Israeli forces have neared the centre of Gaza City, as Hamas fighters reportedly regroup amid fears of intense street-to-street fighting.
Thousands of Palestinians have been forced to flee the city since Israel launched its ground offensive last week.
Israel describes the city as the “last stronghold” of Hamas and says its aim is to “eliminate terrorists” and rescue its 48 remaining hostages, 20 of whom are thought to be alive.
The BBC has verified footage of an Israeli tank at Hamid Junction, around 1.5km (0.9 miles) from the central al-Shifa hospital. Israeli armoured vehicles were also reportedly seen close to the main UN compound in southern Gaza City, about 700m (2297ft) from the centre.
The BBC has spoken to a Hamas figure who claims the militant group is willing to call thousands of fighters into the city, raising the fear of intense fighting in dense urban areas where thousands of civilians remain.
He said that Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the group’s military commander, has ordered all available fighters across the Strip to converge on the city, telling them to prepare for a “final, decisive battle”.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) estimated last week that up to 3,000 Hamas fighters were in the city. The Hamas figure claimed they had 5,000 fighters and threatened suicide attacks, though that has not been a tactic Hamas has used widely in this recent conflict. The BBC cannot independently verify these figures and Hamas has not officially commented.
International journalists have been banned by Israel from entering the Gaza Strip independently since the start of the war nearly two years ago, making verifying claims from both sides difficult. Some journalists have been taken into Gaza by the IDF under controlled access.
Israel has been trying to destroy the tunnels in Gaza to stop the militants using them for surprise attacks. But the Hamas militant claimed that some remained intact and that the group had learned from Israel’s successes in destroying militant units that have attempted to hold ground in a fight.
Before he was killed by Israel, the group’s previous military chief, Mohammed Deif, issued orders that the militant group should adopt a move towards guerrilla tactics and ambushes to mitigate their catastrophic losses.
According to residents in Gaza City, Israel has reacted to this by conducting rapid thrusts into urban areas, before pulling back within hours.
The Israeli media has also reported that the IDF has used damaged armoured vehicles, packed with explosives, and fitted with remote control capabilities, to attack Hamas positions or destroy buildings being used to hide fighters.
Small quadcopter drones equipped with loudspeakers have also been deployed by Israel to warn civilians to leave, spreading panic in several districts.
Thousands of Palestinian families have continued to flee south along the coastal al-Rashid road, the only route currently permitted by the Israeli military. The UN estimated on Tuesday that at least 321,000 people have fled south since mid-August. The IDF puts the total figure at 640,000.
The journey has become prohibitively expensive, with families paying more than $3,000 (£2,450) for transport, far beyond the means of most Gaza residents. Many have been forced to abandon belongings they could not carry on foot.
Those remaining in Gaza City – thought to be hundreds of thousands – face the constant threat of bombardment, collapsing hospitals and dwindling food and water. A UN-backed agency confirmed a famine in the area in late August.
The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
At least 65,419 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.
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