ISRAELI OCCUPIED AND STARVED GAZA, 17 Sept. - (ANA) - The Israeli air force has introduced a new tactic to terrorise civilians in Gaza City and force them to flee, dropping what Hebrew media call "small munitions" near population centres that cause huge blasts with "limited material damage".

 

The manoeuvre, dubbed "the alarm clock", comes as the Israeli army presses deeper into the city, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians remain trapped under bombardment. 

 

According to Walla, the explosions are designed to mimic heavy strikes to force civilians to flee, a method that rights groups warn is aimed at psychological warfare against civilians.

 

At least two regular divisions of the Israeli army pushed into Gaza City from different directions on Wednesday, with a third division, the 36th, expected to join in the coming days. The ground incursion marks a new phase in what Palestinians, rights groups, humanitarians and the UN describe as a genocide that has continued for nearly two years.

 

The army has continued heavy bombardment from the air and land, using aircraft, drones, tanks, armoured vehicles and engineering equipment that level entire streets.

 

Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported that, according to military estimates, the Gaza City operation could last "between two and three months", though eliminating Hamas and other militants "may take longer".

 

Security sources claim some 400,000 residents have already fled south. Loud booms from the assault have been heard as far as Tel Aviv and central Israel, and across the Negev closer to Gaza.

 

Walla also reported that of about 100 airstrikes in the first 12 hours of the new manoeuvre, with dozens targeting the upper floors of buildings or external walls. 

 

Israeli army sources estimate that the Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s armed wing, are seeking to capture an Israeli soldier during the first days of the operation and to ambush troops.

 

Israel claims the offensive is aimed at dismantling Hamas and freeing captives. Army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said the army is "deepening its operations" in Gaza City by combining ground troops, precision strikes and intelligence to deliver a decisive blow against Hamas, which he described as already severely weakened.

 

He added that returning Israeli hostages remains a central goal, with thousands of reservists mobilised to join the battle, while acknowledging that the operation carries significant risks

 

Critics, however, say the offensive has a wider aim of forcibly emptying Gaza City. UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese warned this week that Israel seeks to render the city “uninhabitable” as part of a campaign of displacement.

 

Others point to proposals such as the 'Generals’ Plan', which requires civilians in northern Gaza to evacuate under threat and restricts aid access, as evidence of intent to cleanse the area.

 

Many also claim that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has used the war to delay proceedings in his corruption trial, with Haaretz reporting that he cut testimony short this week and objected to additional court sessions, citing the demands of the new Gaza offensive.

 

The Director General of the Ministry of Health in Gaza said Israeli forces bombed the Al-Rantisi Specialised Children’s Hospital three times in succession on Wednesday. Inside were dozens of patients, including newborns in intensive care. The hospital, Gaza’s only specialised facility for children’s oncology, dialysis and other critical treatments, was forced to evacuate patients under fire, leaving some still inside with staff.

 

A correspondent for The New Arab's Arabic edition also reported that communications and internet services were cut off in several areas of Gaza City. - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/17 September 2025 - - -