Israel Launches Major Ground Assault on Gaza City, Declares "Gaza is Burning" Amid Rising Civilian Deaths and International Condemnation

Gaza City – Israel on Tuesday launched its long-threatened ground assault on Gaza City, declaring that "Gaza is burning" as residents described the heaviest bombardment since the war began nearly two years ago.

An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson confirmed that ground troops had entered Gaza City’s core, with more soldiers expected to join the offensive in the coming days to confront an estimated 3,000 Hamas fighters still believed to be inside the city.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said on X (formerly Twitter): "Gaza is burning. The IDF strikes with an iron fist at the terrorist infrastructure, and IDF soldiers are fighting bravely to create the conditions for the release of the hostages and the defeat of Hamas."

Civilians Flee as Death Toll Rises

Palestinian health officials reported at least 75 deaths on Tuesday, most in Gaza City, after Israeli airstrikes hit residential buildings and a vehicle carrying displaced civilians trying to flee south. Videos from the scene showed families digging through rubble with their bare hands, pulling out bodies, including children wrapped in blankets.

Abu Mohammed Hamed, a Gaza resident, said several of his relatives had been killed or wounded, including a cousin whose body was trapped under concrete since 3 a.m.: "We don't know how to take her out."

Israel has again urged civilians to evacuate, but many Palestinians said they had nowhere to go. Some 350,000 people have moved to displacement shelters, and another 175,000 have fled south altogether, Hamas authorities said.

International Reaction: Trump Backs Israel, UN Condemns Assault

U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his support for Israel, warning Hamas that it would have "hell to pay" if it used hostages as human shields. Trump also confirmed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would visit the White House in two weeks after both leaders address the United Nations General Assembly.

Meanwhile, a United Nations Commission of Inquiry accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, calling the situation "morally, politically and legally intolerable." Israel dismissed the report as "scandalous and fake."

The European Union said it would agree on Wednesday to impose new sanctions on Israel, including suspension of certain trade benefits.

Military Debate and Calls for Ceasefire

Sources told Reuters that IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir urged Netanyahu during a high-level meeting to consider a ceasefire deal, warning that the ground assault could jeopardize the remaining hostages and lead to heavy Israeli casualties.

The war began in October 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Since then, over 64,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza's health ministry, and hundreds of thousands displaced.

Humanitarian Crisis Deepens

Gaza’s health ministry reported three more deaths from malnutrition in the last 24 hours, bringing the total hunger-related deaths to at least 428. Israeli officials deny claims of widespread starvation but say humanitarian aid efforts are being adjusted.