The war in Gaza entered a darker phase on Wednesday as Israeli tanks pushed deeper into Gaza City, intensifying the second day of a ground offensive that has already killed at least 16 people in overnight strikes, including women and children.
Residents streamed out of the devastated city, some by car, many on foot, as Israel opened a new evacuation corridor south of Gaza City for two days. Tanks were seen advancing from three directions toward central and western neighborhoods, though no large breakthrough was reported.
The Rantisi Hospital for children was among the targets hit overnight. Gaza&rsquo;s health ministry said multiple strikes damaged the facility, blowing holes in the roof, shattering water tanks, and scattering rubble across a corridor. Around half of the hospital&rsquo;s 80 patients were evacuated in the aftermath.
International pressure mounted as the offensive deepened. The European Commission proposed suspending free-trade arrangements on Israeli goods and imposing sanctions on two Israeli ministers, violent settlers, and Hamas members.
From the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV issued an urgent call for peace, declaring: &ldquo;Before the Almighty Lord who commanded &lsquo;Thou shalt not kill&rsquo; and before all of human history, every person always has an inviolable dignity that must be respected and protected.&rdquo;
In the Arab world, Qatar&rsquo;s foreign ministry condemned the operation as an &ldquo;extension of the war of genocide&rdquo; against Palestinians. Saudi Arabia echoed the denunciation, calling the ground assault &ldquo;unacceptable and inhumane.&rdquo;
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees described life in Gaza as &ldquo;exponential fear amid bombardment and devastation,&rdquo; urging an immediate ceasefire as airstrikes in the north intensified.
According to Gaza&rsquo;s health authorities, the war has killed more than 64,900 Palestinians so far, though the figures do not distinguish between civilians and fighters.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians and abducting&nbsp;251 others. Today, 48 hostages remain in Gaza, fewer than half believed to be alive.
As tanks roll deeper into Gaza City and bombs fall on its hospitals, the human toll grows heavier, and the world&rsquo;s calls for restraint grow louder. Yet for now, the fighting shows no sign of slowing.

16 killed in overnight strikes as civilians flee; global calls for ceasefire intensify

Israeli Tanks Push Deeper Into Gaza City

16 killed in overnight strikes as civilians flee; global calls for ceasefire intensify

September 17, 2025 | 23:14 IST