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Can Israel End Its War With Hamas With a New Push Into Gaza City?

An Israeli military armored vehicle alongside the Gaza Strip border fence on Sept. 16, 2025.Photographer: Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images

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By Dan Williams and Fares Alghoul

September 17, 2025 at 10:57 AM UTC

Israeli tanks and troops on Sept. 16 began thrusting into the heart of Gaza City, the main stronghold of Hamas.

Israel has warned the million or so residents of the Gaza Strip’s de facto capital to flee to displaced-persons camps, and conducted air strikes on the periphery of the city. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described the planned military takeover of Gaza City as a final push to topple Hamas after almost two years of war, though his military has said it could take many more months to achieve that goal.