IDF Announces Start of Next Phase in "Operation Gideon's Chariots" in Gaza City
The IDF spokesperson announced that the military has launched the next phase of its operation to take over Gaza City, stating the mission will take "as long as it takes" to complete.
IDF Spokesperson, Brigadier General Efi Defarin, announced today that the military has officially launched the next phase of "Operation Gideon's Chariots" in Gaza City. Defarin stated that the operation is a "systematic" process with no time constraints, adding that it will take "several months to take over the power centers and then several more months to clear the city." He emphasized that the primary mission remains the return of the hostages.
The announcement follows an intensive night of aerial and ground attacks in several Gaza City neighborhoods, including the "prestigious" Rimal, Tel al-Hawa, and Daraj Tuffah. The IDF's Arabic-language spokesperson, Colonel Avichay Adraee, issued a public warning to city residents, urging them to evacuate immediately, stating that "staying in the city area endangers you."
Defarin revealed that three divisions, the 98th, 162nd, and soon the 36th, are operating in Gaza City, with the 99th Division also providing support. He noted that the IDF has already secured "many areas" in Sheikh Radwan and Jabalia, which helped create the conditions for this deeper push. The military has also increased the readiness of several brigade combat teams and is using illumination flares to support the operation.
Addressing the humanitarian situation, Defarin accused Hamas of using the local population as the "largest human shield in history" and of using violence to prevent residents from evacuating. However, he stressed that the IDF is expanding its humanitarian efforts and that there will be "no situation of starvation in the Gaza Strip." He concluded with a message to the public, saying the IDF has defeated Hamas everywhere it has fought and will continue to fight with determination until it is toppled. In a separate note, Defarin confirmed the IDF also carried out strikes in Lebanon and against Houthi targets in Yemen.
