{"id":24162,"date":"2025-09-19T04:23:37","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T04:23:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/?p=24162"},"modified":"2025-09-19T04:23:39","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T04:23:39","slug":"panic-in-gaza-city-as-israel-advances-on-centre-sandwiching-population","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/?p=24162","title":{"rendered":"Panic in Gaza City as Israel advances on centre, \u2018sandwiching\u2019 population"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

People run for lives from air strikes and explosive-laden \u2018robots\u2019, as lifelines collapse in Gaza\u2019s biggest urban centre.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Displaced Palestinians flee Gaza City at night, embarking on a long journey south on the coastal al-Rashid road, on September 18, 2025 [Abdel Kareem\/AP Photo]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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The Israeli army is pushing towards the centre of Gaza City<\/a> from two directions, \u201csandwiching\u201d residents and forcing them towards the coast in a bid to drive them out of the enclave\u2019s biggest urban centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Israeli army spokesperson Nadav Shoshani told the Reuters news agency on Thursday that infantry, tanks and artillery were advancing on the inner city, backed by the air force, with the aim of applying pressure on the armed group Hamas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Jazeera\u2019s Hani Mahmoud said that the Israeli military was advancing from the northwest and the southeast, \u201csandwiching people in the middle\u201d and pushing them to the west of the city, where the al-Rashid coastal road leading south is located.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe attacks on overcrowded neighbourhoods are causing panic and fear, and pushing people literally to run for their lives. We\u2019re seeing waves of people now doing just that,\u201d he said, reporting from Nuseirat in central Gaza.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People in Gaza City told Al Jazeera about nonstop attacks, including \u201caerial strikes by drones and fighter jets\u201d and detonations from remote-controlled \u201crobots\u201d \u2013 unmanned vehicles packed with explosives that the Israeli army has been deploying to blow up neighbourhoods<\/a> as it advances inwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At least 40 people were killed in Gaza City on Thursday, medical sources told Al Jazeera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lifelines collapse<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Amid the apocalyptic scenes, fleeing families faced the heartbreaking prospect of renewed displacement in a territory devoid of \u201csafe zones\u201d, only this time with the very real possibility that they might never again return home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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