Israel’s military campaign in Gaza City has reached a fever pitch, as ground operations intensified on September 18, 2025, plunging the besieged enclave into even deeper turmoil. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) distributed evacuation leaflets across neighborhoods and opened a temporary exit route, urging civilians to flee the city as violence escalated. Yet, for many Gazans, the warnings rang hollow. With nowhere safe to go, a significant number of residents chose to stay, bracing for the worst amid relentless bombardment and ground incursions.
Health officials in Gaza reported a staggering death toll, with over 65,000 people killed since the war began. In just the 24 hours leading up to September 18, dozens more lost their lives. The city’s emergency services painted a dire picture of the situation, labeling it “catastrophic” as hundreds of thousands of residents scrambled to escape the violence, many leaving behind homes, livelihoods, and, in some cases, family members unable to make the journey.
According to the United Nations, the latest offensive was launched on September 15, 2025, after Israel’s government approved a plan in August to seize and occupy Gaza City. The move, officials warned, risked “igniting another horrific chapter” in the long-running conflict. Miroslav Jenca, assistant secretary-general for Europe, Central Asia, and the Americas in the UN Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, called for the unconditional release of all hostages and demanded that humanitarian aid be allowed unimpeded access to Gaza. However, the reality on the ground tells a story of desperation and despair.
Among those suffering most acutely are persons with disabilities, a population whose numbers have grown since 2023. UN experts sounded the alarm on September 17, warning that Israel’s offensive would have an “apocalyptic” impact on civilians, particularly those with disabilities. “People with disabilities in Gaza are totally exhausted and traumatised. They face extreme difficulties fleeing – some people with mobility impairments are forced to crawl through rubble or be dragged on mattresses, while others face barriers in accessing information,” the experts stated. Their words, reported by the United Nations, underscore the harrowing choices faced by Gaza’s most vulnerable.
For many with physical impairments, fleeing is not just dangerous—it’s nearly impossible. The destruction of infrastructure, combined with the ongoing hostilities, has left many trapped in their homes or in makeshift shelters. Local disability organizations, which once provided a lifeline, are now overwhelmed and unable to meet the surging needs. Supplies of medical equipment and assistive devices have dwindled to critical lows, as Israel has classified many such items as “dual-use”—potentially usable for military purposes—and barred them from entering Gaza. This policy, UN experts argue, has left civilians with severely restricted access to essentials, compounding the crisis.
The experts went further, declaring that the violence unfolding in Gaza constitutes “a campaign of disablement—of people, resources, and infrastructure—to annihilate Palestinian life in Gaza.” Their assessment is chilling, suggesting that the toll of this conflict extends far beyond the immediate casualties of war. The physical and psychological scars, especially among persons with disabilities, are likely to endure for generations.
Despite the IDF’s efforts to facilitate civilian evacuation—leaflets dropped from the sky, loudspeaker warnings, and the opening of a temporary corridor—many residents have refused to leave. Their reasons are as varied as they are heartbreaking. Some fear that nowhere in Gaza is truly safe, given the widespread destruction and the ever-present danger of airstrikes and shelling. Others worry about leaving behind relatives who are too frail or ill to travel. And for many, the prospect of displacement is itself a trauma, reviving memories of past conflicts and lost homes.
Emergency services on the ground describe a city in chaos. Hospitals are stretched to their limits, with medical staff working around the clock to treat the wounded. Ambulances race through shattered streets, often unable to reach those most in need. “The situation is catastrophic,” one emergency responder told BBC, echoing the sense of helplessness that pervades much of Gaza City.
Amid this turmoil, the humanitarian situation has deteriorated rapidly. Civilians face severe shortages of food, clean water, and medical supplies. The blockade of essential goods has hit the disabled community especially hard, as specialized equipment and medications are often among the first items to run out. The UN has repeatedly called for unimpeded humanitarian access, but convoys are frequently delayed or turned back, leaving aid agencies to make impossible choices about who receives help.
The psychological toll is equally devastating. “People with disabilities in Gaza are totally exhausted and traumatised,” UN experts emphasized. For children and adults alike, the constant threat of violence, coupled with the loss of homes and loved ones, has created a climate of fear and uncertainty. Mental health services, already scarce before the offensive, are now practically nonexistent.
Adding to the gravity of the situation, a UN-sponsored independent inquiry reported on or before September 17, 2025, that Israel has committed the international crime of genocide in Gaza. The finding, which follows months of investigations into Israel’s military operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, has intensified calls for accountability and international intervention. Human rights organizations have echoed the inquiry’s conclusions, arguing that the scale and nature of the violence meet the legal definition of genocide—a charge Israel vehemently denies.
The international community is deeply divided over how to respond. Some governments have called for immediate ceasefires and diplomatic negotiations, while others back Israel’s right to self-defense. Within Israel, public opinion is sharply split, with some citizens supporting the military’s actions as necessary for national security, and others expressing horror at the civilian toll and urging restraint.
Meanwhile, Palestinian leaders have condemned the offensive as a deliberate attempt to destroy Gaza’s social fabric. “The violence constitutes a campaign of disablement targeting people, resources, and infrastructure in Gaza,” UN experts asserted, capturing the sense of existential threat felt by many in the enclave.
For now, the people of Gaza—especially those with disabilities—find themselves at the mercy of forces beyond their control. With each passing day, the humanitarian crisis deepens, and hopes for a swift resolution seem increasingly remote. As the world watches, the question remains: how much more can Gaza endure?
With the city’s fate hanging in the balance, the voices of the vulnerable grow louder, demanding action. Whether those calls will be answered before it’s too late is a question that haunts Gaza’s battered streets and the conscience of the international community alike.