The Israeli army has launched a new ground operation in Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israeli forces "launched a major operation in Gaza City" this morning (September 16). The operation began following airstrikes that began overnight.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced today (September 16) morning that Israeli forces had "launched a major operation in Gaza City." Airstrikes, which continued throughout the week, continued last night (September 15). This morning, the Israeli army launched a ground operation.

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) were “striking Hamas with an iron fist”:

"The IDF soldiers are fighting heroically to create the conditions necessary for the release of the hostages and the defeat of Hamas. We will not back down until the mission is accomplished."

Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (Kan) announced that Israeli tanks entered Gaza City this morning, based on reports from the region.

An IDF official made the following statement about the ground operation to reporters in the region today:

"Last night, we moved into the main phase of the Gaza plan. On the instructions of political officials, the IDF Southern Command expanded its ground operations toward Gaza City, Hamas's main stronghold in Gaza.

"We expect to see between 2,000 and 3,000 terrorists in Gaza City. We know that some of them have been there since the beginning of the war, preparing to engage our troops both on the surface and underground."

Authorities announced that the number of soldiers in Gaza City will be gradually increased, and that 40 percent of the region's residents have left the city for the south of the region.

An IDF official issued the following warning to Gaza residents on social media:

"The Israeli army has begun dismantling Hamas infrastructure. Gaza City is a dangerous war zone.

For your safety, go to the declared safe zones, either by vehicle or on foot, via the Al-Rashid corridor in the south of the Gaza Valley.”

It is known that Al-Mawasi, which is defined as a “safe zone” in southern Gaza, is also subject to frequent Israeli airstrikes.

According to hospital sources in the area, Israeli forces killed at least 68 Palestinians, including women and children, in attacks carried out today.

The escalation in airstrikes on Gaza City and the subsequent operation followed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to Jerusalem earlier this week, in which he declared the US government's "unwavering support" for Israel.

As he left for Qatar , Rubio emphasized that Israel was ready to act, so there was a very narrow window for a ceasefire agreement between the government and Hamas.

“We no longer have months, but days, maybe even weeks,” Rubio said. The US official continued , “Our number one choice is a negotiated solution where Hamas says, ‘We will lay down our weapons, we will no longer pose a threat.’”

Hamas officials announced early this morning that US President Donald Trump bears direct responsibility for the escalating tensions in the region.

United Nations (UN) officials have concluded that Israel's military activities in Gaza since October 2023, "carried out with the intent to destroy Palestinians," constitute "genocide." The report names Netanyahu, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant as those responsible for this genocide.

Navi Pillay, the head of the panel that prepared the UN report on the issue, described Israel's operations as "the most brutal, prolonged and widespread attack against the Palestinian people since 1948," referring to the First Arab-Israeli War, in which 750,000 Palestinians were forced to flee their homes.

Netanyahu and his government vehemently denied the accusations of genocide. The Prime Minister said that "foreign powers deliberately left Israel alone" and that this was "a kind of siege orchestrated by a few states." In his speech, Netanyahu singled out China, Qatar, and several European countries for their stance on Israel and Palestine.

An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman accused the commission of serving as “proxies of Hamas” and “relying on Hamas lies, many of which have long since been debunked.”

Sources: BBC , The Guardian

Compiled by: Can Malik Kiremitçi