The Israeli military destroyed a high-rise in Gaza City, shortly after announcing it would target tall buildings “identified as being used by Hamas” ahead of its planned seizure of the urban hub.

Defence minister Israel Katz said separately: “The bolt has now been removed from the gates of hell in Gaza”, vowing to intensify operations until Hamas accepts Israel’s terms.

AFP footage showed the Mushtaha Tower in the city’s Al-Rimal neighbourhood collapsing after a massive explosion at its base, sending a thick cloud of smoke and dust billowing into the sky.

AFP photographs of the aftermath showed Palestinians inspecting the rubble and debris of the collapsed building.

Arej Ahmed, a 50-year-old displaced Palestinian who lives in a tent in the southwest of Gaza City, told AFP that her husband “saw residents of the Mushtaha Tower throwing their belongings from the upper floors to take them and flee before the strike”.

“Less than half an hour after the evacuation orders, the tower was bombed,” she said by telephone.

Israel “orders the residents of towers to evacuate, claiming it wants to avoid civilian casualties. But what about us — hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians in the tents surrounding these buildings?” she asked.