Israel’s military reportedly said early Tuesday that its long-anticipated ground offensive into Gaza City had begun, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pressed forward with his pledge to end the war against Hamas through force rather than negotiation.
The campaign opened with a heavy bombardment of Gaza’s most densely populated urban center, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians remain after nearly two years of fighting.
Netanyahu described Gaza City as “the last important stronghold” of Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist group. Taking the city, he has argued, would deliver a decisive blow.
Three Israeli divisions were mobilized, two maneuvering to surround the city’s center and another to the north. Tens of thousands of reservists have been called up to join what officials say is the most significant offensive of the war.
“It’s just the first step,” said Yaron Buskila, a lieutenant colonel in the reserves and head of the Israel Defense and Security Forum. “It’s airstrikes and artillery and some ground forces but we will see more in the next days getting in.”
The ground campaign follows an evacuation order Israel issued last week, warning civilians to flee Gaza City as the military targeted high-rise buildings with airstrikes. Israel has said repeatedly that Hamas embeds itself among civilians and that its operations are aimed at militants.
Despite Israel’s warnings, most residents have remained. The United Nations estimates only about 200,000 fled south, though Israeli officials believe the number is closer to 350,000.
Israel says it now controls 75 percent of Gaza, including 40 percent of Gaza City’s outskirts. Military officials estimate 2,000 to 3,000 militants remain inside the city, with Hamas still boasting tens of thousands of fighters, many poorly trained recruits.
The push comes amid criticism abroad. A U.N. commission released a report accusing Israel of genocide, pointing to the conduct of its forces and public statements by leaders.
Israel rejected the findings outright, saying they were biased and based on falsehoods. European governments and aid groups have also condemned the assault, citing humanitarian conditions.
Still, Netanyahu’s government maintains that Hamas’s atrocities on October 7, 2023 — when its fighters killed 1,200 Israelis and dragged some 250 hostages into Gaza — justify the scale of the response. Officials say defeating Hamas is the only way to prevent more attacks.
The military campaign also coincided with Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit. Rubio, acting on President Trump’s behalf, urged a cease-fire that would release remaining hostages. Yet he admitted he left with little hope for a deal. “The Israelis have begun to take operations there,” Rubio said. “We think we have a very short window of time in which a deal can happen. We don’t have months anymore, and we probably have days and maybe a few weeks.”
At home, Netanyahu faces growing dissent. Polls show many Israelis, including on the right, favor trading an end to the war for the release of hostages. Tens of thousands marched on Saturday in one of the largest antiwar protests in months. Families of hostages have camped outside the prime minister’s Jerusalem residence, fearing that their relatives are endangered by Israel’s advance.
“Our loved ones who are in Gaza are being bombarded by the Israeli military at the order of the Prime Minister,” said Anat Angrest, the mother of hostage Matan Angrest. “We are terrified it will be their last night.”
For Netanyahu, the stakes are enormous: either strike a final blow against Hamas or risk widening division at home while under scrutiny abroad.
[READ MORE: Rubio Backs Israel’s Right to Strike Hamas, Warns Against Rewarding Terrorists]
