Displaced Palestinians, fleeing northern Gaza due to an Israeli military operation, move southward after Israeli forces ordered residents of Gaza City to evacuate to the south, in the central Gaza Strip on Sept. 16.
Satellite image shows vast destruction in Gaza City on Sept. 16, 2025
Displaced Palestinians, fleeing northern Gaza due to an Israeli military operation, move southward after Israeli forces ordered residents of Gaza City to evacuate to the south, in the central Gaza Strip on September 16, 2025.

After a series of devastating airstrikes, the Israeli military is sending its ground forces into Gaza City, causing thousands of Palestinians to flee and escalating a humanitarian crisis in the region.

Israel has been threatening a ground assault to seize what it calls a Hamas stronghold inside the city. Palestinians have said the airstrikes are the most intense bombardment they’ve faced in the two-year war, Reuters reported.

The Sept. 16 attacks followed a finding by an independent United Nations human rights commission that said Israel is committing genocide in Gaza in its war against Hamas. Israel rejected the report and said Hamas attempted genocide in Israel.

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What's the level of damage to Gaza?

Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed since the Oct. 7 2023 attack by Hamas On top of the human toll in Gaza, Israeli forces have leveled nearly 60% of structures – homes, schools, mosques and other buildings ‒ with Gaza City sustaining the heaviest damage.

In satellite imagery captured Sept. 16, large lines of people and vehicles can be seen along al-Rashid Road and roads leading to the escape route established by Israel.

An ongoing satellite analysis by two academic researchers that started shortly after the war began shows how quickly and widespread the destruction of buildings has been in Gaza, particularly in the north, where more than 74% of the buildings have been damaged or destroyed.

In images: Israel's military campaign in Gaza

An Israel Defense Forces official said ground troops were moving deeper into the enclave's main city, and that the number of soldiers would rise in the coming days to confront up to 3,000 Hamas combatants the IDF believes are still in the city, according to Reuters.

This is a developing story which will be updated.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Israel invades Gaza as UN report alleges genocide. Maps, satellite images, video show destruction

Reporting by Janet Loehrke, George Petras, Ramon Padilla, Stephen J. Beard and Shawn J. Sullivan, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect