Israeli forces push deeper into Gaza City as heavy shelling kills civilians; U.S. officials voice support and warn Hamas

Israeli forces launched a deeper ground offensive into Gaza City on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, with Israeli officials saying the operation aims to dismantle Hamas’s remaining urban infrastructure. Residents reported near‑relentless shelling in the centre of the city overnight and crowds fleeing toward the outskirts as ground units moved in.

A senior Israel Defence Forces official told Axios that ground forces entered Gaza City on Monday and that additional units were expected to join them in the coming days as part of an operation to occupy the metropolitan area. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz wrote on X early Tuesday that Gaza City was "on fire," adding "we will not relent and we will not back down until the mission is accomplished." The Jerusalem Post reported that tanks had moved into the heart of the city, and Palestinian witnesses described levels of fighting not seen in northern Gaza in years.

Overnight strikes in Gaza City killed at least 12 Palestinians, including two children, Shifa Hospital said, reporting that it had received the bodies. "It was a heavy night," said Radwan Hayder, a Gaza City resident sheltering near the hospital. The health ministry in Gaza has previously reported substantial civilian casualties during intensified strikes and ground operations.

The decision to press deeper into Gaza City has been framed by the Israeli government as necessary to eliminate one of Hamas’s last urban strongholds in the enclave. Some senior military figures have publicly criticised the plan. IDF Chief of Staff Lt.‑Gen. Eyal Zamir and other senior officers, according to media reports, voiced objections to the operation though they did not resign.

The offensive is unfolding amid a massive humanitarian challenge. Israeli media and Palestinian officials said large numbers of civilians remain in the city. The Jerusalem Post reported that roughly 300,000 people had left their homes ahead of the intensified operation, while an estimated 700,000 people remained in Gaza City and surrounding areas, many unable or unwilling to evacuate.

The ground push has drawn backing from the United States. President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Hamas on Tuesday, saying that if reports were accurate that the group was moving hostages above ground to be used as human shields, "all bets are off." U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, concluding a brief visit to Israel, said there is "a very short window of time in which a deal can happen" and reiterated Washington’s preference for a diplomatic outcome that would leave Hamas demilitarised. "Sometimes when you're dealing with a group of savages like Hamas, that's not possible, but we hope it can happen," Rubio said on the tarmac in Tel Aviv before traveling to Qatar to press regional interlocutors to reengage in negotiations.

Israeli strikes have intensified in Gaza City in recent weeks, and the decision to expand ground operations into the densely populated metropolitan area comes amid international concern about civilian harm and the prospects for a political settlement. Diplomatic efforts to negotiate hostage releases and a ceasefire have been intermittently active, and U.S. officials said they continue to pursue diplomatic avenues even as they signalled support for Israel’s right to pursue military objectives.

Military and humanitarian agencies have warned that operations in the city risk substantial additional civilian casualties and displacement. Gaza’s health infrastructure, already strained by months of conflict, has faced repeated damage and capacity shortfalls. Aid agencies have repeatedly called for access to deliver food, water and medical supplies to civilians in affected areas.

Israeli officials described the operation as a continuation of efforts to dismantle Hamas’s command and control in Gaza, while Palestinian authorities and international observers warned of the immediate humanitarian consequences. The situation on the ground remained fluid on Tuesday, with continued reports of artillery, tank movements and airstrikes in and around Gaza City. International actors, including the United States, said they were engaged diplomatically even as military activity escalated.

As ground operations proceed, monitoring groups and hospitals continued to record civilian casualties, and thousands more displaced people faced uncertain shelter, food and medical care. The coming days are likely to determine whether diplomatic channels can regain momentum and whether humanitarian corridors can be expanded to reach civilians trapped in contested areas of Gaza City.