Israel intensifies bombardment of Gaza city amid reports of ground offensive

New Delhi, Sep 16: Israel carried out heavy overnight bombardments on Gaza City, with reports from US and Israeli media suggesting that ground forces may have launched an operation to seize the city, reports BBC. The strikes also extended to central Gaza, along routes used by civilians fleeing south, where Palestinian officials reported rising casualties. The escalation comes ahead of a long-threatened full-scale invasion of Gaza City, home to hundreds of thousands of people. Local journalists described near-continuous artillery, gunfire and air strikes, with homes destroyed and residents trapped under rubble. The Israeli military has not officially confirmed a new ground incursion.

Israel has ordered civilians to leave Gaza City for the south, estimating that about 250,000 people have fled, though many remain due to poverty, safety concerns, or lack of shelter. Air strikes have also been reported in southern Gaza. The intensified assault coincided with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Israel, where he pledged Washington’s continued support before travelling to Qatar. Families of hostages held in Gaza staged protests outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence, fearing the military strategy endangers their relatives. Around 48 hostages remain in Gaza, with 20 believed to be alive.

Arab and Islamic leaders also held a meeting in Doha on Monday and strongly condemned Israel’s offensive last week’s strike in the Qatari capital that targeted Hamas leaders. Doha hosted an emergency summit of Arab and Muslim countries on Monday, where nearly 60 member states declared solidarity with Qatar and condemned Israel’s bombing of the Qatari capital last week. The rare joint session between the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was convened after an Israeli strike that targeted senior Hamas leaders meeting in Doha to discuss a US-backed ceasefire proposal. At least six people were killed in the attack, which leaders described as an unprecedented escalation. The summit was billed as a critical moment to deliver a unified response amid mounting global criticism of Israel’s actions.