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October 2, 2026

Israel’s mission of total urban destruction

Welcome to +972’s Sunday Recap! Here’s your wrap-up of the latest articles from our contributors, including our colleagues at Local Call. 

While Israeli airstrikes have accounted for mass casualties, bulldozers and explosives are flattening Gaza from the ground, part of Israel’s mission of total urban destruction. In a joint investigation with Local Call, Meron Rapoport and Oren Ziv spoke with soldiers and military officials who described a systematic, methodical campaign to make the Strip unlivable and prevent Palestinians from returning to their homes.

In a wave of airstrikes on Gaza this past week, Israeli forces targeted hospitals and homes from Khan Younis to Jabalia, killing over 250 as of Friday and paralyzing rescue efforts. Ibtisam Mahdi spoke with survivors, who described how the intensity of the attacks brought back memories of the war’s early days.

Genocidal rhetoric is not new to Israeli politics, Natasha Roth-Rowland writes. But Gaza’s destruction mirrors the apocalyptic language pouring out of the Knesset — where Prime Minister Netanyhu’s Likud has made plenty of space for current and former Kahanists who embrace the violent visions of their founder, bringing Kahanism into the political mainstream.

And Muhammad Shehada argued that Israel’s demand for Hamas to disarm is a red herring designed to sabotage any meaningful progress in the ceasefire talks and allow the genocide to continue. Every blocked aid convoy, every broken truce, and every rejected peace offer underscores Israel’s true objective: erasing Palestinians from Gaza.

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‘Render it unusable’: Israel’s mission of total urban destruction
While airstrikes account for mass casualties, bulldozers and explosives are flattening Gaza from the ground — what soldiers say is a systematic campaign to make the Strip unlivable, a joint investigation reveals.
By Meron Rapoport and Oren Ziv, Local Call
‘Israel burned the ground under our feet’: Hundreds killed in intensified Gaza assault
In a wave of airstrikes from Khan Younis to Jabalia, Israeli forces targeted hospitals and homes, killing over 250 and paralyzing rescue efforts.
How Kahanism found its way into the Israeli political mainstream
Genocidal rhetoric is not new to Israeli politics. But Gaza's destruction mirrors the apocalyptic language pouring out of the Knesset — where the establishment has gradually absorbed members of a former terrorist group.
Why Israel’s demand for Hamas to disarm is a red herring
Every blocked aid convoy, every broken truce, and every rejected peace offer underscores Israel’s true objective: erasing Palestinians from Gaza.