Israeli Forces Advance Towards Gaza City Amid Growing Fears of Urban Combat

Sat Oct 18 2025 18:28:18 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

As clashes intensify in Gaza City, Israeli forces close in on Hamas fighters who are reportedly preparing for fierce street-to-street confrontations amidst a humanitarian crisis.

Israeli troops are nearing the center of Gaza City as fears of intense urban combat grow. Thousands have fled since the launch of Israel's ground offensive, targeting what it identifies as Hamas's last stronghold. Hamas has pledged to mobilize fighters for a significant showdown as civilian casualties rise and humanitarian conditions deteriorate.

Israeli forces have neared the centre of Gaza City, as Hamas fighters reportedly regroup amid fears of intense street-to-street fighting.

Thousands of Palestinians have been forced to flee the city since Israel launched its ground offensive last week.

Israel describes the city as the last stronghold of Hamas, aiming to eliminate terrorists and rescue its remaining 48 hostages, 20 of whom are thought to be alive.

The BBC has verified footage of an Israeli tank at Hamid Junction, about 1.5km (0.9 miles) from al-Shifa hospital, with Israeli armoured vehicles also seen near the main UN compound in southern Gaza City.

A Hamas figure indicated that the group is willing to call in thousands of fighters, stoking fears of intense fighting in urban areas where many civilians remain. Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the group’s military commander, has reportedly ordered fighters to prepare for a final, decisive battle.

Last week, the Israeli Defense Forces estimated about 3,000 Hamas fighters were positioned in the city, though a Hamas source claimed this number could be as high as 5,000, threatening suicide attacks.

International journalists remain barred from independently accessing Gaza, complicating the verification of claims from both sides. Past reports indicated that Israel has employed damaged vehicles packed with explosives to target Hamas positions and has deployed drones to evacuate civilians from conflict zones.

The humanitarian situation continues to worsen, with the UN estimating that over 321,000 people have fled south since mid-August. Many families face exorbitant costs for transport while remaining civilians deal with limited resources as bombardments persist.

Israel's military response is a direct result of a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities, leading to a high death toll in Gaza since the start of hostilities.