IDF Encircles Gaza City as Operation Gideon’s Chariots Advances

by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff

JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have completed the encirclement of Gaza City, military officials said Tuesday, marking a significant milestone in their ground offensive.

Three IDF divisions secured control over strategic neighborhoods and access points, including Sheikh Radwan, the coastline, Sabra, and Tel al-Hawa. Military estimates suggest more than 600,000 residents have already fled the city amid the fighting.

“Hamas is currently in a state of confusion,” a military source told Maariv. “It doesn’t know where the IDF is striking from and has no clear sense of the scale of forces we’re using against them.”

Limited Clashes, Fallen Officer

Although clashes have remained limited, isolated battles have occurred. On Monday, Maj. Shahar Netanel Buzaglo, a company commander in the 77th Armored Battalion, was killed in combat.

“There has been limited movement of terrorists and the number of clashes is not large,” a military official added. “They probably prefer to dig in and preserve their strength.”

Reinforcing All Fronts

The IDF has reinforced its presence across the country as the High Holidays continue, deploying dozens of battalions on high alert. Forces have been stationed at roads, bus stops, junctions, shopping centers, and communities to bolster defenses against possible attacks.

“The many challenges before us–the fighting in Gaza City, defense in the north, and the constant battle against terrorism in Judea and Samaria–have recently converged with political statements, the holidays, the olive harvest, foreign incitement, and lone-wolf inspiration,” said IDF Central Command Chief Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth. “All these are not reasons for optimism, but I am full of hope.”

Hamas Under Pressure

Reports from inside Gaza City suggest Hamas is resorting to violent measures to keep civilians from leaving. “We saw at the end of the week that Hamas attacked a UN convoy, which indicates their distress,” an Israeli source said. “We know more about the situation Hamas finds itself in in Gaza City.”

Arab media reported that IDF armored units advanced along several routes inside the city as part of Operation Gideon’s Chariots. The maneuvers were supported by Israeli Air Force strikes and artillery targeting Hamas infrastructure.

According to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, 38 people were killed and 190 wounded across Gaza in the past 24 hours.

Residents Flee Amid Hardship

Palestinian civilians continued to move southward, with Israeli officials estimating that over half a million Gazans have left Gaza City. But hundreds of thousands remain behind.

One local woman described the difficulty of leaving, saying conditions in the south were “catastrophic and unsafe.” She expressed fears that terrorists could be hiding among the displaced and appealed for help to relocate to Jericho, where her family lives.

Tanks Move Toward Key Sites

Eyewitnesses reported Israeli armored vehicles pushing into the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood and toward the Shati refugee camp, with sightings near al-Shifa hospital and a former Red Crescent building close to the Jordanian hospital. Palestinian outlets also claimed tanks were seen near UNRWA’s main headquarters in central Gaza City.

Large groups of residents were seen fleeing westward toward the coast as the IDF tightened its grip.

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