Israel launches ground operation to capture Gaza City — Axios
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has launched a ground operation to establish control over Gaza City, the largest settlement in the Gaza Strip. As previously stated by the Israeli leadership, it is aimed at eradicating the Hamas group.
The American publication Axios reported this with reference to its own sources.
Last night, IDF aircraft carried out massive strikes on Gaza, after which Israeli armored vehicles began to enter the city.
The publication notes that the operation began a few hours after a meeting between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to two Israeli officials, Rubio told Netanyahu that the US supports a ground operation, but wants the IDF to carry it out as quickly as possible.
An unnamed American official added that Washington is not going to stop Jerusalem and allows it to make its own decisions.
"It's not Trump's war, it's Bibi's war, and he will own whatever happens next," the publication quotes him as saying.
What is the current situation in the Gaza Strip?
The operation in the Gaza Strip was a response to the attack by Hamas militants on Israeli settlements in October 2023. Since then, IDF units have established control over the perimeter of the enclave, and have also advanced in its southeastern part.
Hamas remains in control of Gaza, small locations in the south of the enclave, and territories on the coast.
As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, at the end of August, the UN stated that about 500,000 people are starving in Gaza City due to hostilities and Israel's blockade.
Recall, in May of this year, Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel intends to establish control over the entire territory of the Gaza Strip.