Israel on Tuesday launched its long-anticipated ground offensive into Gaza City, escalating its military campaign with what officials described as the “main stage” of operations in the enclave’s largest urban center. Declaring that “Gaza is burning,” Defence Minister Israel Katz said the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) were “striking with an iron fist” to dismantle Hamas infrastructure and secure conditions for the release of hostages.
The IDF confirmed that ground troops, backed by tanks, naval forces, and intensified airstrikes, had entered the city, where hundreds of thousands of civilians were ordered to flee. Residents reported the heaviest bombardments in recent days, with entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing the assault while appearing in court for his corruption trial, called it a “significant operation,” even as international concern mounts over civilian suffering.
Since Hamas’ October 2023 attack that left Israel with 251 hostages, Israel’s retaliatory war has killed more than 64,000 Palestinians, with famine already reported in parts of Gaza, according to global monitors. With Israel now controlling roughly 75 percent of the territory and extending strikes as far as Qatar in recent days, the conflict is entering a broader geopolitical phase that risks further destabilizing the Middle East.
Leave a comment