Israel Claims 'Gaza is Burning' as Ground War Begins

Escalation of Conflict in Gaza

Israel’s defense minister declared that “Gaza is burning” on Tuesday after his forces launched a ground offensive across Gaza City. Palestinian officials reported a heavy aerial bombardment overnight, with hospital officials stating that at least 20 Palestinians had been killed and more than 120 injured. Women and children made up most of the victims, according to Dr. Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of Shifa hospital in Gaza City.

An Israeli military official described Gaza as an “urban battlefield” and stated that Israel had control of 40 percent of the areas around Gaza City. However, the center of the city remained under Hamas control. The official mentioned that the operation had transitioned into the next phase, with the objective of bringing home the hostages and dismantling Hamas.

The offensive began even as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Jerusalem, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Mr. Rubio acknowledged the start of operations in Gaza City and stressed the need for an immediate end to the conflict, emphasizing the elimination of Hamas. Earlier in the visit, he promised America’s support for Israel was “unwavering.”

Mr. Rubio noted that there was a very short window of time to reach a deal, suggesting that the situation could be resolved within days or a few weeks. This comes as a two-year UN probe found that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. The investigation by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry concluded that Israel had “flagrantly disregarded” international law and orchestrated a genocidal campaign for almost two years.

In its 72-page report, the UN Commission found that Israel has committed four of the five genocidal acts defined by the 1948 Genocide Convention since October 2023. The Commission concluded that Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Mr. Netanyahu, and then Defense Minister Yoav Gallant incited the commission of genocide. Israel has strongly rejected the report’s findings, calling it “antisemitic, distorted, and false.”

Dr. Abu Salmiya said the bombing targeted several areas in Gaza City, including its northern parts. He described medical teams at Shifa hospital as “exhausted and worn out.” “The bombing did not stop for a single moment,” he said. “There are still bodies under the rubble.”

Earlier, Mr. Netanyahu refused to rule out further strikes on Hamas leaders on foreign soil in the wake of the attack on Qatar that killed six people. The Israeli leader argued that every country had the right to “defend itself beyond its borders.” He claimed that the principle of not giving immunity to terrorists was not established by him.

Israel bombed Doha on September 9, targeting Hamas militant leaders who, according to Qatar, were in its capital to discuss Mr. Trump’s latest ceasefire proposal for Gaza. The air raid, conducted without prior knowledge of either the U.S. or Qatar, marked a significant escalation of Israeli military action in a region already shaken by conflict since the Hamas-led attacks on October 7.

Qatar, a key mediator and host of talks for Gaza, is also the home of Washington’s largest base in the Middle East. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he was not informed by Mr. Netanyahu in advance about the attack and was not involved in Israel’s decision to strike Qatar. Mr. Trump had previously stated that Mr. Netanyahu “won’t be hitting Qatar.”

Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Rubio stood shoulder-to-shoulder on Monday and downplayed the furore caused by the attack on Qatar. Mr. Netanyahu criticized the global condemnation of Tel Aviv’s airstrike on Doha, arguing that the U.S. acted boldly against terrorist havens in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Mr. Netanyahu claimed that Israel acted on its own and acknowledged that the strike did not succeed in killing Hamas leaders but sent a message to the militant group. “It didn’t fail because it had one central message and we considered it before we launched it, and that is, you can hide, you can run, but we’ll get you,” he added.

Mr. Netanyahu made these remarks as 50 leaders from across the Arab and Islamic world gathered in Qatar’s capital for an emergency meeting in an “unprecedented show of unity” against Israel’s shock bombing of the Gulf state last week. Leaders included Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, and Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed.

The U.S. secretary of state said Hamas must be eliminated and all hostages released for there to be peace in Gaza. He called Hamas “savage terrorists” and emphasized the need to be prepared for the possibility that a peaceful resolution may not happen.

Mr. Netanyahu told Mr. Rubio that his presence in Israel was a clear message that “America stands with Israel.” “You stand with us in the face of terror.”

There were no signs of Washington’s frustration or annoyance with Israel’s latest moves during Mr. Rubio’s visit, despite Mr. Trump’s displeasure with Israel’s strike on Qatar. Before leaving for Qatar, Mr. Rubio said Doha and Washington were on the verge of finalizing an enhanced defense cooperation agreement. He added that only Qatar had the ability to mediate in Gaza and that Hamas had a limited time to accept the ceasefire deal.

The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and abducting 251. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 64,871 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run Strip.