Here's a summary of the provided news article, formatted in markdown: # Israel to Flood Gaza City with Explosive-Laden Robots, Report Says * **News Title:** Israel to Flood Gaza City with Explosive-Laden Robots, Report Says * **Report Provider:** Middle East Eye * **Author:** Nadav Rapaport * **Published Date:** September 17, 2025, 13:57 BST (Last update: 4 seconds ago) * **Date/Time Period Covered:** Between August 13 and September 3, 2025 (for specific robot usage statistics), and ongoing deployment as of September 16, 2025. ## Main Findings and Conclusions The Israeli military is preparing to deploy an "unprecedented" number of explosive-laden, remote-controlled vehicles into Gaza City as part of its ground offensive. These vehicles, known as "booby-trapped robots" or "suicide APCs," are decommissioned armored personnel carriers (APCs) rigged with explosives and remotely operated by Israeli forces. Their deployment is intended to cause widespread destruction and terror, clearing urban areas and destroying infrastructure without directly exposing Israeli soldiers to threats. ## Key Statistics and Metrics * **Robot Usage:** At least **100 explosive robots** were used in densely populated areas between **August 13 and September 3, 2025**, alone. * **Residential Unit Destruction:** The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor reports that approximately **300 residential units are destroyed daily** due to these explosions. * **APC Usage Increase:** The use of old M113 APCs has reportedly **tripled** under the orders of Southern Command chief Yaniv Asor. * **Heavy Engineering Vehicles:** Dozens of heavy engineering vehicles, some armored, have been moved to the Gaza border in the past week, with a large number already inside Gaza and more expected. ## Significant Trends or Changes * **"Unprecedented" Deployment:** The current scale of deployment is described as "unprecedented," suggesting a strategy to "wipe the city off the map." * **Evolving Tactic:** The use of explosive-laden APCs, first developed after the 2014 Gaza war, has become a "method of operation" for clearing roads, demolishing buildings, and destroying infrastructure. * **Increased Pace:** The use of these robots is occurring at an "unprecedented pace." ## Notable Risks or Concerns * **Widespread Destruction and Terror:** The vehicles are designed to cause "massive blasts and widespread destruction," leading to "earth-shaking" explosions that cause "widespread terror and destruction." * **Indiscriminate Bombing:** Palestinian researcher Muhammad Shehada states that these APCs are used to "indiscriminately barrel bomb overcrowded neighbourhoods & create chaos." * **"Genocide by Remote Control":** The tactic is framed by some as a form of "genocide by remote control" aimed at forcing mass displacement. * **Devastation Beyond Air Strikes:** A Gaza City resident described the robots as "far more devastating than air strikes," reducing entire buildings to rubble. ## Important Recommendations (Implied) While no explicit recommendations are made in the article, the reporting highlights the severe humanitarian impact and the destructive nature of these weapons, implying a need for international scrutiny and potential intervention. ## Material Financial Data No financial data is presented in this news report. ## Contextual Information * **"Suicide APCs":** This is the term used by the Israeli military for these explosive-laden vehicles. * **"Booby-trapped robots":** This is how they are known in Gaza. * **Origin of Equipment:** The equipment is manufactured in the United States and arrived in Israel following delays by the Joe Biden administration, with shipment later approved under President Donald Trump. * **Operators:** The vehicles have been operated by settlers and far-right "hilltop youth" hired for the task. * **Previous Use:** Explosive-laden APCs were reportedly used in Gaza during the early months of the conflict, despite initial denials. Soldier testimonies from July 2024 confirmed their deployment. This summary aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the news report, preserving its key details, numerical data, and the critical context surrounding the deployment of these explosive robots in Gaza.
Israel to flood Gaza City with explosive-laden robots, report says
Read original at Middle East Eye →Army set to deploy 'unprecedented' number of the remote-controlled vehicles designed to cause widespread destruction and terror Israeli soldiers, tanks and armoured personnel carriers (APCs) near the Gaza boundary, in Israel on 16 September 2025 (Reuters/Amir Cohen) Published date: 17 September 2025 13:57 BST | Last update: 4 sec ago The Israeli military is preparing to deploy an “unprecedented” number of explosive-laden, remote-controlled vehicles into Gaza City, according to Walla news outlet.
Known in Gaza as “booby-trapped robots”, the vehicles are decommissioned armoured personnel carriers (APCs), rigged with explosives and operated remotely by Israeli forces. They are driven deep into urban areas before being detonated, causing massive blasts and widespread destruction. The practice is referred to by the Israeli military as “suicide APCs.
” Israeli outlet Walla reported on Tuesday that the military has stationed a large number of these outdated APCs along the Gaza boundary, converting them into “mega-explosives” for use in its ground offensive, which it said began on Tuesday. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Earlier this month, the Jerusalem Post said the use of old M113 APCs had tripled under the orders of Southern Command chief Yaniv Asor.
According to Israeli media, the explosions are so powerful that some have been heard as far away as central Israel. Palestinians say the blasts are “earth-shaking” and cause widespread terror and destruction in their wake. Genocide by remote control: Israel's explosive robots devastate Gaza Read More » “They’re extremely powerful.
They reduce entire buildings to crushed rubble,” Hamza Shabaan, a Gaza City resident who witnessed the robots’ explosions, previously told Middle East Eye. “They are far more devastating than air strikes.” At least 100 explosive robots were used in densely populated areas between 13 August and 3 September alone, according to the Gaza-based Government Media Office.
The nonprofit Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor reports that around 300 residential units are destroyed daily due to these explosions. The use of these robots is occurring at an “unprecedented pace”, suggesting a strategy “to wipe the city off the map”, Euro-Med Monitor said. “Meet Israel's most dystopian weapon used to terrorise Gazans into fleeing south: APC vehicles repurposed into robotic giant bombs,” Palestinian researcher Muhammad Shehada said on X.
“Israel's army has been swarming Gaza city with those APCs to indiscriminately barrel bomb overcrowded neighbourhoods & create chaos.” Demolition and destruction This method is not new. Explosive-laden APCs were reportedly used across Gaza during the early months of the genocide, despite initial denials from the Israeli military.
Testimonies from soldiers from as early as July 2024 confirmed their deployment. According to a recent Maariv report, the tactic was first developed after the 2014 Gaza war. Erasing survival: Israel destroys Gaza’s lifelines to force mass displacement Read More » It has since become “a method of operation that enables the clearing of roads, the demolition of buildings, and the destruction of enemy infrastructure without exposing forces to direct threats”.
But it’s not just “suicide APCs” massed along the Gaza border. The Israeli army has also positioned dozens of heavy engineering vehicles, according to Walla. These include both civilian and military-grade equipment - some armoured against missiles and explosives - intended to support ground forces and destroy “threatening infrastructure and structures”.
“In the past week, dozens of heavy vehicles have been moved to the Gaza border,” Walla reported. “A large number are already inside. More are expected to join in the coming days.” A military source told the outlet that the vehicles are “awaiting orders to enter both central and secondary missions”.
The army reportedly places “great importance” on these machines and is working to get them fully operational. The equipment, manufactured in the United States, recently arrived in Israel following delays by the Joe Biden administration. Their shipment was later approved under President Donald Trump.
Since the start of the war, these vehicles, often operated by settlers and far-right “hilltop youth” hired for the task, have been used to systematically demolish homes and civilian infrastructure across the Gaza Strip. Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond.
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