Israel launched its long-anticipated ground offensive into Gaza City before dawn on Tuesday, hours after visiting United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly endorsed the operation and reiterated Washington’s goal of eliminating Hamas in the enclave. The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI), meanwhile, accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza and pointed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior leaders for incitement.
Heavy Bombardment and Ground Advance
According to news agency AFP, Israeli forces unleashed intense overnight bombardments before pushing further into Gaza’s largest urban centre. A senior Israeli military official told journalists: “Last night, we transitioned into the next phase, the main phase of the plan for Gaza City… Forces have expanded ground activity into Hamas’s main stronghold in Gaza, which is Gaza City.”
When asked if troops had reached the central parts of the city, the official replied: “Yes,” adding that an estimated 2,000–3,000 Hamas fighters were operating there. Defence Minister Israel Katz declared that Gaza City was “on fire”, noting: “The IDF (Israeli military) 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.”
Witnesses cited by AFP described relentless strikes on a city already devastated after nearly two years of Israeli attacks following the October 2023 Hamas assault. “We can hear their screams,” said 25-year-old resident Ahmed Ghazal.
US Backs Israel’s Offensive in Gaza
Rubio, who held meetings with Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday, offered strong support for Israel’s offensive but cautioned that there was only “a very short window of time” for a possible deal. “We don’t have months anymore, and we probably have days and maybe a few weeks to go,” he told reporters before departing, as per AFP.
He underlined that Washington still preferred a diplomatic settlement in which Hamas would demilitarise. “Sometimes when you’re dealing with a group of savages like Hamas, that’s not possible, but we hope it can happen,” he said.
Rubio also met with families of hostages in Jerusalem, acknowledging Hamas’s leverage. “If there were no hostages and no civilians in the way, this war would have ended a year and a half ago,” he remarked at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv.
A collective representing hostages’ families expressed alarm, saying they were “terrified” for their relatives after Netanyahu authorised the strikes. “He is doing everything to ensure there is no deal and not to bring them back,” the group alleged.
UN Commission Says ‘Genocide’ Occurring In Gaza
The UN COI, which has faced criticism from Israel, said its investigation concluded that “genocide is occurring in Gaza and is continuing to occur”, AFP reported, quoting commission chief Navi Pillay.
“The responsibility lies with the State of Israel,” Pillay said, pointing to explicit statements by Israeli officials and the conduct of the military. The commission’s report claimed Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant had “incited the commission of genocide”.
Israel rejected the findings outright, denouncing the report as “distorted and false” and demanded the COI’s “immediate abolition”.
Before leaving for Qatar, Rubio urged the Gulf nation to continue its mediation efforts despite recent Israeli strikes on Hamas leaders gathered there to review a US truce proposal. “We want them to know that if there’s any country in the world that could help end this through a negotiation, it’s Qatar,” he said.
Gaza’s civil defence agency reported that at least 27 people were killed by Israeli fire on Tuesday. AFP noted that media restrictions and access issues prevented independent verification of the figures.
Rubio’s visit comes ahead of a France-led UN summit where several Western nations, frustrated by Israel’s stance, plan to recognise a Palestinian state. Netanyahu has warned his government may take unilateral measures in response, while Rubio dismissed such recognition as “largely symbolic”.
According to an AFP tally of official figures, the Hamas attack of October 2023 killed 1,219 people in Israel, mostly civilians. Gaza’s health ministry, considered reliable by the UN, has reported that at least 64,905 people, mostly civilians, have died in Israeli operations since then.
