by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
GAZA CITY / JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Three Israeli divisions continued a steady push into Gaza City on Thursday, the third day of Operation Gideon’s Chariots II, as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) seek to seize Hamas’ last stronghold in the enclave.
Army Radio, citing senior military officials, described the current maneuver as a “probing stage,” with troops advancing slowly while Hamas fighters remain largely underground, avoiding direct clashes. “Hamas militants rarely move around above ground with weapons; most remain entrenched, many underground, waiting for IDF forces to reach them,” the broadcaster reported.
Targeting Hamas Infrastructure
The IDF confirmed that its forces, backed by the Shin Bet security agency, struck a Hamas weapons depot in the Gaza City area. The site contained explosive devices intended for use against Israeli troops. “Measures were taken to minimize the risk of civilian harm,” the military emphasized.
Military intelligence estimates that some 5,000 Hamas militants and 2,500 Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives remain inside Gaza City. According to i24 News, Hamas’ Gaza City brigade numbered around 8,000 fighters at the start of the operation, though as many as two-thirds are believed to have fled south, blending in with civilians.
Over the past three days, Israeli airstrikes and raids have killed an estimated 200 militants, many of them commanders, with most casualties coming from targeted air operations rather than ground battles.
Civilians Under Fire and on the Move
The IDF has urged residents to evacuate through designated humanitarian corridors. On Wednesday, a second evacuation route was opened along Salah al-Din Street to ease congestion on the Rashid coastal road. The corridor will remain open for 48 hours without checkpoints.
Despite these efforts, around 600,000 civilians remain in Gaza City, slowing the pace of the IDF advance. An estimated 420,000 residents have already fled south, though conditions in the humanitarian zones remain dire, aid agencies warn.
“We are scared, but what can we do?” said Bassam al-Qanou, sheltering in a makeshift tent with 30 family members. “The children can’t sleep because of the booms of missile strikes from sea, air, and ground.”
Columns of cars, carts, and trailers laden with mattresses and gas cylinders clogged the coastal road southward.
Internet and Phone Blackout
Gaza residents reported losing internet and phone service overnight, a development widely seen as a sign of an imminent escalation. The Palestinian Telecommunications Company said its main network routes were destroyed “due to the ongoing aggression.” The Israeli army did not respond to requests for comment.
“The disconnection of internet and phone services is a bad omen,” said one resident named Ismail, who relied on an e-SIM and high ground to find a signal. “It has always been a bad signal; something very brutal is going to happen.”
Casualties on Both Sides
In Rafah, four IDF soldiers were killed Thursday morning when their Hummer ran over an improvised explosive device. Three additional soldiers were wounded in the same incident.
Israeli ground maneuvers are now spearheaded by three divisions: Division 98 is advancing through Gaza’s Shaati and coastal areas, Division 162 is pushing into Sheikh Radwan and the northwest sectors, while Division 36 is pressing in from the east on an east-to-west vector, creating a multi-pronged approach designed to encircle Hamas positions in Gaza City.
Israeli tanks were spotted in key entry points to Gaza City, particularly near Sheikh Radwan and Tel al-Hawa, setting the stage for an intensified battle in the city’s heart.
Despite heavy international criticism over the offensive, Israel has reiterated its goals: to dismantle Hamas’ military capabilities and secure the release of the last hostages still held in Gaza.
Prophetic Relevance
Prophecy watchers see the elimination of Hamas and the collapse of terror strongholds in Gaza as echoing the promises of Isaiah 60, where the Hebrew word ḥāmās—translated “violence”—is used. The passage foretells a day when violence, oppression, and destruction will no longer define Jerusalem and God’s people: “Violence [ḥāmās] shall no more be heard in your land, devastation or destruction within your borders; you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise” (Isaiah 60:18).
While military operations remain grim and tragic in the present, many Bible teachers point to these events as paving the way for a future fulfillment in which Israel will dwell in safety, free from the constant threat of terror at its gates.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits remained relatively low in early August, offering another sign that widespread layoffs have yet to take hold even as hiring across the U.S. economy remains subdued.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out a second preemptive airstrike in Gaza in two days Thursday, targeting a Hamas terror cell in Khan Yunis that Israeli military officials said was preparing an attack against Israeli forces.
The Trump administration has announced nearly $2 billion in health and humanitarian assistance for faith-based organizations, placing several major Christian ministries at the center of a reshaped U.S. foreign-aid strategy following sweeping cuts to USAID programs.
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar has cast doubt on a controversial Russian-led expansion of Hungary’s only nuclear power plant after record-low levels of the Danube River nearly forced its existing reactors into a complete shutdown.
The United States is preparing to send the USS George Washington aircraft carrier to the Middle East, replacing the USS Abraham Lincoln after an exceptionally long deployment supporting American military operations against Iran, according to an exclusive report by The Wall Street Journal.
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan are moving to deepen military cooperation under a new mutual-defense pact that Israeli analysts say could reshape the Middle East’s security architecture while reducing dependence on the United States and bypassing Israel.
Americans added another $21 billion in credit card debt during the second quarter of 2026, pushing outstanding balances to roughly $1.26 trillion and bringing consumer borrowing close to its record high.