Evacuations and precision airstrikes mark the first stage of Israel’s Gaza City campaign, but officials stress the decisive ground assault, with massed troops and firepower, will unfold next week as Netanyahu pushes ahead despite Hamas propaganda.

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For weeks, the question has loomed over Israel’s military strategy: when will the long-anticipated assault on Gaza City—Hamas’s urban stronghold and the heart of its command structure—truly begin? Developments over the past several days suggest the campaign is already underway in its opening phase, though the decisive ground push is still ahead.

Israeli military spokesmen confirmed on Thursday that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have established control over roughly 40 percent of Gaza City, including parts of Zeitoun and Sheikh Radwan neighborhoods. “This is the beginning of the operation,” one officer told Israeli reporters, emphasizing that the IDF intends to expand its hold in the coming days. Reports in Israeli and Western outlets indicate that this is not yet the main thrust of the campaign, but rather the preparatory stage—dominated by evacuation orders and precision airstrikes on Hamas infrastructure.

Evacuation and Targeted Bombardments

On September 5, Israeli warplanes struck several high-rise towers in central Gaza City, including the Mushtaha Tower in the Rimal neighborhood. Prior to the strikes, the IDF issued evacuation warnings to residents, a tactic that has characterized its approach throughout the war. According to military briefings, the towers were used as Hamas surveillance and command facilities, with tunnel access running beneath them.

The airstrikes are consistent with what Israeli officials describe as the “shaping operations” phase of the battle. The goal is to weaken Hamas positions, dismantle communications, and force civilians to move out before the IDF brings in its ground brigades. Additional high-rise targets were struck in a similar fashion, underscoring the systematic nature of this preliminary stage.

Meanwhile, thousands of residents have been ordered to leave Gaza City for designated humanitarian corridors in the south. The evacuations are meant to reduce civilian casualties, though they have compounded an already dire humanitarian crisis. Aid agencies warn of shortages of food, medicine, and clean water.

Build-Up of Forces

The larger offensive—described by officials as the most ambitious since the Swords of Iron War began last year—is slated for mid-September. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly signed off on a plan codenamed Gideon’s Chariots II, designed to capture Gaza City in full. According to military correspondents for Israeli media, the operation will rely on a combined force of regular units and reservists numbering between 60,000 and 120,000.

The mobilization is already underway. Infantry brigades, armored divisions, and engineering units have been stationed at the city’s periphery. Drone surveillance and artillery batteries are in place, with naval firepower positioned offshore. All of this suggests that Israel is preparing to unleash overwhelming force once the preparatory phase is complete.

Netanyahu has insisted publicly that Hamas’s defeat in Gaza City is non-negotiable. “There will be no compromise with terrorists who butchered our people,” he said earlier this week. While the United States and European allies continue to push for hostage releases and humanitarian considerations, Israeli leadership remains committed to the military timetable.

Skepticism of Hamas “Acceptance”

Hamas officials have attempted to portray their willingness to discuss ceasefire terms as an acceptance of reality, claiming that negotiations could avert further escalation. Israeli sources dismiss this as propaganda. Cabinet ministers have stressed that only the approval of Israel’s security cabinet under strict conditions will determine when the war ends, not Hamas declarations.

The government remains skeptical of any suggestion that Hamas has conceded. Instead, Israeli intelligence views the group’s statements as an attempt to stall or sow division among international partners while its fighters prepare defenses in the dense alleyways of Gaza City.

Humanitarian Crisis and Regional Response

The humanitarian situation remains severe. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency has described Gaza City as a graveyard for civilians, citing famine-like conditions. Israel counters that it has facilitated aid deliveries to southern Gaza, blaming Hamas for stealing supplies and using civilians as human shields.

Egypt, for its part, has vowed to block any permanent displacement of Gazans into Sinai. Cairo has hardened its rhetoric, signaling deep concern about the prospect of a mass refugee flow. Jordan and the United Arab Emirates have voiced similar warnings, though Israeli officials note that these statements are often more rhetorical than practical.

Despite international criticism, the IDF continues to prioritize military objectives. “The conquest of Gaza City is essential to Israel’s long-term security,” retired General Amos Yadlin told Army Radio. “There is no alternative to dismantling Hamas’s urban power base once and for all.”

The Week Ahead

What happens next is clear: Israel has already crossed the threshold into active conquest of Gaza City. The aerial bombardments and evacuations are the unmistakable opening act. The main stage—the full ground offensive, with brigades pressing into the heart of the city and overwhelming firepower unleashed—is expected to unfold over the coming week.

Israeli commentators describe the current period as the quiet before the storm. Once the IDF launches its ground push, the fighting will be fierce, with urban warfare expected to exact heavy costs on both sides. Still, Israel’s superior firepower and determination suggest the outcome is not in doubt.

For the families of hostages still held in Gaza, the clock ticks with agonizing slowness. Roughly 20 of the 52 believed captives remain alive. Their fate hangs in the balance as Israel moves forward with the campaign.

Conclusion

The conquest of Gaza City has indeed begun, but only in its initial phase. Evacuations and airstrikes are preparing the battlefield, clearing civilians, and degrading Hamas positions. The decisive blow—the massed ground and armored assault—is scheduled to follow in the coming days. For Israel, this is a war of necessity, not choice, and Gaza City is the central battleground where victory must be secured.