The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced this morning, September 16th, 2025, at approximately 7:47 AM UTC, the launch of a broad ground operation throughout Gaza City, aimed at defeating Hamas and releasing hostages. Two divisions are currently maneuvering within the city, with a third expected to join, marking the next phase of Operation "Gideon's Chariots." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the ongoing operations as being at a "decisive stage." In specific actions within the past hour, between 7:32 AM and 7:46 AM UTC, the IDF eliminated Mahmoud Said Tamar, a Nahmaba commander involved in the October 7 attacks, in Deir al-Balah, according to reports monitoring the situation and cited by Axios. Earlier this morning, activist Hamza Al-Masri reported an Israeli Air Force strike on three towers near the civil defense headquarters in the Tel Al-Hawa neighborhood, west of Gaza City. The military stated that the Israeli Air Force had struck over 850 terror targets and hundreds of operatives in Gaza City in the past week ahead of the ground offensive. Reports indicate that over 350,000 residents have reportedly fled Gaza City southward. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported 428 deaths from famine and malnutrition in Gaza as of September 16th, 2025, with 146 of those deaths being children. Egypt has established a tent camp in the Deir al-Balah area for displaced individuals from Gaza City, with three additional similar areas planned. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to testify in court today, September 16th, 2025, at 3 PM local time, regarding ongoing legal proceedings. In diplomatic news, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckbika Keline addressed the possibility of applying Israeli sovereignty, stating, "We will not tell Israel what she can do and what she cannot do. She is a sovereign state."
