Israel launched a ground assault on Gaza City before dawn Tuesday, moving deeper into the territory’s largest urban center amid ongoing airstrikes targeting Hamas positions.
A military official said the operation marks the “main phase” of the campaign, aimed at Hamas’s stronghold in Gaza City. The IDF estimates 2,000 to 3,000 militants are operating in the area.
Defence Minister Israel Katz described Gaza City as “on fire,” adding that the military is striking terrorist infrastructure “with an iron fist.” The army said around 40 percent of residents have fled to southern Gaza.
Witnesses reported relentless bombing overnight, with entire residential blocks reduced to rubble. Civilian casualties are mounting; Gaza’s civil defence agency said at least 36 people were killed Tuesday.
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI) accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza, holding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior officials responsible. Israel rejected the report as “distorted and false.”
UN rights chief Volker Turk emphasized that determining genocide is a matter for the courts but noted mounting evidence. The European Union and the UK criticized the ground offensive, warning of worsening humanitarian conditions and additional civilian deaths.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Israel Monday and expressed support for the campaign while urging continued efforts toward a diplomatic solution and potential demilitarization of Hamas.
Rubio highlighted a narrow window for negotiations and encouraged Israel to engage with Qatar to mediate a truce. He also addressed Western efforts to recognize Palestinian statehood, calling such moves “largely symbolic.”
The October 2023 Hamas attack killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to AFP tallies. Israel’s retaliatory campaign has resulted in at least 64,964 deaths in Gaza, the majority civilian, according to the territory’s health ministry.
The ground offensive in Gaza City intensifies international scrutiny of the conflict, with diplomatic, humanitarian, and legal implications continuing to grow.
