Israeli tanks push into northwestern Gaza City amid comms blackout

Israeli tanks and infantry pushed into northwestern neighborhoods of Gaza City on Thursday as internet and phone services across the Gaza Strip were severed, residents and local officials said, raising fears of a broader ground offensive and prompting new waves of displacement. Witnesses reported tanks in Sheikh Radwan and Tel AlHawa, areas that form gateways to the city centre, while communications outages began on Wednesday after infrastructure and main network routes were hit, the Palestinian Telecommunications Company said.

The Israeli military said its forces have been expanding operations in Gaza City, with a combination of infantry, tanks, artillery and air support advancing from eastern suburbs toward central and western districts where most civilians are sheltering. Army spokesperson Nadav Shoshani said the operation is intended to dismantle what Israel calls terror infrastructure, to pressure Hamas and to create conditions for possible hostage rescues. He added that Israel was taking measures to limit civilian casualties and allow humanitarian assistance, and accused Hamas of discouraging evacuations to the south because it is using civilians as human shields.