The Israel Defense Forces said Thursday it controls about 40% of Gaza City and is preparing to seize the remainder as part of a forceful new offensive aimed at dismantling Hamas and securing the return of hostages.
Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin told reporters that large neighborhoods in the northern city had been secured and that operations would continue "until all the war’s objectives are achieved. First and foremost, the return of the hostages and the dismantling of Hamas’ rule." The Israeli military has described its actions as targeting militant infrastructure.
Israel last week declared Gaza City in the north a combat zone and designated some districts as red zones, urging civilians to evacuate to the south. The military has warned residents to leave areas expected to see heavy fighting and has issued repeated calls for safe passage, while Palestinian authorities say displacement and civilian harm have risen sharply.
Senior Israeli officials said there is a possibility that military rule could be imposed in parts of Gaza, and some members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition have publicly backed measures that would extend Israel's control or establish a permanent presence in the territory. The Israeli chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, conducted a field tour in Gaza as forces pushed into the city.
Gaza health authorities reported at least 53 Palestinians killed in fighting and strikes in recent days, their tolls often difficult to verify independently amid restricted access and the breakdown of public infrastructure. Humanitarian agencies and aid workers have warned of growing shortages of food, water and medical supplies in the enclave.
The offensive follows months of heightened hostilities between Israel and Hamas, including cross-border attacks and the October assault that left hundreds of people dead and numerous hostages taken, according to Israeli officials. Israel has repeatedly said that recovering hostages is a central objective of its campaign.
The operation and its advance into densely populated urban areas have drawn international attention and criticism. A United Nations human rights expert recently repeated allegations that Israel’s conduct in Gaza amounts to genocide, remarks that prompted scrutiny from Washington, which urged the UN to consider removing the expert. The U.S. and other governments have called for protection of civilians and increased humanitarian access, while also affirming Israel’s right to defend itself against militant attacks.
Israeli officials have said they are seeking to degrade Hamas’s command-and-control capabilities and to dismantle networks they say enable attacks against Israel. Military spokespeople have described systematic operations to clear neighborhoods and destroy weapons caches and tunnel infrastructure, saying urban combat will continue where militants remain entrenched.
Humanitarian organizations and Palestinian authorities have emphasized the human cost of the offensive, documenting casualties, displacement and damage to civilian infrastructure. With many families sheltering in overcrowded southern areas of Gaza and humanitarian corridors strained, aid groups have called for urgent increases in assistance and safe routes for civilians to exit combat zones.
As the military presses its advance, Israeli leaders face domestic political pressures over the direction of Gaza policy, including debates within the ruling coalition about long-term governance of any territory Israel might occupy. Internationally, calls for restraint and for respect of international humanitarian law continue alongside diplomatic efforts to secure hostage releases and to expand aid deliveries to civilians caught in the fighting.
The Israeli military did not provide an immediate timeline for completing operations in Gaza City. Officials reiterated that operations would proceed until stated objectives were met and that efforts to secure hostages remained a priority.