With the Islamic terror group Hamas still refusing to negotiate the release of all hostages, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has begun encircling Gaza City ahead of an anticipated offensive to capture the terrorist stronghold.
“The IDF has taken the first steps of a planned operation to take over Gaza City,” Israel’s Ynetnews reported Thursday. The military was “encircling Gaza City in preparation” for a “major offensive,” the news website noted.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet endorsed a plan to widen the military campaign against Hamas and take over the terrorist stronghold.
Gaza City is home to Hamas’s most combat-ready terrorist forces, and out of 20 Israeli hostages still believed to be alive, many are being held in that area, Israeli analysts say.
The Jerusalem Post noted on Thursday that “Gaza City remains Hamas’s most strategic asset yet to [be] conquer[ed].” with “[m]any of the surviving hostages are believed to be held there.”
With the IDF now in control of nearly 75 percent of the enclave, Hamas’ remaining terrorist leadership and fighting force have regrouped themselves in Gaza City. “Gaza City is Hamas’ main military and governing stronghold and Israeli troops will be targeting the militant group’s vast underground tunnel network,” Euronews reported, quoting an Israeli official. “Although Israel has targeted and killed much of Hamas’ senior leadership, parts of it are actively regrouping and carrying out attacks, including launching rockets towards Israel,” the French TV channel added.
The city’s underground network of terror tunnels poses a formidable challenge to the advancing Israeli ground troops. “Military officials assess that Gaza City still contains large and strategically important subterranean systems that were not exposed during the first ground maneuver there a year and a half ago, and that underground warfare will pose an even greater challenge if troops reenter the city,” Ynetnews reported.
The IDF is calling up more reservists as the war against Hamas intensifies. “As part of the preparations for the next phase of Operation ‘Gideon’s Chariots’, approximately 60,000 reserve orders were issued this morning, the military said in a statement. “In addition, 20,000 reservists who have already been called up will receive a notice extending their current orders.”
While Hamas continues to use Gaza residents as human shields, the Israeli military is undertaking measures to evacuate them from the combat zone safely, the Israel National News/Arutz Sheva reported Thursday:
As part of the IDF’s preparations for evacuating the population southern from Gaza City for its safety, officers from the IDF Gaza District Coordination and Liaison in COGAT carried out initial warning calls two days ago (Tuesday) to medical officials and international organizations in the northern Gaza Strip in order to prepare for the evacuation of the population to the southern Gaza Strip.The officers emphasized to the medical officials that adjustments are being made to the hospital infrastructure in the south of the Strip to receive the sick and wounded, alongside an increased entry of necessary medical equipment according to the requests of the international aid organizations.
Since the IDF launched Operation Gideon’s Chariots on March 18, 2025, it has taken control over 75 percent of Gaza, holding strategic positions and restricting Hamas’ operational abilities.
“During Operation ‘Gideon’s Chariots’, IDF troops under the Southern Command achieved operational control over about 75% of the Gaza Strip,” the military announced Thursday. “This operational control enabled the IDF to significantly expand its activities, thereby striking Hamas’ capabilities and terrorist infrastructure as well as undermining its chain of command.”
The IDF revealed that nearly 2,000 terrorists have been eliminated in the past five months, including Hamas terror chief Mohammad Sinwar, several of his top terror commanders, and those who committed atrocities on October 7, 2023.
“In addition, senior Hamas officials were eliminated – commanders in the General Security Apparatus, six senior commanders in the terrorist organization’s naval commando unit, dozens of terrorists who infiltrated Israeli territory and took part in the October 7th massacre, and hundreds of additional terrorists and military commanders from the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip,” tbe IDF statement added.
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