Israel Gaza Offensive After Qatar Strike
Israel Steps Up Gaza City Offensive Amid Qatar Airstrike Fallout
GAZA CITY/JERUSALEM – Israel has announced plans to seize Gaza City, where nearly one million Palestinians are sheltering, as part of its campaign to eliminate Hamas. Over the past week, Israeli forces have intensified airstrikes, calling the city the group’s “last stronghold.”
The escalation came just days after Israel carried out a controversial strike in Doha, targeting Hamas’ political leadership. The attack, which drew international condemnation, struck during sensitive ceasefire and hostage negotiations. Qatar has since called an emergency Arab-Islamic summit for Monday to discuss the crisis.
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, speaking ahead of his visit to Israel, said Washington was focused on freeing the 48 remaining hostages held in Gaza, though only 20 are believed to be alive. “We’re gonna meet with Israeli leadership and talk about what the future holds,” Rubio said before visiting Jerusalem’s Western Wall, in what U.S. officials described as reaffirming recognition of the city as Israel’s capital.
Humanitarian Conditions Worsen
Conditions in Gaza continue to deteriorate sharply. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said the agency had been forced to close its only health clinic in northern Gaza, while water and sanitation systems are running at half capacity. Ten UNRWA facilities in Gaza City have been hit in recent days.
The health ministry in Gaza reported that two more Palestinians, including a child, died of starvation in the past 24 hours, bringing the toll from malnutrition to at least 422 since the start of the year. Aid groups warn that an Israeli takeover of Gaza City could be catastrophic for civilians already on the brink of famine.
Despite Israeli calls for civilians to evacuate south, hundreds of thousands remain in Gaza City. Many say they have nowhere safe to go, while others hope the Arab summit in Qatar will pressure Israel to halt its advance.
“We took down the tents, more than twenty families, and now we do not know where to go,” said displaced resident Musbah al-Kafarna.
Regional Fallout and Abraham Accords Strain
Tuesday’s strike in Qatar, a key U.S. ally, has unsettled Washington. American officials described the attack as an unnecessary escalation that complicated U.S. and Israeli interests. Both Rubio and former President Donald Trump met Qatar’s prime minister on Friday, underscoring Doha’s role in mediation.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed off on a new settlement expansion in the West Bank, a move the United Arab Emirates warned could jeopardize the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords, which normalized ties between Israel and several Arab states.
Heavy Toll of the Conflict
Israel’s military says it has carried out five major waves of airstrikes in Gaza City over the past week, hitting more than 500 sites linked to Hamas, including tunnels, sniper posts, and weapons depots. Hamas claims Israeli attacks have destroyed 1,600 homes and 13,000 tents since mid-August.
According to Gaza authorities, nearly 64,000 people have been killed since Israel’s campaign began following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, assault on Israel, which left 1,200 dead and 251 taken hostage.
As Israeli forces push deeper into Gaza City’s eastern suburbs, entire neighborhoods lie in ruins. With bombardments intensifying and food supplies dwindling, displaced families say they fear there are no safe havens left.
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