Israeli tanks have pushed deep into Gaza City in one of the most aggressive escalations of the war to date, as former President Donald Trump prepares to address the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The scenes unfolding on the ground are being described as the fiercest street battles in years, with armored vehicles rumbling through shattered neighborhoods while artillery fire echoes across the enclave. According to The New York Times, Israeli forces are attempting to dismantle Hamas infrastructure block by block, as civilians desperately seek safety in overcrowded hospitals and makeshift shelters.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that tanks and infantry units had crossed into the heart of Gaza City overnight, engaging militants in close-quarters combat. “We are targeting Hamas strongholds with precision, but the fighting is intense,” an IDF spokesperson said, quoted by Reuters. Videos shared on social media showed plumes of smoke rising above residential blocks, punctuated by bursts of gunfire. Residents described the terrifying advance as “apocalyptic,” with entire families crammed into basements and stairwells as tanks rolled by outside.
BREAKING: Israeli tanks move into Gaza City. Fierce street battles underway. Civilians trapped amid artillery fire. — @axios
The humanitarian situation, already catastrophic, has worsened overnight. The World Health Organization warned that hospitals in Gaza City were overwhelmed, running on dwindling fuel supplies while treating thousands of wounded. CNN reported that patients were being treated in hallways and parking lots, with medical staff working without sleep for days. The UN Relief and Works Agency said more than half a million people are now displaced, many without food, clean water, or sanitation. Aid convoys remain stalled at border crossings, blocked by ongoing shelling and bureaucratic delays.
As tanks pressed deeper into the city, Hamas fighters mounted ambushes in dense urban terrain, using tunnels and improvised explosive devices to slow the advance. According to The Guardian, casualties are mounting on both sides, though precise numbers remain unclear. Residents said the city has become a battlefield where civilians have no escape. “We are trapped between tanks and bombs,” one father of three told reporters by phone, his voice breaking. “There is nowhere left to run.”
“We’re treating patients on the floor. Children are screaming. This is hell on earth,” Gaza doctor tells BBC. — @BBCWorld
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Donald Trump is preparing to take the stage at the UN General Assembly, where he is expected to weigh in on the conflict. His speech has already sparked intense speculation, with aides signaling he will deliver a hardline defense of Israel’s right to act against Hamas while also calling for international unity against “terrorism.” Politico reported that Trump has been briefed extensively on the latest developments in Gaza, and his address may double as both a diplomatic maneuver and a campaign statement for his political future.
Analysts say the timing could not be more explosive. “Trump’s words will be watched not only in Washington and Jerusalem but also in Gaza and Tehran,” one Middle East expert told The Washington Post. With tensions rising across the region, his remarks could either inflame or help contain a widening conflict. Arab states, already furious at the mounting civilian death toll, are expected to respond sharply to any rhetoric perceived as one-sided.
Trump expected to defend Israel’s military push in Gaza during UN speech. Critics warn language could inflame tensions. — @nytimesworld
Diplomats at the UN are bracing for a volatile session. Several European leaders have already urged restraint, while humanitarian organizations are pressing for an immediate ceasefire to allow aid to flow. But Israel has made clear it has no intention of halting its offensive until Hamas’s military capabilities are dismantled. The Associated Press reported that some nations may use the General Assembly to push for a resolution condemning Israel’s actions — though Trump’s expected speech could scuttle any consensus.
For civilians in Gaza City, however, diplomatic debates in New York feel distant. Survivors described streets littered with rubble and the constant roar of drones overhead. Journalists embedded near the front lines told The Los Angeles Times that many families had scrawled the names of their children on their arms in case bodies needed to be identified. Mothers clutched infants while searching desperately for food. “Every hour feels like the end,” one woman whispered in an audio message shared with reporters.
Footage from Gaza shows civilians fleeing amid advancing Israeli tanks. “Every hour feels like the end,” one woman says. — @APMiddleEast
Trump’s speech, paired with Israel’s advance, marks a turning point in a war that has already reshaped the Middle East. Whether the UN session can temper the crisis or further entrench divisions remains unclear. What is certain is that the tanks rolling into Gaza and the words about to be spoken in New York are now inextricably linked — with the lives of millions hanging in the balance.