Israeli forces advanced into Gaza City neighborhoods, including Rimal and along Al-Rashid Road, between 4:01 AM UTC and 4:46 AM UTC on September 17th, 2025, amidst ongoing ground operations. Concurrently, Fiji officially opened its embassy in Jerusalem on the same day, September 17th, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in attendance, according to X user Amit Segal. Activist Hamza Al-Masri reported continuous targeting in Gaza City's Al-Karamah neighborhood, west of Gaza City, and noted the forced displacement of children in Gaza. During this reporting window, Pope Francis reiterated his call for a ceasefire in Gaza, expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people and highlighting the unacceptable conditions and forced displacement, according to a statement on X. Netblocks confirmed significant connectivity disruptions in Gaza's northern sector, affecting an estimated 400,000 displaced Palestinians due to the targeting of a main fiber optic route. Al Jazeera English reported that Israeli forces destroyed a 13th-century mosque in Gaza City's Tuffah neighborhood earlier on September 17th. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking on September 17th, 2025, criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's stance on Jerusalem, referencing Turkey's historical role in the city. Prime Minister Netanyahu stated this morning that the Israeli economy remains strong and requested a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. False alarms for suspected drone infiltration were reported in Be'er Ora, southern Israel, around 5:05 AM UTC, which the IDF attributed to false identification. The European Commission had previously proposed suspending free trade agreements with Israel and imposing sanctions on settlers and Hamas, but this proposal currently lacks sufficient support among Union member states. Analyses suggest Israel's current fighting methods in Gaza focus on repetitive raids rather than prolonged occupation, impacting Hamas's divisions, with reports of emerging anti-Hamas groups in Khan Yunis.
