A satellite image taken on September 16, 2025, shows armored vehicles just 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) north of Al-Shati Camp in northern Gaza. Planet Labs

Israeli tanks were stationed on the edge of Gaza City on Wednesday ahead of a planned ground operation into the enclave’s largest urban area, according to eyewitnesses and satellite imagery.

Amid the military build-up, tens of thousands of Palestinians continued to leave the city, which was estimated to have a total of about one million inhabitants - many of them already displaced multiple times - before Israel announced its plans for a ground incursion.

While the Israeli military announced Tuesday that the ground operation had begun, eyewitnesses and satellite images revealed that tanks had yet to enter the city.

Israel’s new op

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