Gaza families flee as Israeli forces pound city

Israeli military operations forced thousands of Palestinian civilians to abandon Gaza City as attacks intensified against the urban center. Families traveled southward carrying children and belongings while elderly residents walked with difficulty along evacuation routes. Military officials reported over 250,000 residents had departed the area, though local civil defense agencies disputed this figure, at 68,000 people. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Israel during continued strikes on residential buildings that the military claims housed militant observation posts. Gaza civil defense authorities confirmed 23 fatalities occurred from dawn attacks, while residents described relentless bombardment and widespread terror throughout affected neighborhoods.