FLASH
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Israel has launched its long-anticipated ground offensive.
An 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 toward the city center.
"Last night we began to deepen our operations deeper into Gaza City," the IDF official said, adding that this is a gradual thing.
“It’s not something black or white. But yesterday was a big step forward in terms of operations on the ground. This phase is defined by a coordinated and gradual maneuver that combines precise intelligence, air and ground forces targeting Hamas’ central stronghold and aiming to dismantle its control in this area,” the official said, adding that IDF troops expected to encounter significant resistance from up to 3,000 Hamas fighters and allies in Gaza City.
The ground assault was launched one 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 out in the genocide convention," said Navi Pillay, chairwoman of the commission of inquiry on the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel.
Israel's Foreign Ministry dismissed the commission's report as "distorted and false."
Israel Katz, the defense minister, declared in an early morning post on the social media platform X: “Gaza is burning. The IDF is striking the terrorist infrastructure with an iron fist.”
Residents of Gaza City reported a night of intense shelling before the ground assault began. The IDF believes that 40% of the population of about 1 million in Gaza City and its suburbs have so far fled following Israeli evacuation orders. Israel warned those who remain to follow and flee south.
IDF Arabic-language spokesman Colonel Avichay Adraee announced: "The IDF has begun dismantling Hamas' terrorist infrastructure in Gaza City."
"Gaza City is a dangerous war zone. Staying in the city puts you at risk," he said on social media.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Tuesday that "a powerful operation in Gaza" had begun overnight, adding that "Israel is at a decisive stage."
Netanyahu was speaking at a hearing in his corruption trial in a Tel Aviv court and used the offensive as an argument for why he could not attend long or frequent court hearings. His critics have long argued that he has prolonged the war in Gaza to delay elections, stay in office and thus preserve his legal immunity.
The ground attack was launched shortly after a two-day visit by 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 evening to spread an unconfirmed report that Hamas had brought some of the roughly 20 surviving Israeli hostages to street level to act as human shields.
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