On Tuesday, Israel launched an extensive bombing campaign on Gaza City following the visit of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. During his visit, Rubio expressed support for Israel's objective to eliminate Hamas and cautioned that there may be only a few days remaining for a diplomatic resolution.
Meanwhile, a United Nations investigation accused Israel of carrying out "genocide" in Gaza with the intent to "destroy the Palestinians." The report also alleged that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials were involved in incitement.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated early on Tuesday that Gaza City, the main urban center of the territory, was "on fire."
"The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are aggressively targeting terrorist infrastructure, and IDF soldiers are courageously working to establish the conditions needed for the release of hostages and the defeat of Hamas," he stated.
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"We remain steadfast and determined to see the mission through to completion," Katz stated.
It was uncertain if the earlier announced ground assault on Gaza City had begun.
Witnesses informed AFP of the continuous bombing in Gaza City, a location largely devastated following almost two years of Israeli attacks that began after the Hamas assaults in October 2023 set off the war.
"We can hear their screams," said Ahmed Ghazal, a 25-year-old resident. On Monday, Rubio expressed strong support for the offensive during his meeting with Netanyahu, who has directed the Israeli military to take control of Gaza City.
As Rubio departed from Israel, he informed reporters: "We believe there is only a short window of time for reaching an agreement. We no longer have months; we likely have just days and maybe a few weeks left."
Rubio stated that the United States prefers a diplomatic solution involving Hamas's demilitarization. However, he noted: "When you're dealing with a group like Hamas, sometimes that's not possible, but we hope it can be achieved."
Rubio, after meeting with the families of hostages in Gaza on Monday in Jerusalem, recognized that Hamas held leverage due to their captivity.
"If there hadn't been any hostages or civilians in the way, this war would have concluded a year and a half ago," he stated at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.
A group representing the families of hostages expressed being "terrified" for their loved ones following Netanyahu's order to initiate the strikes.
"He is doing everything possible to prevent a deal and avoid bringing them back," they stated.
Navi Pillay, the head of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI), informed AFP that "genocide is occurring in Gaza and continues to take place." It should be noted that this commission operates independently from the United Nations entity as a whole and has been met with strong criticism from Israel.
"The State of Israel holds the responsibility."
The investigators reported that explicit statements from Israeli civilian and military authorities, along with the behavior exhibited by Israeli forces, "suggested that the genocidal actions were carried out with the intent to destroy... Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as a group."
The report determined that Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant have "incited the commission of genocide."
Israel stated that it "firmly rejects this misleading and inaccurate report" and urged for the "immediate termination" of the COI.
Prior to his departure for Qatar, Rubio expressed hope that the US ally would continue its mediation efforts in Gaza. This comes despite Israel conducting air strikes on Hamas leaders who had assembled in the Gulf emirate last week to discuss a US truce proposal.
"We want them to recognize that if any nation in the world could facilitate ending this through negotiation, it would be Qatar," Rubio stated.
Mahmud Bassal, a spokesperson for the Gaza civil defense agency, informed AFP that as of early Tuesday, intense bombing continued in Gaza City. He also noted that the military had targeted the southern city of Khan Yunis.
The agency reported that at least 17 individuals were killed on Tuesday and mentioned that "the number of deaths and injuries is still increasing."
Due to media restrictions in Gaza and challenges in accessing various areas, AFP cannot independently verify the information provided by either the civil defense agency or the Israeli military.
Rubio's visit occurred a week prior to France hosting a UN summit, where several Western governments, frustrated by what they perceive as Israeli inflexibility, intend to recognize a Palestinian state.
Rubio described statehood recognition as "largely symbolic," whereas Netanyahu, whose government strongly opposes the move, indicated that his country might take unspecified "unilateral steps" in response.
According to an AFP tally of official figures, the attack carried out by Hamas in October 2023 led to the deaths of 1,219 individuals, predominantly civilians.
According to figures from Gaza's health ministry, which are regarded as reliable by the United Nations, Israel's retaliatory campaign in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least 64,905 individuals, most of whom were civilians.
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