Timeline for the conquest of Gaza City

The plan to capture Gaza City is expected to take at least six months, with the IDF already preparing, in just two weeks’ time, to begin evacuating the population from Gaza City to the humanitarian zone in Al-Mawasi, as revealed this Saturday on Hadashot HaShabbat.

In Gaza City, there are more than 800,000 Palestinians, so the evacuation process is expected to last at least a month and a half before an intensive ground maneuver inside the city will begin.

As part of preparations for the ground maneuver, Israel has decided to significantly increase the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip – a directive approved by the Cabinet. This includes increasing the number of trucks by a quarter (with the current average standing at 300 trucks a day), stepping up airdrops, and building additional distribution centers funded by the American nonprofit Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

Security officials say the move is intended to improve international legitimacy for expanding the fighting and to prepare the area for the evacuation of Gaza residents southward, ensuring they have accessible food supplies.

In about one month, the call-up of reserves from IDF 146th Division will begin, along with preparations for another division, the 98th, to join the fighting in the Strip. In total, six divisions will operate in Gaza: the 162nd, 36th, 98th, Gaza Division, 99th, and 146th.

In about two months, in October 2025, according to the plans, the IDF will encircle Gaza City. By then, the evacuation of the population will be in advanced stages, and the IDF will begin maneuvering inside the city. If there is no breakthrough in negotiations and the hostage issue remains unresolved, the defense establishment estimates that the conquest of Gaza City will take at least six months.