Israeli forces confirmed they are operating in the heart of Gaza City, according to a report by Amit Segal, approved by censorship, shared at an unspecified time on September 17th, 2025, within the 30-minute reporting window ending at 4:34 PM UTC. These operations are ongoing within Gaza City, following earlier advances by Israeli forces into neighborhoods such as Rimal and along Al-Rashid Road between 4:01 AM UTC and 4:46 AM UTC on September 17th, 2025. These ground operations have reportedly caused connectivity disruptions in Gaza's northern sector, impacting approximately 400,000 displaced Palestinians. Activist Hamza Al-Masri reported "the first moments of the bloody massacre committed by the occupation by targeting a group of citizens during their displacement near Al-Shifa Hospital, west of Gaza City," with 13 martyrs as of an unspecified time on September 17th, 2025. Al-Masri also shared footage of destruction in Hamad Residential City in Khan Yunis and scenes from the northern Gaza Strip during the period of September 17th, 2025, 3:34 PM UTC to 4:03 PM UTC. Earlier on September 17th, Israeli military vehicles were reported to be advancing towards remaining shelter centers in northern Gaza and firing at Kamal Adwan Hospital, with the sound of shooting described as "terrifying" by an observer. Separately, Israeli occupation forces reportedly demolished the remaining structures of the village of Khillet al-Dabaa in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron, for the second time, destroying caves, residential tents, a water network, sanitation units, and solar panels, according to the head of the village council in Al-Tuwani, Mohammed Rabee. In parallel diplomatic news, Fiji officially opened its embassy in Jerusalem on September 17th, 2025, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in attendance. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu's stance on Jerusalem. Pope Francis reiterated his call for a ceasefire in Gaza. False alarms for suspected drone infiltration were reported in Be'er Ora, southern Israel, around 5:05 AM UTC, attributed by the IDF to false identification. Prime Minister Netanyahu stated earlier that the Israeli economy remains strong and requested a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. A Hamas leader, Razi Hamad, who was reportedly a target for elimination, was interviewed for an unnamed channel.
