Israel launches ground assault on Gaza City

AFP | Gaza City

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Israel launched its long anticipated ground assault on Gaza City before dawn yesterday, shortly after visiting US Secretary of State Marco Rubio backed its goal of eradicating Hamas in Gaza.

A United Nations probe meanwhile charged Israel with committing "genocide" in the Palestinian territory and accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials of incitement.

The assault drew widespread condemnation, with the UN rights chief demanding an end to the "carnage".

During the night, the military unleashed a massive bombardment of Gaza City as Israeli troops moved deeper into the territory's largest urban hub.

"Last night, we transitioned into the next phase, the main phase of the plan for Gaza City... Forces have expanded ground activity into Hamas's main stronghold in Gaza, which is Gaza City," a military official told journalists.

"We are moving towards the centre" of Gaza City, he said.

The military estimated there were 2,000-3,000 Hamas fighters operating in the area, he added.

Defence Minister Israel Katz earlier said Gaza City was "on fire". "The IDF (Israeli military) is striking terrorist infrastructure with an iron fist," he said.

The military estimated that about "40 percent" of Gaza City residents had left and moved to the territory's south, the military official said.

Witnesses told AFP of relentless bombing in Gaza City, much of which is already in ruins after nearly two years of Israeli strikes.

Only huge piles of rubble remained of a residential block in the north of the city hit by overnight bombing.

"Why kill children sleeping safely like that, turning them into body parts?" said Abu Abd Zaquout. "We pulled the children out in pieces."