Gaza:
A video is circulating on social media, purportedly showing Israel Defence Forces (IDF) soldiers blowing up a residential building in Gaza as part of a so-called ‘gender reveal party’. The viral footage shows plumes of blue and grey smoke rising from the debris-reportedly the result of rigged explosives placed in the building by the soldiers.
“It’s a boy!” people in the background shout, followed by laughter as the smoke billows from the destroyed structure.
Israeli soldiers blew up a building in Gaza for gender reveal. pic.twitter.com/cnUbRaGLJp
— Mukhtar (@I_amMukhtar) May 5, 2025
According to an Al Jazeera report, the video was shared by Israeli soldiers themselves. However, Israel has not commented on the matter yet.
The Hindkesharican not vouch for the authenticity of the video.
The video has drawn widespread condemnation online. One X user described the incident as “despicable,” and called those involved “worthless and inhumane.” Another called them “demented.”
A third user wrote, “How does the United Nations allow these criminals to commit such atrocities without consequence?”
War In Gaza
The latest video came as the Israeli cabinet approved plans to capture the entire Gaza Strip and remain in the Palestinian territory for an unspecified amount of time. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said an expanded offensive against the Palestinian group Hamas would be “intensive” and would see more Palestinians in Gaza moved “for their own safety”.
In a video message, Netanyahu said Israeli troops would not follow previous tactics based on short raids by forces based outside Gaza. “The intention is the opposite,” he said, echoing comments from other Israeli officials who have said Israel would hold on to the ground it has seized.
Per a Reuters report, the operation would be launched after US President Donald Trump concludes his visit next week to the Middle East. If the move is implemented, it could vastly expand Israel’s operations in Gaza and likely bring fierce international opposition.
Israeli troops have already taken over an area amounting to around a third of Gaza, displacing the population and building watchtowers and surveillance posts on cleared ground the military has described as security zones, but the new plan would go further.
One Israeli official told Reuters that the newly approved offensive would seize the entire territory of the Gaza Strip, move its civilian population southward and keep humanitarian aid from falling into Hamas’ hands.