AfD Expands in Western Germany
Offensive
Israeli forces began a large-scale ground offensive in Gaza City on Tuesday.
Context
Israel had been preparing for and threatening a major offensive on Gaza City for months, with the Israeli cabinet approving the plan in early August.
The long-anticipated invasion of the city, home to roughly 1M people, sparked international condemnation, mass protests in Israel, and concerns from Israeli defense officials about endangering the 48 hostages still believed to be held in Gaza.
Gaza City
Israeli military officials confirmed on Tuesday that the IDF moved deeper into Gaza City. The military described the operation as a gradual process aimed at reaching the center of the densely populated Gaza City.
The offensive involved continuous explosions from airstrikes and artillery fire as IDF troops advanced. Israeli forces had been warning Gaza City’s estimated 1M residents to evacuate south, though Israeli officials estimated that only around 350,000 people had fled the area.
Reactions & Justifications
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the operation a “powerful operation” against Hamas’ “last major stronghold,” while Israel’s defense minister vowed the military would continue until the mission was complete. The offensive drew widespread international criticism, including condemnation from a UN official who called the assault “totally and utterly unacceptable.”
The operation began shortly after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio left Israel for Qatar, where he is attempting to restart ceasefire negotiations. Rubio warned that there was only a “very short window” for a diplomatic solution.
UN Commission
Israel’s latest invasion came as a UN commission of inquiry released a report on Tuesday concluding that Israel committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The panel found reasonable grounds that Israeli forces carried out four out of five genocidal acts defined under international law, including deliberately creating conditions to destroy Palestinians and preventing births. The commission cited statements by Israeli leaders and patterns of military conduct as evidence of genocidal intent.
Israel's foreign ministry rejected the findings, calling the report “distorted and false.”
