Gaza’s Interior Ministry has accused Israel of deliberately destroying what remains of residential buildings and infrastructure in Gaza City to pressure families into leaving their homes, Al Jazeera reports.

In a statement, the ministry said Israel’s claims that apartment towers and civilian structures were being used for military purposes were “false and baseless”.

It urged residents not to be misled by Israeli declarations of “safe zones” in the south, saying those areas have been repeatedly bombed over the past two years. The ministry warned that following such orders would aid Israel in imposing “forced displacement” on the ground.