Israel launches ground offensive in Gaza City
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The news: Israel has commenced a ground operation to occupy Gaza City, after US President Donald Trump warned Hamas that it had a “very short window” for negotiations to end the war.
The context: The long-threatened assault began early Tuesday morning local time, with the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) saying that its troops had begun expanding ground operations in Gaza City as part of Operation Gideon’s Chariots II.
An IDF official said ground troops were moving deeper into the enclave's main city, and that the number of soldiers would rise in coming days to confront up to 3,000 Hamas fighters that it believes are still in the city.
Troops from two divisions were maneuvering to surround the densely populated centre of Gaza City, while a third division operated to the north. The assault began with a heavy bombardment of the city where hundreds of thousands of people are thought to be sheltering. Residents told media outlets that the city has been pounded from air, sea and ground with large blasts reported throughout Tuesday.
Calling on residents who were still in the city to evacuate, Israel's Arabic language spokesperson Avichay Adree said on Tuesday via X: “Residents of Gaza, the Defense Army has begun destroying Hamas's infrastructure in Gaza City. Gaza City is considered a dangerous combat zone, and staying in the area puts you at risk.”
Israel’s Minister of Defence, Israel Katz also commented on the expanded military offensive, saying: “Gaza is burning. The IDF strikes with an iron fist at the terrorist infrastructure and IDF soldiers are fighting bravely to create the conditions for the release of the hostages and the defeat of Hamas. We will not relent and we will not go back - until the completion of the mission.”
The offensive comes as the United Nations found that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, and that Israeli officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu incited these acts. The report cites examples of the scale of the killings, aid blockages, forced displacement and the destruction of a fertility clinic to back up its genocide finding.
“The Commission finds that Israel is responsible for the commission of genocide in Gaza,” insisted Navi Pillay, Chair of the Commission. “It is clear that there is an intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza through acts that meet the criteria set forth in the Genocide Convention.”
UN Human Rights chief Volker Türk called on Israel to immediately stop the ground assault, saying that evidence was mounting of war crimes, crimes against humanity and possibly more.
"I can only think of what it means for women, for malnourished children, for people with disabilities, if they are again attacked in this way. And I have to say the only response to this is: stop the carnage," Mr Türk told reporters in Geneva.
The numbers: Local health authorities say that over 65,000 people have been killed in the enclave since the war began in October 2023.
The sources: UN Report, UN press release, WSJ, Reuters, AP
