Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Tuesday, September 16 that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have begun a ground incursion into Gaza City, marking the most significant phase of the ongoing conflict.Military officials estimate that more than 350,000 Palestiniansaround 40% of the citys populationhave already fled, with evacuations expected to rise as fighting intensifies.The offensive began on Gaza Citys outskirts with escalating airstrikes and the demolition of high-rise buildings. Palestinian media reported heavy bombardments in Sheikh Radwan, al-Karama, and Tel al-Hawa neighborhoods. Witnesses described tanks entering central streets, while artillery and helicopters pounded northern Gaza. Local reports said 37 strikes occurred within 20 minutes, with explosions heard as far as Tel Aviv.
Hospitals, including Al-Shifa and the Baptist Hospital, received dozens of wounded civilians overnight, among them children. Videos showed bloodied survivors and grieving families mourning over bodies wrapped in white shrouds.Defense Minister Israel Katz declared: Gaza is burning. The IDF strikes with an iron fist at terrorist infrastructure, and our soldiers fight with bravery to create the conditions for freeing the hostages and defeating Hamas. We will not relent until the mission is complete. Some footage from the massive ground invasion that has started in Gaza CityMultiple IDF divisions are part of this operation to take Gaza CityHamas have apparently brought some hostages into the open to use them as human shields More below pic.twitter.com/TfZRySvYHl Documenting Israel (@DocumentIsrael) September 16, 2025 Israel and America stand together, defending our shared civilization against those who worship death.Watch my speech >> pic.twitter.com/ALJORHMk5m Benjamin Netanyahu - (@netanyahu) September 15, 2025 The United Nations has warned that the invasion could forcibly displace civilians on a massive scale.Meanwhile, families of hostages demonstrated outside Netanyahus residence in Jerusalem, accusing him of sacrificing their loved ones for political reasons. This may be the last night in the lives of the hostages who are barely surviving, the Hostages Families Forum said. Protesters vowed to maintain pressure, with some accusing Netanyahu of avoiding engagement with them.Military leaders are divided over the risks of the offensive. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir warned that a full-scale capture of Gaza City could result in heavy Israeli casualties and endanger hostages. Netanyahu, however, argued that advancing ground operations would increase pressure on Hamas and could lead to a decisive outcome.
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