pexels.com
Israel said on Tuesday it has launched a full-scale ground offensive into Gaza City, describing the move as a “big step forward” in its ongoing military campaign against Hamas.
The operation, which Israeli forces have been preparing for weeks, targets what the military estimates are between 2,000 and 3,000 Hamas fighters entrenched in the densely populated urban center. Both air and ground units are involved in the latest phase of the conflict.
The military says it remains focused on what it calls a humanitarian mission, even as thousands of residents continue to flee. Cars packed with personal belongings streamed out of Gaza City, but hundreds of thousands of people remain trapped in the area.
Before evacuation warnings were issued, Gaza City and the surrounding areas were home to about 1 million people. According to Israeli officials, approximately 350,000 have left the city so far.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the operation, calling for “urgent international intervention” after what was described as a night of heavy Israeli bombardment.
The bodies of Palestinians killed in an Israeli airstrike (aljazeera.com/Saeed M. M. T. Jaras/Anadolu)
Residents in Gaza City say they are facing “heavy, relentless” airstrikes, with widespread destruction reported. At least 78 people have been killed across the Gaza Strip since dawn, according to local health officials.
The situation on the ground remains fluid, with ongoing strikes and no immediate signs of de-escalation.
