By: Fern Sidman

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Saturday that Israel’s ground campaign in Gaza City had entered what he described as the “decisive phase,” signaling both a strategic and symbolic turning point in the war against Hamas. As reported on Sunday by i24 News, Katz revealed that more than 750,000 Palestinian residents had fled the city, a number that was later revised by the IDF to approximately 800,000 as the offensive escalated.

The figure draws attention to the scale of both the military operation and the humanitarian displacement, with Gaza City—once the most densely populated urban center in the enclave—now rapidly depopulating under the weight of Israel’s most ambitious campaign since October 7.

Speaking on the social media platform X, Katz emphasized that the IDF was conducting its operation with overwhelming force and methodical precision. “Autonomous explosive-laden military vehicles are being deployed in advance of the troops to defuse explosives,” he wrote. “The fire cover to protect the troops from the air and ground is heavy and strong.”

His words, amplified in the i24 News report, described an operation designed to minimize IDF casualties while systematically dismantling Hamas’ infrastructure. Autonomous systems, once experimental, are now playing a frontline role in neutralizing improvised explosive devices and booby traps embedded throughout Gaza’s dense urban sprawl.

Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman, also framed the evacuation as evidence of the campaign’s effectiveness. “Gaza City is emptying because its residents realize the military operation is escalating and move south for their own safety,” Adraee said, in comments reported by i24 News.

According to sources cited in Israeli media and confirmed by i24 News, the IDF now controls more than half of Gaza City. The advance is considered a major tactical achievement, given Hamas’ entrenched network of tunnels, command posts, and fortified positions beneath the city.

The 98th Division, leading one of the central thrusts, has reportedly eliminated Hamas strongholds while directing precise drone strikes against surveillance posts and staging areas used by both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Meanwhile, the 162nd and 36th Divisions have been consolidating gains in other neighborhoods, demolishing tunnels and command nodes, while the Air Force continues to provide constant overhead support.

For Israel, Gaza City represents not only a battlefield objective but also a symbolic one. As the  i24 News report noted, the city has long been considered Hamas’ political and military capital, housing its senior leadership and logistical nerve centers. Securing control over the city would signal both a moral and strategic victory for Israel in its broader campaign to dismantle Hamas’ governing authority.

Katz’s declaration of the “decisive phase” carries particular weight in Israeli military doctrine. It signals not just the escalation of firepower but also the transition from containment and attrition to outright domination of the battlefield.

As i24 News reported, this stage is characterized by heavy bombardment, the neutralization of remaining command structures, and the severing of supply lines. In practice, it means the IDF is no longer probing Hamas defenses but pushing to dismantle them completely, block by block.

Analysts told i24 News that the use of autonomous ground vehicles reflects the IDF’s broader adaptation to urban warfare, where the threat of ambush and explosives is constant. By sending unmanned systems ahead of infantry, Israel reduces risks to its soldiers while maintaining forward momentum.

The mass flight of civilians from Gaza City—estimated at 800,000—represents one of the largest displacements in the conflict so far. Israel insists that evacuation corridors remain open to the south, pointing to continuous advisories issued through leaflets, text messages, and radio broadcasts.

Israel argues that Hamas, not the IDF, bears responsibility for civilian suffering in Gaza. Defense officials told i24 News that Hamas fighters continue to embed themselves among civilians, using schools, mosques, and hospitals as shields. The IDF has repeatedly accused Hamas of looting aid convoys and diverting supplies meant for civilians.

Despite Israel’s advances, Hamas has vowed to continue its resistance. Statements released by the group claim that it retains operational capacity in Gaza City, though military analysts cited by i24 News argue that its command and control structures have been severely degraded.

The group’s propaganda networks have sought to portray the evacuation as a form of ethnic cleansing, accusing Israel of deliberately emptying the city. However, the IDF insists the evacuation is temporary and designed to minimize civilian casualties as the military targets Hamas operatives and infrastructure.

Inside Israel, Katz’s announcement has been received as a sign of progress toward the war’s stated objectives: dismantling Hamas’ military capacity and securing the release of hostages. Political leaders across the spectrum have praised the IDF’s advances, though divisions remain over what post-war governance in Gaza should look like.

Internationally, reactions have been mixed. The Trump administration has reiterated its support for Israel’s right to self-defense, while urging restraint and greater humanitarian access. European leaders remain divided, with some calling for an immediate ceasefire, while others echo i24 News’s framing that Hamas’ presence in Gaza City leaves Israel with no alternative but to press forward.

Arab governments, meanwhile, have expressed outrage at the humanitarian consequences, though few have offered practical solutions or condemned Hamas’ tactics of embedding fighters within civilian areas.

The IDF’s current momentum in Gaza City suggests that Hamas’ grip on its historic stronghold is weakening. Yet, as i24 News analysts caution, the battle is far from over. The tunnels beneath the city remain extensive, and Hamas fighters are adept at launching surprise attacks from underground.

Moreover, even if Israel secures full control of Gaza City, the broader challenge of governance and reconstruction looms. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated that Hamas cannot be allowed to reconstitute its authority, but disagreements remain within Israel’s cabinet over whether the Palestinian Authority, an international consortium, or another arrangement should govern the Strip once Hamas is defeated.

The developments in Gaza City mark a pivotal moment in Israel’s war against Hamas. With 800,000 civilians displaced and the IDF declaring a decisive phase, the campaign has reached new levels of intensity. The tactical gains are undeniable: half of the city is under Israeli control, Hamas command structures are being dismantled, and Israel’s military innovation—from autonomous vehicles to coordinated drone strikes—is reshaping the battlefield.

Katz’s announcement, paired with the IDF’s advances, suggests that Israel is closer than ever to achieving its immediate military goals. But whether these gains translate into long-term security and stability remains uncertain. For now, Gaza City stands as both a battlefield and a symbol: a city emptied of its people, a terrorist stronghold under siege, and a test of Israel’s resolve in its most difficult war in decades.