Gaza City, Gaza Strip, 2025-09-20
The Israeli military has issued a stark warning to the remaining residents of Gaza City, stating it will use “unprecedented force” in a major ground offensive. The announcement, made on Friday by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), urged civilians to flee southwards for their safety, as the military prepared to intensify its operations against what it claims are Hamas and other terrorist strongholds in the territory’s largest urban center. This latest escalation comes as the world watches with growing alarm, with international bodies and humanitarian groups expressing grave concerns over the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza. The IDF’s announcement also included the closure of a previously designated temporary evacuation route, leaving a single coastal road for residents to escape the impending assault. This move has been widely condemned by aid organizations, who argue that the remaining route is not sufficient to handle the exodus of tens of thousands of people and that the lack of infrastructure in the south makes mass displacement a humanitarian disaster waiting to happen.
The Warning and Its Immediate Implications
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman, Avichay Adraee, stated, “From this moment, Salah al-Din road is closed for southbound travel. The Israeli Defense Forces will continue to operate with unprecedented force against Hamas and other terrorist organizations. For your safety, take the opportunity and join the hundreds of thousands of [Gaza] City residents who have moved south to the humanitarian area, and do not allow Hamas to exploit you as human shields.”
* Closure of Key Route: The closure of the Salah al-Din road is a significant development, as it was one of only two designated evacuation routes. The military stated that the closure was “as-planned” and that the only remaining way for Palestinians to flee Gaza City is via the Rashid coastal road. This has prompted fears among aid agencies that the single remaining route will be unable to handle the influx of civilians and could become a choke point, leading to further casualties.
* Humanitarian Concerns: The United Nations and other international aid organizations have warned that the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people to the southern part of the Gaza Strip is exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis. The southern areas are overcrowded, and there is a severe lack of food, water, and shelter. The UN has estimated that over a quarter of a million people have been displaced from Gaza City in the last month, with tens of thousands more fleeing daily.
* Intense Shelling and Strikes: Residents of Gaza City reported “relentless and intense shelling” in the hours following the IDF’s warning. The military said its ground troops were targeting militants with “tank fire, armed UAVs (drones), and air strikes, dismantling terrorist infrastructure and locating weapons.” This highlights the intensity of the military operation and the immense danger faced by civilians who are unable or unwilling to evacuate.
A Deeper Context of Escalation
The impending offensive on Gaza City is the latest and most significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, which has been raging for nearly two years since the Hamas-led massacre in October 2023. The military’s push into the city follows a sustained campaign of airstrikes and ground operations across the Gaza Strip.
* UN Accusations of ‘Genocide’: This offensive is occurring as a United Nations probe accused Israel of committing “genocide” in the Gaza Strip, a charge that Israel has vehemently rejected as “distorted and false.” The timing of the offensive, coinciding with these serious allegations, has drawn international condemnation.
* Growing Death Toll: The Gaza health ministry has reported that at least 65,141 people, mostly civilians, have been killed since the start of the war. These figures, which the UN considers reliable, underscore the immense human cost of the conflict.
* International Response: The international community has been divided in its response. While some countries, including the United States, have supported Israel’s right to defend itself, many others have condemned the military’s actions and called for an immediate ceasefire. The UN General Assembly recently voted to allow the Palestinian President to address the body remotely, a move that highlighted the international community’s frustration with U.S. and Israeli policies.
The Fate of Civilians
The most pressing concern is the fate of the hundreds of thousands of civilians who remain in Gaza City. Many are unable to flee due to a lack of transportation, financial resources, or because they are caring for the elderly or sick. Others fear that moving to the south will not be any safer, as the IDF has also conducted strikes in the so-called “humanitarian areas.”
* No Safe Haven: The UN and other aid groups have repeatedly warned that there is no safe place in Gaza. The Israeli military has designated a “humanitarian area” in the southern coastal region of Al-Mawasi, but this area has also come under fire, raising questions about its safety. The absence of a truly safe zone leaves civilians in an impossible situation.
* A Strategy of Depopulation?: Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) warned that the intensified invasion of Gaza City threatens to force the suspension of its health and humanitarian operations, effectively “annihilating the last remaining lifelines for civilians.” The organization’s statement went further, suggesting that the “forced displacement orders” and “massive destruction” of civilian infrastructure amounted to a strategy of “ethnic cleansing.”
As the Israeli military prepares to launch its full-scale offensive on Gaza City, the world watches to see what the next hours and days will bring. The humanitarian situation is already at a breaking point, and a full-scale assault on Gaza City could push it over the edge, leading to an even greater loss of innocent lives and a further erosion of regional stability. The urgent need for a ceasefire has never been more apparent, yet the path to peace remains elusive.
