Israeli forces escalate Gaza City aggression, dozens martyred

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
17 Sep 2025 03:47
1 Shares

Israeli occupation forces intensified airstrikes on Gaza City, killing at least 106 Palestinians in one day. The Health Ministry reports 64,964 martyrs since October 2023.

Listen

Smoke rises to the sky following an Israeli occupation forces' strike in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, on September 16, 2025. (AP)

The Israeli occupation forces intensified their genocide against the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, with Gaza City bearing the brunt of the attacks. According to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent, at least 106 Palestinians were martyred in Israeli airstrikes since dawn.

Israeli warplanes struck the upper floors of al-Rantisi Children’s Hospital in al-Nasr neighborhood, while heavy bombardments were reported across the city. A martyr was confirmed and several others were wounded when Israeli forces targeted a group of civilians near al-Shifa Tower. Meanwhile, two more Palestinians were martyred in an airstrike on a home near Martyrs’ Square in al-Shati refugee camp.

In Gaza’s al-Zaytoun neighborhood, Israeli airstrikes hit a house near Bilal bin Rabah Mosque, causing multiple injuries. In central Gaza, one woman was martyred and others were wounded after Israeli warplanes struck a home east of Deir al-Balah.

Israeli forces also targeted a vehicle carrying displaced civilians attempting to flee south, killing and wounding several passengers.

Overnight strikes on Wednesday

In the early hours of Wednesday, Israeli occupation warplanes intensified their bombardment across the Gaza Strip, targeting multiple residential areas and leaving behind dozens of martyrs and wounded.

According to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent, martyrs and injuries were recovered from the rubble of a residential apartment in the al-Zafir Tower in Tel al-Hawa, Gaza City, following a direct airstrike. Another strike hit a home in the Nuseirat refugee camp, leaving several casualties, including three martyrs from the Tabaza family in Block 5 of the camp.

In Tel al-Hawa, at least two Palestinians were martyred and others injured when occupation aircraft struck another residential apartment. Meanwhile, helicopter gunships targeted a residential unit in Habib Tower on Eidiyah Street, also causing martyrs and injuries.

The occupation forces further expanded their strikes to central Gaza, bombing Tower 9 in the Ain Jalut complex and launching additional raids on homes in the Nuseirat refugee camp. Eyewitnesses reported widespread destruction amid frantic rescue operations to recover victims trapped under the debris.

Gaza Health Ministry confirms rising toll

Earlier, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza reported 59 martyrs and 386 injuries brought to hospitals on Tuesday. Many victims remain trapped under the rubble or on roadways, with emergency and civil defense teams unable to reach them due to the Israeli aggression.

The ministry added that the overall death toll from the Israeli aggression since October 7, 2023, has risen to 64,964 martyrs and 165,312 injuries.

Since March 18, 2025, alone, Israeli attacks have killed 12,413 Palestinians and wounded 53,271 others.

The ministry also reported three deaths due to famine and malnutrition in the last day, including one child, bringing the total number of starvation-related deaths to 428, among them 146 children.

1 million Palestinians remain in Gaza City

As part of its plan to occupy and ethnically cleanse Gaza City, the Israeli government has intensified forced displacement efforts. The Gaza Government Media Office confirmed that more than one million Palestinians remain rooted in Gaza City and the north, despite escalating bombardment and mass evacuation campaigns.

The office warned of a rising wave of forced displacement toward the south due to "Israel’s" brutal crimes, noting that the occupation is attempting to engineer demographic change under the cover of war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the launch of a ground attack into Gaza City, saying it would proceed “in stages and gradually.” In recent days, the Israeli military has bombarded residential towers, where thousands have taken refuge, and escalated air raids across the city in preparation for its declared advance.