousands of internally displaced people—was not driven by military necessity, but rather served as a tool for collective punishment and political pressure.
- Systematic Destruction: At least 13 high-rise buildings in Gaza City were destroyed between September and October 2025.
- Lack of Evidence: Amnesty International found no evidence that these specific buildings were used for military purposes at the time of their destruction.
- Political Motives: Statements from Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz suggest the strikes were intended to pressure Hamas into accepting specific conditions.
- Legal Breaches: The actions are called to be investigated as war crimes, including wanton destruction and collective punishment under the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Pattern of ‘Wanton Destruction’
Between September and October 2025, Israeli forces leveled at least 13 multi-storey buildings across Gaza City. According to the investigation, these buildings were destroyed by dropping multiple bombs on each structure after residents were forced to evacuate with almost no notice.
Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns, stated that the evidence indicates these destructions were not “rendered absolutely necessary by military operations.” She characterized the assault as part of a broader pattern of destroying critical infrastructure and inflicting conditions calculated to bring about the physical destruction of Palestinians in Gaza.
Military Necessity vs. Political Pressure
The Israeli military typically justifies such strikes by claiming the buildings house Hamas fighters or infrastructure. However, Amnesty International notes a reliance on generic statements from the IDF spokesperson that often fail to provide specific details or evidence for the targeted buildings.
The investigation contrasts these official claims with public statements made by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz. On September 5, 2025, Katz posted on social media that “the bolt has been removed from the gates of hell,” explicitly linking the strikes to the requirement that Hamas accept Israel’s conditions. In a later post on September 8, he warned that if hostages were not released and Hamas did not disarm, “Gaza will be destroyed and you will be annihilated.”
“By explicitly linking the destruction of homes to political demands, the Israeli authorities… Have effectively admitted to using civilian suffering as a bargaining chip and collectively punishing the civilian population,” said Erika Guevara Rosas.
The Human Cost: Panic and Displacement
The method of evacuation—often a single phone call to one resident ordering them to warn others within minutes—triggered mass panic. Residents reported fleeing with only the clothes on their backs, leaving behind all possessions.
Case Studies in Destruction
- Mushtaha Tower 6: A university professor described the terror of evacuating 76 families, including his 85-year-old father who was unable to walk. His seven-year-old son remains traumatized, obsessively checking the phone for further bombing warnings.
- Al-Soussi Tower: Residents were given just 20 minutes to evacuate the 15-storey building on September 6, 2025, leading to chaos as people scrambled to exit.
- Al-Najm Building: An IT engineer and his family, including an eight-month-old baby, were forced out of their home in the al-Shati refugee camp with five minutes’ notice. They are now living in a tent in Khan Younis.
Beyond residential homes, the strikes targeted civil society and media hubs, including the al-Roya tower (headquarters of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights) and the al-Ghofari Tower, which housed the office of the Lebanese media outlet Al Mayadeen.
International Law and the ‘Yellow Line’
Under the Fourth Geneva Convention, the destruction of property by an occupying power is prohibited unless it is “rendered absolutely necessary by military operations.” Intentionally directing attacks against civilian objects and carrying out collective punishments are classified as war crimes.
The report also highlights the ongoing demolitions east of the so-called “yellow line”—areas where Palestinians are prohibited from returning. These zones comprise more than 55% of Gaza’s total area, with boundaries that are vaguely defined and constantly redrawn by the military.
Scale of Urban Devastation
The destruction of these towers is part of a catastrophic wider collapse of infrastructure in the region:
- Gaza City: UNOSAT analysis from September 2025 indicates that 83% of structures in Gaza City were damaged or destroyed.
- Gaza Strip: A joint assessment by the World Bank, EU, and UN published on April 20 indicates that approximately 371,888 homes (over 76% of total homes) were damaged or destroyed in the first two years of the conflict.
Amnesty International concludes that the impunity enjoyed in Gaza has set a precedent for similar patterns in other regions, specifically citing the destruction of civilian facilities, including homes and parks, across southern border villages in Lebanon.