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Gaza City, September 24, 2025 – Israeli tanks and armored vehicles have advanced deeper into the densely populated urban areas of Gaza City, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip. The intensified military operations, which began early Tuesday, have displaced thousands of residents and caused widespread destruction in one of the region’s most embattled cities. Concurrently, former U.S. President Donald Trump, now a prominent political figure in the lead-up to the 2024 U.S. election, has publicly expressed intentions to pursue peace negotiations in the Middle East, raising questions about the feasibility of diplomacy amid the escalating violence.
Military Operations in Gaza City
The latest Israeli incursion into Gaza City represents one of the most significant ground operations in the region since the onset of the current conflict cycle, which has seen intermittent flare-ups between Israel and Palestinian militant groups, primarily Hamas, over the past several years. According to eyewitness accounts and local authorities, Israeli tanks rolled into the northern and central districts of Gaza City at dawn, accompanied by heavy aerial bombardments and artillery fire. The Israeli military stated that the operation was aimed at targeting “terrorist infrastructure” and neutralizing threats posed by armed groups operating within civilian areas.
Residents of Gaza City described scenes of chaos as families fled their homes, seeking safety in overcrowded shelters or moving southward toward areas perceived as less volatile. “The tanks came suddenly, and the explosions were everywhere,” said Mahmoud Khalil, a 34-year-old shopkeeper from the Rimal neighborhood. “We grabbed what we could and ran. There’s nowhere safe anymore.” Local hospitals, already strained by years of blockade and limited resources, reported an influx of casualties, with medics struggling to treat the wounded amid shortages of medical supplies and power outages caused by damaged infrastructure.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement claiming that the operation was a response to intelligence indicating that Hamas and other militant groups were planning attacks from within Gaza City. The IDF emphasized that its forces were taking measures to minimize civilian casualties, including issuing evacuation orders through leaflets, text messages, and social media. However, Palestinian officials and humanitarian organizations criticized the short notice given for evacuations, arguing that it left many residents, particularly the elderly and disabled, unable to flee in time.
By midday Tuesday, the Gaza Health Ministry reported that at least 87 people had been killed and over 200 injured in the latest round of fighting. The ministry, controlled by Hamas, did not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its casualty figures, a point of contention in the conflict’s reporting. The IDF, meanwhile, claimed to have neutralized dozens of militants and destroyed several weapons caches and tunnel networks used by Hamas for smuggling and launching attacks.
The escalation comes against the backdrop of a protracted conflict that has seen Gaza endure multiple wars since Hamas took control of the territory in 2007. The region, home to over 2 million people, remains under a stringent Israeli-Egyptian blockade, which has severely restricted the flow of goods, services, and people. The blockade, combined with repeated military operations, has left Gaza’s infrastructure in tatters, with widespread poverty, unemployment, and a humanitarian crisis that international aid agencies describe as dire.
Humanitarian Impact and International Response
The deepening military campaign has exacerbated an already critical humanitarian situation in Gaza. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that over 15,000 people were displaced in the first 24 hours of the operation, adding to the hundreds of thousands already displaced by earlier rounds of fighting. Schools, mosques, and community centers, often used as shelters, are now overflowing, with many families forced to sleep in the open or in makeshift tents.
Aid organizations have sounded the alarm over the lack of access to food, clean water, and medical care. The World Food Programme (WFP) warned that Gaza’s food security is at a breaking point, with supply chains disrupted by the fighting and border closures. “The situation is catastrophic,” said Abeer Etefa, a spokesperson for the WFP. “Without immediate access to humanitarian aid, we are looking at a potential famine in parts of Gaza.”
The international community has responded with a mix of condemnation, calls for restraint, and renewed appeals for a ceasefire. The United Nations Security Council convened an emergency meeting on Tuesday evening to discuss the crisis, but deep divisions among its members—particularly between the United States, a staunch ally of Israel, and other nations critical of Israel’s actions—prevented the adoption of a unified resolution. The U.S. representative reiterated Washington’s support for Israel’s right to defend itself while urging all parties to protect civilians. Meanwhile, countries such as Turkey, Qatar, and Iran condemned the Israeli operation as a violation of international law and called for an immediate halt to the violence.
The European Union issued a statement expressing concern over the “disproportionate impact” of the military campaign on civilians and called for both sides to return to negotiations. However, the EU stopped short of imposing sanctions or other punitive measures, reflecting the bloc’s cautious approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Trump’s Peace Proposal: A New Approach?
Amid the escalating violence, former U.S. President Donald Trump seized the opportunity to weigh in on the conflict, signaling his intention to prioritize Middle East peace if he returns to power in 2025. Speaking at a campaign event in Florida, Trump described the situation in Gaza as “a mess” but expressed confidence that he could broker a deal to end the conflict. “We had peace in the Middle East before, and we can have it again,” Trump said, referring to the Abraham Accords, a series of normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab states signed during his first term in 2020.
Trump’s remarks come as he campaigns for the Republican nomination in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, where foreign policy, particularly in the Middle East, has emerged as a key issue. The former president did not provide specific details on his proposed peace plan but suggested it would build on the Abraham Accords, which saw the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco establish diplomatic ties with Israel. Critics of the accords argue that they sidelined the Palestinian issue, focusing instead on economic and security cooperation between Israel and Arab states.
Trump’s comments have sparked a mix of skepticism and cautious optimism. Supporters argue that his unconventional approach to diplomacy, characterized by direct engagement with regional leaders, could break the deadlock in a conflict that has defied resolution for decades. “Trump has a track record of getting things done where others have failed,” said David Friedman, who served as U.S. ambassador to Israel during Trump’s first term. “He’s not afraid to think outside the box.”
However, analysts and Palestinian officials have expressed doubts about the viability of Trump’s approach. The Palestinian Authority, based in the West Bank, issued a statement dismissing Trump’s remarks as “political posturing” and accused him of ignoring the root causes of the conflict, including Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and the expansion of settlements. “Peace cannot be achieved without addressing the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people,” the statement read.
The Biden administration, which has struggled to make progress on the Israeli-Palestinian issue, has not commented directly on Trump’s remarks. However, U.S. officials have privately expressed frustration with the lack of a coherent strategy to address the conflict, particularly in light of recent escalations. The administration has focused on humanitarian aid and supporting Egypt and Qatar’s mediation efforts, but these initiatives have yet to yield a lasting ceasefire.
Historical Context and Ongoing Challenges
The latest violence in Gaza is part of a decades-long conflict rooted in competing claims to land and sovereignty. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict traces its modern origins to the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, which Palestinians refer to as the Nakba, or “catastrophe,” when hundreds of thousands were displaced. Subsequent wars, uprisings (Intifadas), and failed peace processes have entrenched divisions, with Gaza emerging as a focal point of resistance and suffering.
Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, and the European Union, has governed Gaza since 2007, following its electoral victory and subsequent ousting of the rival Fatah faction. The group’s rocket attacks and tunnel operations have been a persistent source of tension, prompting Israeli military responses that have often resulted in significant civilian casualties and destruction.
Efforts to resolve the conflict, including the Oslo Accords of the 1990s and various U.S.-led initiatives, have repeatedly stalled over issues such as borders, the status of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees, and Israeli security concerns. The two-state solution, long considered the framework for peace, has lost traction in recent years, with growing skepticism about its feasibility amid Israel’s settlement expansion and internal Palestinian divisions.
The blockade of Gaza, imposed by Israel and Egypt to curb Hamas’s military capabilities, has had profound humanitarian consequences. According to the United Nations, over half of Gaza’s population lives below the poverty line, and youth unemployment exceeds 60%. The territory’s infrastructure, including water and electricity systems, is on the brink of collapse, exacerbated by repeated conflicts and limited reconstruction efforts.
Regional Dynamics and Future Prospects
The escalation in Gaza has ripple effects across the Middle East, where regional powers are closely watching the conflict. Iran, a key supporter of Hamas and other militant groups, has condemned Israel’s actions and vowed to stand by the Palestinian cause. Meanwhile, Gulf states such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia, which have warmed to Israel in recent years, face domestic pressure to address the Palestinian plight, complicating their diplomatic balancing act.
Egypt and Qatar, which have mediated past ceasefires, are once again attempting to broker a truce. Egyptian officials reported “intensive contacts” with both Israeli and Palestinian representatives, but progress remains elusive. The mediators face the challenge of addressing immediate humanitarian needs while navigating the political demands of both sides.
Looking ahead, the prospects for peace remain uncertain. The intensification of Israeli military operations risks further radicalizing Gaza’s population and strengthening Hamas’s narrative of resistance. At the same time, Israel’s domestic politics, marked by a rightward shift in recent years, have bolstered hardline policies that prioritize security over diplomacy.
Trump’s proposed peace talks, while ambitious, face significant hurdles. Any initiative would need to address the core issues of the conflict, including Palestinian statehood, while securing buy-in from both Israeli and Palestinian leaders. The Abraham Accords, while a diplomatic achievement, did not directly address the Palestinian question, and replicating that model may prove insufficient.
Conclusion
As Israeli tanks push deeper into Gaza City, the human toll of the conflict continues to mount, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence. The international community’s inability to forge a unified response underscores the complexity of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which remains one of the world’s most intractable disputes. Trump’s call for peace talks, while headline-grabbing, is met with skepticism given the deep-seated grievances and structural challenges that define the conflict.
For the people of Gaza, the immediate priority is survival amid the chaos of war. For the region and the world, the challenge is finding a path to de-escalation and, ultimately, a sustainable resolution that addresses the aspirations and security concerns of both Israelis and Palestinians. As the violence continues, the need for diplomacy, humanitarian aid, and a renewed commitment to peace has never been more urgent.
