The death toll in Gaza has surged as Israeli attacks intensified across the Palestinian territory, with at least 33 people killed since dawn on September 17, 2025, according to medical sources in Gaza’s Health Ministry. The strikes targeted multiple areas, but the heaviest casualties were reported in Gaza City, where 21 individuals lost their lives during a major ground assault by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) aimed at seizing control of the densely populated urban center, described by Israel as Hamas’s last stronghold in northern Gaza.
The assault, part of a broader offensive dubbed Operation Gideon’s Chariots II, involves tanks, armored vehicles, and infantry advancing into neighborhoods such as Zeitoun, Sheikh Radwan, and Shuja’iyya. Israeli officials confirmed that ground troops have already secured up to 40% of the city, with airstrikes and artillery pounding alleged militant positions, including residential buildings and a bakery in the Nasser neighborhood that killed at least 12, mostly children. Gaza’s civil defense teams reported rescuing survivors from rubble and warned that dozens more could be trapped, exacerbating the chaos amid ongoing evacuation orders for hundreds of thousands of residents.
This escalation follows Defence Minister Israel Katz’s vow to strike “with an iron fist” until Hamas is dismantled and remaining hostages are freed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that the operation marks “only the beginning” of efforts to end Hamas’s governance in Gaza, amid reports of 50 high-rise buildings demolished in recent days, accused of being used for military purposes.
UN Inquiry Findings: Israel Accused of Genocide
In a parallel development, a United Nations inquiry released on September 17, 2025, concluded that Israel has committed “genocide” in Gaza, directly implicating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials in acts intended to destroy the Palestinian population in whole or in part. The report, compiled by a panel of independent experts under the UN Human Rights Council, cited systematic patterns of bombardment, enforced starvation, and destruction of civilian infrastructure as evidence of genocidal intent, violating the 1948 Genocide Convention.
The inquiry highlighted over 64,000 Palestinian deaths since the conflict’s onset on October 7, 2023—triggered by Hamas’s attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and abducted 251 hostages—with 90% of Gaza’s population displaced. It blamed Israeli leadership for policies leading to famine-like conditions, with the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) confirming famine in Gaza City as of August 22, 2025, and eight recent starvation deaths. The report called for immediate international intervention, including an arms embargo on Israel and accountability through the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Israel rejected the findings as “biased and antisemitic,” with Netanyahu’s office stating the military actions are lawful self-defense against terrorism. The UN panel urged member states to enforce the ruling, amid growing global protests and pleas from hostage families in Israel for a negotiated ceasefire.
Broader Humanitarian and Regional Impact
The attacks have displaced thousands more, with around 900,000 people in Gaza City fleeing southward to overcrowded shelters in al-Mawasi and Khan Younis, where aid shortages persist—relocation costs exceed $1,000 per family, per UN estimates. Hospitals like Al-Aqsa in Deir el-Balah remain operational despite threats, with medical staff protesting evacuation orders and vowing to protect patients.
Regionally, violence has spiked in the West Bank, with two 14-year-old Palestinian boys killed in Jenin and six deaths in a Jerusalem shooting. In Israel, reservists have mobilized, but military commanders express concerns over risks to hostages and troops, with over 431 IDF soldiers killed in Gaza by June 2025. Protests in Tel Aviv demand a hostage deal, while Arab nations like Qatar condemn the strikes, warning of a “permanent war cycle.”
The conflict’s toll continues to mount, with calls from figures like French President Emmanuel Macron for de-escalation, contrasted by U.S. support for Israel’s security demands, including Hamas’s disarmament and Gaza’s demilitarization.
