Israel launches main phase of ground operation in Gaza City

The Israeli army announced on Tuesday the start of a new ground operation in Gaza, declaring, “Gaza is burning.”

As Israel conducted heavy bombardments in Gaza overnight, the American news site Axios and the Israeli newspaper The Jerusalem Post reported that the Israeli army had launched a ground operation to seize the entire city.

An Israeli military official stated that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have initiated the main phase of their ground operation against Gaza City, the region’s primary urban center, after ordering hundreds of thousands of its residents to evacuate.

Two divisions are reportedly participating in the ground attacks, with a third expected to join in the coming days.

The attacks reportedly began on the outskirts of Gaza City, with plans to besiege the city in the coming days and weeks.

Defense Minister Yisrael Katz wrote on X, “Gaza is burning.” He stated, “The IDF is striking terrorist infrastructure with an iron fist, and IDF soldiers are fighting bravely to create the necessary conditions for the release of the hostages and the defeat of Hamas.”

Residents of Gaza reported a significant increase in the city’s bombardment over the past two days, with more intense explosions destroying dozens of homes. Naval vessels have also joined tanks and aircraft in the coastal assault.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced during a hearing for his corruption trial that Israel had launched intense attacks on Gaza City.

In attacks carried out by the Israeli army on the Gaza Strip since this morning, 38 Palestinians have been killed, 35 of them in Gaza City.

The Israeli government intends to forcibly evacuate northern Gaza, home to approximately 1 million Palestinians.

To achieve this, Israel aims to occupy Gaza City, where a large portion of these Palestinians have taken refuge, and force them to move south.

Should Palestinians migrate to southern Gaza, their return to the north appears unlikely. The Israeli government’s repeatedly issued “evacuation notices,” which mandate forced displacement, contain no assurances that Palestinians will be able to return to northern Gaza after the attacks conclude.