Israel Strikes Gaza City With 150 Attacks, Communication Paralyzed

JAKARTA The Israeli military launched more than 150 air and artillery attacks on Gaza City in the past two days.

The attack is claimed to be part of an expanded land raid to occupy the largest urban hub in the Gaza Strip.

Reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, September 17, footage released by the military showed Israeli forces in the city as commanders announced the start of a new phase of the attack on Tuesday.

However, eyewitnesses and local sources told Anadolu there had been no massive invasion, but an increase in artillery fire, drone attack, and long-range control explosives that forced thousands of residents to flee.

Israeli military officials said the 98th and 162nd Divisions were "introverting" in Operation Gideon's Chariots 2.

They warned the push into Gaza City could last months.

At the same time, Palestinian telecommunications provider Paltel confirmed the disconnection of cable and telephone internet services in Gaza City and northern Gaza region after an Israeli attack damaged the main network line.

"Our team works around the clock to repair lanes under dangerous conditions," the company said.

Residents reported widespread blackouts in a number of areas.

The military offensive in Gaza City comes weeks after the Israeli government approved the plan by the leader of Benjamin Netanyahu's authority to return to occupy the entire Gaza Strip, starting with the densely populated city.

Since early August, Israeli troops have been attacking residential towers and apartment blocks using artillery, drone strikes, and robots planted with bombs.

Domestically, opposition leaders and hostage families accuse Netanyahu of extending the war for his political continuity. They warned that any withdrawal from Gaza could destabilize his coalition.

Several international groups have also voiced concern over the impact of disasters on civilians.

The Israeli military has killed nearly 65,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless onslaught left the region uninhabitable, triggering hunger, and spreading disease.