Israel launches ground assault on Gaza City

GAZA CITY: Israel launched its long anticipated ground assault on Gaza City before dawn on Tuesday, shortly after visiting US Secretary of State Marco Rubio backed its goal in Gaza.

A United Nations probe, meanwhile, charged Israel with committing “genocide” in the Palestinian territory and accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials of incitement.

During the night, the military unleashed a massive bombardment of Gaza City as Israeli troops moved deeper into the territory’s largest urban hub.

“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,” a military official told journalists.

“We are moving towards the centre” of Gaza City, he said. When asked whether troops had moved deeper into central Gaza City he replied: “Yes.”

The military estimated there were “2,000-3,000 Hamas” militants operating in the area, he added.

Defence Minister Israel Katz said Gaza City was “on fire”.

Witnesses told AFP of relentless bombing of Gaza City, much of which is already in ruins after nearly two years of Israeli strikes since the Hamas attacks of October 2023 that triggered the war.

“We can hear their screams,” said 25-year-old resident Ahmed Ghazal.

Rubio offered robust backing for the offensive on Monday as he met Netanyahu, who has ordered the Israeli military to seize Gaza City.

Germany on Tuesday slammed Israel’s ground assault on Gaza City as “completely wrong”, urging instead talks towards a ceasefire and hostage release deal.

“The renewed offensive towards Gaza City is… the completely wrong path,” said Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. “We reject this and have made this clear to the Israeli government.”

Israel has killed at least 64,905 people in its campaign in Gaza, mostly civilians.