Israel’s Ground Assault on Gaza City Escalates as International Calls for Ceasefire Grow

As of 9 PM in both Gaza City and Tel Aviv, the conflict continues to worsen. Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, confirmed that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have encircled Gaza City, with operations ongoing within its limits. Netanyahu, in a televised address on Tuesday, stressed that there would be no ceasefire until hostages were freed, urging residents to flee south as Israel’s military operations intensify.

Netanyahu suggested the possibility of “tactical pauses” for humanitarian reasons, including aid deliveries or hostage evacuations, but reiterated Israel’s responsibility for Gaza’s security, citing the dangers of losing control over the area.

Israel’s Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, echoed Netanyahu’s statements, emphasizing that the IDF was tightening its grip on Gaza City. Gallant also rejected calls for any ceasefire pauses unless hostages were returned.

In the streets of Gaza City, Palestinian families, waving white flags and holding their hands up, fled past Israeli tanks as the IDF prepared to take control of the city. The military allowed a four-hour window for civilians to leave, but hundreds of thousands remain trapped inside the besieged area. Israel claims to have destroyed Hamas strongholds, including a weapons depot near al-Quds hospital, and has severed northern Gaza from the rest of the territory.

Meanwhile, Israel’s military engaged in further conflict along its northern border, firing into Lebanon in retaliation for an attack, and intercepted an aerial target near the UN-drawn Blue Line.

On the Palestinian side, the human toll of the conflict is mounting. As of Tuesday, the Hamas-run health ministry reports over 10,300 Palestinian deaths, including more than 4,200 children. The death toll from the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel has surpassed 1,400. A global vigil was held to mark one month since the attack, with candlelit tributes held in Jerusalem and other cities worldwide.

In Gaza, the death of Palestinian journalist Mohammad Abu Hasira in an Israeli airstrike added to the growing list of casualties. The World Health Organization (WHO) described the situation in Gaza as “hard to fathom,” with daily suffering intensifying. They and other international organizations, like Care and ActionAid Palestine, have called for an immediate ceasefire as the humanitarian crisis worsens.

The UN’s Volker Türk, on a visit to the region, condemned the ongoing violence and called it “a month of carnage,” while urging accountability for the human rights violations unfolding in Gaza.

Efforts to evacuate foreign nationals continue, with over 320 foreign citizens, including Egyptians, Jordanians, and Canadians, leaving through the Rafah border. The situation remains dire for civilians, with severe shortages of food, water, and medical supplies, while the international community continues to pressure for a cessation of hostilities and a long-term peace solution.