Israel Expands Gaza City Offensive Amid Rising Civilian Toll
Aid workers say conditions there are dire and overcrowded.
JERUSALEM — Israel launched a sweeping Gaza City offensive on Tuesday, vowing to “overwhelm” the enclave’s largest urban center after nearly two years of war. Heavy bombardment shook northern neighborhoods as tanks and troops advanced from the outskirts. Defence Minister Israel Katz declared “Gaza is burning” as the army began what it called the “main phase” of its campaign to dismantle Hamas’ remaining forces and tunnels. Israeli media reported the operation could last for months, although the military has not offered a timeline.
Thousands of Palestinians Flee
The new Gaza City offensive triggered a mass exodus. Cars and trucks strapped with mattresses, furniture, and water containers clogged the coastal road leading south. The Israeli army again urged residents to move toward an Israeli-designated humanitarian zone near al-Mawasi. Yet aid workers say conditions there are dire and overcrowded. A U.N. estimate on Monday put the number of people fleeing northern Gaza in the past month at more than 220,000, while Israel believes about 350,000 have already left Gaza City itself. Many displaced families now sleep in tents amid unsanitary conditions.
People continue to be forced to flee from the intensified Israeli military operation in Gaza City.
They arrive at an already overcrowded UNRWA school building, now a makeshift shelter.
They have nowhere else to go.
UNRWA continues to stay and help the people in #Gaza.… pic.twitter.com/ct2v5tgI7c
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) September 16, 2025
Hospitals Overwhelmed by Casualties
Medical staff at Shifa Hospital reported a “very tough night” with constant airstrikes. By Tuesday morning, hospitals had recorded at least 69 deaths from the latest bombardment, including 22 children at Shifa alone. Dr. Rami Mhanna said dozens of wounded continued to pour into emergency wards. Al-Ahli Hospital received 17 bodies and Al-Quds three. The Health Ministry in Gaza, run by Hamas but staffed by doctors, says Israel’s retaliatory campaign since October 2023 has killed more than 64,900 Palestinians, about half of them women and children.
Genocide Allegation and International Pressure
The offensive began the same day independent experts commissioned by the U.N. Human Rights Council accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Israel rejected the finding as “distorted and false.” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on a regional visit, warned there was a “very short window” for a negotiated deal to end the war. He also met Qatar’s ruling emir to thank him for mediation efforts. Arab and Muslim nations condemned a recent Israeli strike at a summit but took no new action.
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Hostage Families Demand Halt to Assault
As Israel pushed deeper into Gaza City, relatives of the roughly 20 surviving hostages still held by Hamas demonstrated outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence. Some accused him of endangering their loved ones by ordering the bombardment. Hamas has said it will only free captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal.
Wider Regional Tensions
In a separate escalation, Israeli forces struck Yemen’s Houthi-held port city of Hodeida after another missile launched by the group triggered sirens in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The Houthis say their attacks show solidarity with Palestinians; Israel says it will retaliate against each strike.
Gaza before and after the genocide.pic.twitter.com/9vwmnG3E1Z
— Jackson Hinkle 🇺🇸 (@jacksonhinklle) September 15, 2025
They found a drug lab in her house!
May Golan, Minister for Social Equality and the Advancement of the Status of Women of Israel yallRemember when she said “I’m personally proud of the ruins of gaza and that every baby, even 80 years from now, will tell their grandchildren… pic.twitter.com/hqFd4UHaRX
— Abier (@abierkhatib) September 17, 2025
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