Reports from Gaza point to a disturbing military tactic that has devastated entire communities: armoured vehicles packed with massive quantities of explosives, remotely detonated in the middle of densely inhabited districts. Eyewitnesses recount how streets once filled with families have been reduced to rubble within seconds, leaving behind mass casualties, shattered homes, and a lingering fear that no place is safe.

In one particularly harrowing incident last month, a vehicle disguised among ruins was detonated near a busy roundabout as residents tried to salvage what remained of their lives. The force of the blast, described as “quake-like,” tore through buildings and left bodies buried beneath smoke and debris. Dozens from a single family perished, with survivors recalling desperate cries for help as fires consumed the area.

The vehicles, said to carry several tonnes of high explosives, have not only flattened homes but also triggered shockwaves that ripple through entire districts. Medical staff describe catastrophic injuries: burns, amputations, and lifelong disabilities. Survivors speak of nights punctuated by deafening detonations, their homes ripped open while hospitals struggle to cope with the endless stream of wounded. The destruction has intensified forced displacement, driving thousands to flee once more in search of safety that seems ever more elusive.

Observers warn that the repeated use of such large-scale weapons in crowded civilian areas raises grave questions under international law. Beyond the immediate death toll, the tactic is seen as a deliberate attempt to render neighbourhoods uninhabitable, dismantling not only buildings but the very possibility of life within them. Calls are mounting for urgent international scrutiny, accountability, and protection for a population that continues to endure unrelenting violence.