Israeli troops press forward into Gaza City as more Palestinians flee and death toll passes 65,000
Source: AP
By JULIA FRANKEL and SAMY MAGDY
Updated 12:19 PM CDT, September 17, 2025
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli troops and tanks pushed deeper into Gaza City on Wednesday as more people fled the devastated area, and strikes cut off phone and internet services, making it harder for Palestinians to summon ambulances during the military’s new offensive.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war surpassed 65,000, local health officials said.
The Israeli military said air force and artillery units had struck the city more than 150 times in the last few days, ahead of ground troops moving in. The strikes toppled high-rise towers in areas with densely populated tent camps. Israel claims the towers were being used by Hamas to watch troops.
Regulators said the severed phone and internet services hindered the ability of Palestinians to call for help, coordinate evacuations or share details of the offensive that began Monday and aims to take full control of the city.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-wars-09-17-2025-902e4a41eb3c5802fd18c598083d247a
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