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Israel launches ground offensive deep inside Gaza City Israel launches ground offensive deep inside Gaza City
(about 5 hours later)
Overnight advance aimed at ‘dismantling Hamas’s grip’ as Israel accused of genocide in UN human rights report IDF says advance aims to ‘dismantle Hamas’s grip’ as UN report finds Israel has committed genocide in territory
Middle East crisis – live updatesMiddle East crisis – live updates
Israel has launched its long-threatened ground offensive into the densely packed streets of Gaza City, military officials have confirmed. Israel unleashed its long-threatened ground offensive in Gaza City on Tuesday, sending tanks and remote-controlled armoured cars packed with explosives into its streets, in defiance of international criticism and the findings of a UN commission that it was committing genocide in the Palestinian territory.
One Israel Defense Forces (IDF) official said troops had begun what he called the “main phase” of the offensive, with an overnight advance from the outskirts towards the city centre. “Gaza is burning. The IDF is striking terror infrastructure with an iron fist,” Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, wrote on X as the attack was launched in the early hours of the morning, adding: “We will not relent until the mission is completed.”
“Last night we began deepening our operations deeper into Gaza City,” the IDF official said. “It’s a gradual thing. It is not a black or white thing. But yesterday was a big step forward … in operations on the ground.” Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said the goals of the offensive were “defeating the enemy and evacuating the population”, omitting any mention of the freeing of the remaining Israeli hostages, which was been a constantly stated war aim until now. Hostage families and their supporters protested near Netanyahu’s Jerusalem residence on Tuesday, accusing him of abandoning their loved ones.
“This phase is defined by a coordinated and gradual manoeuvre combining precise intelligence, air and ground forces targeting Hamas’s central stronghold and aimed at dismantling its grip in this area,” the official said, adding that IDF troops were expecting to meet significant resistance from up to 3,000 Hamas and allied fighters in Gaza City. The UN secretary general, António Guterres, said it was clear that Israel had no interest in a peaceful outcome.
“Some of them, we understand, have been there since the beginning of the war and are preparing to engage with our forces above ground and underground,” he said. “Israel is determined to go up to the end and [is] not open to a serious negotiation for a ceasefire, with dramatic consequences from Israel’s point of view,” Guterres said.
Haaretz quoted another military source as saying two army divisions were involved in the advance into Gaza City with another division surrounding it, and that my midday the IDF controlled about 40% of the total area of the city. Officials from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said two divisions were involved in the ground advance towards the centre of Gaza City, with one division surrounding it. They estimated that the invading force would be met by up to 3,000 Hamas and allied fighters, and said the Israeli forces would advance cautiously.
“It’s a gradual thing. It is not a black or white thing. But yesterday was a big step forward … in operations on the ground,” one IDF official said. “This phase is defined by a coordinated and gradual manoeuvre combining precise intelligence, air and ground forces targeting Hamas’s central stronghold and aimed at dismantling its grip in this area.”
One of the principal weapons being used in the offensive are old model armoured personnel carriers, converted so that they are controlled remotely, and loaded with explosives. According to Israeli reports, they are being driven at suspected Hamas positions and detonated.
The health ministry in Gaza reported on Tuesday afternoon that 59 people had been killed and 386 wounded in the previous 24 hours, bringing the official toll of Palestinians from nearly two years of war to almost 65,000. The actual number is feared to be significantly higher.The health ministry in Gaza reported on Tuesday afternoon that 59 people had been killed and 386 wounded in the previous 24 hours, bringing the official toll of Palestinians from nearly two years of war to almost 65,000. The actual number is feared to be significantly higher.
The ground assault was unleashed on a morning when a UN panel of human rights experts published a report accusing Israel of committing genocide. The ground assault was launched on a morning when a UN panel of human rights experts published a report accusing Israel of committing genocide.
“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,” said Navi Pillay, the chair of the commission of inquiry on the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel.“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,” said Navi Pillay, the chair of the commission of inquiry on the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel.
Israel’s foreign ministry rejected the commission’s report as “distorted and false”.Israel’s foreign ministry rejected the commission’s report as “distorted and false”.
Israel Katz, the defence minister, declared in an early morning post on the social media platform X: “Gaza is burning. The IDF is striking terror infrastructure with an iron fist. The country faced the threat of mounting isolation, however, as it pressed ahead with its offensive. On Wednesday, the European Commission is due to present a plan to member states to impose “measures to pressure the Israeli government to change course over the war in Gaza”, said the EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas.
“We will not relent until the mission is completed,” Katz added. “Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza will make an already desperate situation even worse,” Kallas said, adding: “It will mean more death, more destruction [and] more displacement.”
“Suspending trade concessions and imposing sanctions on extremist ministers and violent settlers would clearly signal that the EU demands an end to this war,” she said.
Netanyahu sought to brace the country for greater economic isolation in a speech on Monday in which he said it would have to “adapt to an economy with autarkic features”, suggesting it would have to be more self-reliant with fewer trade options.
Gaza City residents reported a night of intense bombardment before the ground assault was launched. The IDF believes 40% of the estimated 1 million population of Gaza City and its outskirts, have so far left after Israeli evacuation orders. Israel warned those remaining to follow and to flee southwards.Gaza City residents reported a night of intense bombardment before the ground assault was launched. The IDF believes 40% of the estimated 1 million population of Gaza City and its outskirts, have so far left after Israeli evacuation orders. Israel warned those remaining to follow and to flee southwards.
According to UN data, 140,000 people have fled Gaza City heading south over the past month. Tess Ingram, a spokesperson for the UN child protection agency, Unicef, said there was no safe haven for the displaced population.According to UN data, 140,000 people have fled Gaza City heading south over the past month. Tess Ingram, a spokesperson for the UN child protection agency, Unicef, said there was no safe haven for the displaced population.
“It is inhumane to expect nearly half a million children, battered and traumatised by over 700 days of unrelenting conflict, to flee one hellscape and end up in another,” Ingram told reporters from al-Mawasi, an overcrowded sprawling tented camp on the southern coast of Gaza Strip.“It is inhumane to expect nearly half a million children, battered and traumatised by over 700 days of unrelenting conflict, to flee one hellscape and end up in another,” Ingram told reporters from al-Mawasi, an overcrowded sprawling tented camp on the southern coast of Gaza Strip.
“People really do have no good option – stay in danger or flee to a place that they also know is dangerous,” Ingram said, according to Reuters news agency. “People really do have no good option – stay in danger or flee to a place that they also know is dangerous,” Ingram said..
The Arabic-language spokesperson for the IDF, Col Avichay Adraee, announced: “The IDF has begun dismantling Hamas terrorist infrastructure in Gaza City.”The Arabic-language spokesperson for the IDF, Col Avichay Adraee, announced: “The IDF has begun dismantling Hamas terrorist infrastructure in Gaza City.”
“Gaza City is a dangerous combat zone. Remaining in the city endangers you,” he said on social media.“Gaza City is a dangerous combat zone. Remaining in the city endangers you,” he said on social media.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, confirmed on Tuesday that “a powerful operation in Gaza” had begun overnight, adding that “Israel is at a crucial stage.” When news broke of the ground operations on Tuesday morning, Netanyahu was attending a hearing of his corruption trial in a Tel Aviv court, and used the offensive as an argument why he could not attend long or frequent court sessions. His critics have long argued he has prolonged the Gaza war to put off elections, stay in office and thereby preserve his legal immunity.
Netanyahu was speaking at a hearing of his corruption trial in a Tel Aviv court, and used the offensive as an argument why he could not attend long or frequent court sessions. His critics have long argued he has prolonged the Gaza war to put off elections, stay in office and thereby preserve his legal immunity.
The ground assault was launched in the immediate wake of a two-day visit from the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, who had pledged “unwavering” US support for Israel.The ground assault was launched in the immediate wake of a two-day visit from the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, who had pledged “unwavering” US support for Israel.
As part of what has been seen in Israel as a US green light for the operation, Donald Trump used his social media platform, Truth Social, on Monday night to spread an unconfirmed report that Hamas had brought some of the estimated 20 surviving Israeli hostages up to street level to act as human shields. Once the ground offensive was launched, Donald Trump directed blame at Hamas, telling reporters at the White House that the militants would have “hell to pay” if it used the surviving hostages as human shields during the assault.
Trump told Hamas: “Don’t let this happen or, ALL ‘BETS’ ARE OFF.”