The Israeli army began a ground operation to capture Gaza City on Monday, the Axios news website reported, citing sources in Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
According to the Jerusalem Post, Israel Defense Forces tanks have entered the heart of the city.
After weeks of increasing airstrikes on Gaza City, including the demolition of a large number of high-rise buildings, it appears that the Israel Defense Forces have reached the tipping point for a larger-scale ground invasion.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had gradually expanded airstrikes in and around the city in recent days, but had so far not sent ground forces into the densely populated northern city, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are believed to be taking refuge.
The Israeli military says that about 300.000 Palestinians have fled Gaza City in recent weeks. The military has urged everyone in Gaza City to evacuate, but many remain in the area fearing that other areas in the Strip are no safer.
According to eyewitnesses to the AFP, Israel heavily bombed Gaza City in the early hours of Tuesday after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio supported the Israeli attack on the devastated area.
"There is heavy, incessant shelling in Gaza City and the danger continues to increase," said eyewitness Ahmed Ghazal, adding that houses have been destroyed and residents are trapped under the rubble.
Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesman for Gaza's civil defense agency, which is run by Hamas, told AFP that "the shelling continues fiercely throughout Gaza City and the number of dead and injured continues to rise."
Hostage families protest outside the prime minister's residence
Meanwhile, family members of the hostages in Gaza arrived at the prime minister's residence in Jerusalem as Operation Gideon's Chariot II began in Gaza City, to protest the move and raise awareness about the potential danger to the hostages, the Hostage and Missing Families Forum announced late Monday night.
"After 710 nights of captivity by terrorists, tonight could be the last night for the barely surviving hostages and our last chance to locate and recover the dead for a dignified burial," their statement said.
"Prime Minister Netanyahu bears personal responsibility for the fate of the hostages. The people of Israel will not forgive the sacrifice of the hostages and soldiers."
Hamas responds to Trump on "human shields"
Hamas issued a statement responding to US President Donald Trump, who earlier said that the terrorist group had moved Israeli hostages from underground bunkers and would use them as "human shields" to thwart the occupation of Gaza City by Israeli Forces.
Hamas claims that Trump's comments demonstrate "blatant bias in favor of Zionist propaganda."
The terrorist organization says Trump knows full well that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is the one destroying all chances of reaching an agreement that will end the war in Gaza.
Hamas adds that it holds the US — along with Israel — responsible for escalating the war in Gaza.
"War criminal Netanyahu bears full responsibility for the lives of his prisoners in the Gaza Strip," the Palestinian group said, adding that the occupation of Gaza City endangers the lives of the hostages.
“Washington knows that Netanyahu is sabotaging the chances of any deal, most recently by attempting to assassinate the negotiating team in Qatar while they were discussing Trump’s final deal.”
Source: protothema.gr
