Israel Expands Gaza City Offensive as Officials Say ‘Gaza Is Burning’

Israeli military commanders said they had broadened operations in Gaza City on Tuesday, as Defense Minister Israel Katz declared "Gaza is burning" and officials urged civilians to leave areas now considered active combat zones.

Katz said Jerusalem would not relent until its mission was complete, and the Israel Defense Forces confirmed that it had begun measures to "destroy Hamas’s infrastructure in Gaza City," the army’s Arab-media spokesman, Col. Avichay Adraee, posted on X. Adraee warned that "Gaza City is considered a dangerous combat zone, and staying in the area puts you at risk," and urged Palestinians to join what he said was more than 40% of the city’s residents who had already evacuated.

The expansion of operations came as Israeli leaders reported a series of targeted strikes and raids. The IDF said late Monday that it had eliminated 21 senior operatives of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in operations led by the IDF’s Southern Command in coordination with military intelligence, the air force and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet). The army said the operation targeted commanders, weapons experts and field operatives, and named several people it said were involved in arms production and combat operations.

Among those the IDF named were figures it described as responsible for artillery, sniper and sector commands in Gaza, along with technicians with specialized knowledge of weapons production. The military said it would "continue to act decisively against all terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip." Israeli media reported that dozens of targets across Gaza City had been struck in what was described as a wave of intense aerial attacks, and that residents in central Israel heard echoes of explosions.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had launched an "intense operation" and characterized the moment as a critical stage in the campaign, with consequences for those involved. Netanyahu has repeatedly emphasized the government's objectives, which the Israeli cabinet set out in August as the disarmament of Hamas, the return of remaining hostages, the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, Israeli security control and the establishment of an alternative civilian administration in the enclave.

U.S. lawmakers visiting the region expressed concern about the narrowing window for a negotiated settlement. Senator Marco Rubio, departing Israel for Doha on Tuesday, said Israeli forces "have begun to take operations" in Gaza City and that negotiators had "a very short window of time" for a deal. Rubio said Washington’s preference was a negotiated end to the fighting but added that "time, unfortunately, is running out."

Humanitarian organizations and displacement figures have not been independently verified by the Israeli military’s statements. Palestinian civilians have been repeatedly urged by Israeli authorities to move from northern and central Gaza toward southern areas, and images and video released by regional media showed families moving south with belongings amid evacuation orders for Gaza City.

Forty-eight hostages remain in Gaza, 711 days after the Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attacks led by Hamas and associated groups, according to Israeli tallies. Israeli officials estimate that up to 20 of those hostages may still be alive. Netanyahu praised what he called the Trump administration’s "unflinching support" for Israel’s efforts to defeat Hamas and secure the hostages. Former President Donald Trump, writing on his Truth Social platform, said he had read reports alleging that Hamas had moved hostages to positions above ground to use them as human shields, and warned that such actions would carry severe consequences if confirmed.

Israeli officials have framed the expanded Gaza City operations as part of a broader campaign to dismantle militant capabilities and secure the return of captives. Palestinian and international aid agencies have repeatedly warned that intensified urban combat and aerial bombardment risk heavy civilian casualties and a deepening humanitarian crisis across the besieged territory.

The Israeli military said it will continue operations against groups it deems a threat in Gaza. International and regional actors, including mediators and visiting delegations, say they are seeking ways to secure a cease-fire and arrangements for hostage releases, but several officials who spoke publicly this week said that opportunity for a negotiated settlement may be narrow.

The situation remains fluid, with military movements, strikes and displacement continuing as diplomats press for intensified efforts to protect civilians and negotiate the release of hostages. Further verification of casualty and displacement figures will depend on access to the area and reporting by independent observers.