More than 60 killed today alone; Israel begins ground war in Gaza

Jerusalem: Israel launched a ground offensive in Gaza City on Tuesday, intensifying an already devastating war that has left vast swathes of the Palestinian territory in ruins. Thousands fled in vehicles piled with belongings, while hundreds of thousands remain trapped under relentless bombardment.

The offensive comes as independent experts commissioned by the UN Human Rights Council accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Israel dismissed the report as “distorted and false,” but the charge has fueled growing international outrage.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz declared that “Gaza is burning” as heavy airstrikes pulverized the city through the night. Long lines of cars, trucks, and even people on foot stretched along Gaza’s coastal road in desperate attempts to escape.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on a brief visit, admitted there was only a “very short window of time” for a deal to end the war, though his remarks offered little hope to the hundreds of thousands still under fire.

Gaza City under siege

An Israeli military official said the “main phase” of the ground operation had begun, with troops pressing into the heart of Gaza City. The military claims that 2,000–3,000 Hamas fighters remain, but the strikes have largely flattened civilian neighborhoods.

Before the invasion, about one million Palestinians lived in Gaza City. Israel says some 350,000 have fled, but UN estimates suggest over 220,000 have left northern Gaza in the past month alone. With homes destroyed and basic services gone, families face an impossible choice: flee into displacement or risk death under the bombs.

Civilian deaths mount

At Gaza’s Shifa Hospital, officials reported receiving the bodies of at least 60 people killed on Tuesday morning alone, alongside dozens of wounded. “The bombing did not stop for a single moment,” said Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiya, the hospital’s director.

Women wept outside the morgue. “How long will we remain like this? Enough of this torture here,” cried Um Ahmed Zaqout, as she mourned loved ones.

Israel routinely justifies its attacks by accusing Hamas of operating in civilian areas. But rights groups argue that such claims do not excuse the mass killing of civilians. The war, now in its second year, has killed nearly 65,000 Palestinians, about half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

Hostage families denounce Netanyahu

Even in Israel, dissent is growing. Families of the remaining hostages gathered outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence, demanding an end to the Gaza City offensive. “If he stops at nothing while our hostages are being used as human shields, he is not a worthy prime minister,” shouted Einav Zangauker, whose son is still held in Gaza.

Hamas has said it will release hostages only in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a ceasefire, and Israel’s withdrawal.

Regional anger rises

Israel’s escalation is straining regional ties. Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, in a rare move, publicly described Israel as “an enemy” during a summit in Qatar, the first such statement by an Egyptian leader since peace accords were signed in 1979. Egyptian state media highlighted the remark, underscoring Cairo’s growing anger.

Qatar’s emir also used unusually sharp language to denounce Israel. Despite the condemnation, Arab and Muslim leaders stopped short of concrete action, reflecting the difficulty of reining in Israel’s war machine.

For Gaza’s civilians, however, the consequences are immediate: shattered homes, mass graves, and an ever-shrinking hope for survival.