Israeli forces killed more than 100 Palestinians in Gaza on Tuesday, the Palestinian news agency WAFA has reported, as the IDF has ramped up its genocidal war and begun its US-backed ground offensive aimed at conquering Gaza City.
Medical sources told WAFA that from 12:00 am Gaza time until 6:40 pm, a total of 101 Palestinians were killed, including 86 in Gaza City and other parts of northern Gaza, nine in central Gaza, and six in the south.
As the Israeli military began its ground offensive in Gaza, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz wrote on X, “Gaza is burning,” and said that the Israeli military was striking “with an iron fist at the terrorist infrastructure and IDF soldiers are fighting bravely to create the conditions for the release of the hostages and the defeat of Hamas.”
Hamas has rejected Israel’s claims that it’s been destroying buildings in Gaza because they were used by the Palestinian group. “The claims of the enemy army spokesman regarding the resistance’s use of residential towers in Gaza City for military purposes are nothing but blatant lies,” Hamas said, according to Al Jazeera.
“The enemy tries to justify its crimes to cover up its systematic destruction of Gaza City, just as it previously destroyed the cities of Rafah, Khan Yunis, Jabalia, Beit Hanoun, and Beit Lahia,” the group added.
Israel’s goal is the full occupation of Gaza City, the cleansing of its Palestinian population, and the destruction of every building. The IDF has claimed that more than 350,000 Palestinian civilians have fled the city, while Gaza’s Government Media Office says 190,000 have fled and that over 1 million remain in Gaza City and areas to the north.
Israel’s offensive on Gaza City comes as a famine is taking place in the area due to the Israeli siege, and Palestinians continue to starve to death every day.
“The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip recorded three deaths due to famine and malnutrition over the past 24 hours, including one child, bringing the total number of deaths due to malnutrition to 428, including 146 children,” Gaza’s Health Ministry said on Tuesday.
The ministry said in its daily update, which it releases about midday Gaza time, that it recorded the deaths of 59 Palestinians and the injury of 386. The latest violence brings its death toll since October 7, 2023, to 64,964, and the number of wounded to 165,312.
