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IDF says two divisions pushing deeper into heart of Gaza City

Hamas has created the largest human shield in history in Gaza City, IDF Spokesperson Brig.-Gen. Effie Deffrin said, stressing that the terror group is preventing the evacuation of the city.

The IDF has officially launched the next phase of Operation Gideon’s Chariots in Gaza City, IDF spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin, and the IDF's international spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani, confirmed on Tuesday.

Three divisions are operating to reach the heart of Gaza City, and are already holding extensive areas, Defrin said at an evening press conference.

Two divisions are already in Gaza City, including Divisions 98 and 162. In the coming days, Division 36, located on the outskirts of the city, will also join, he said.

IDF tanks maneuver in Gaza City, September 16, 2025. (credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

"Gaza City is the central hub of Hamas’ military and governing power - their main stronghold," Defrin said. "Beneath the streets runs a vast network of tunnels, connecting command centers, rocket launchers, and weapons storage facilities - all deliberately hidden under civilians and civilian infrastructure."

He stressed that the hostages remain the IDF's top priority, stating, “Hamas continues to hold dozens of our hostages in inhumane conditions. Their safe return is at the forefront of our mission. They are the reason we continue our fight."

Defrin also reiterated that the military is using all available resources, including intelligence, in collaboration with the Shin Bet, to track all activities in Gaza.

The IDF will continue its intensified operations until the designated objectives are achieved, he said. "We are doing everything we can to bring the hostages home,” he continued, acknowledging the concerns of the families, but reaffirming the IDF’s commitment to minimizing harm to their loved ones.

Hamas has created the largest human shield in history in Gaza City, he said, stressing that the terror group is preventing the population from evacuating the city.

The IDF's humanitarian efforts in Gaza

"In recent weeks, the IDF expanded humanitarian efforts in Gaza, setting up a humanitarian area in the south. This area provides greater access to food, water, medical care, and shelter," Defrin said.

The military has repeatedly “given up the element of surprise” in order to warn residents ahead of operations and has coordinated water, food, medical care, tents, and other services for those evacuating, Shoshani said at the Jerusalem Post Diplomatic Conference.

“We are doing everything we can to get the civilian population out of harm’s way,” he said, describing the humanitarian arrangements that the army says were set up with international partners for Gazans relocating south.

According to Shoshani, the IDF has issued repeated evacuation notices before advancing, despite the operational cost. “We have done something that no army in the world has done… give up the element of surprise and give a warning to the population,” he said, noting that Tuesday morning’s maneuvers “surprised no one” due to the prior alerts. He argued that this aspect of the campaign has received limited attention in international coverage.

The comments come as Israel intensifies its ground operations designed to degrade Hamas’s command structure in Gaza City while attempting to separate civilians from active combat zones.

Shoshani framed the current push as the product of a multi-week process of staging forces and “creating the conditions” for urban operations, alongside efforts to maintain humanitarian access for evacuees heading south.

Shoshani did not specify a timeline for the current phase or provide casualty figures. The IDF’s assertions about civilian protection and humanitarian provisioning could not be independently verified at the time of publication.