Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday Gaza "is burning" as Israeli forces were "striking with an iron fist," apparently at the launch of a long-anticipated offensive to seize Gaza City.

Why It Matters

Israel's military says it controls about 75 percent of Gaza. Most of its population of about 2 million has been displaced multiple times in the past 22 months, following Hamas ' October 7, 2023, attacks that claimed the lives of about 1,200 people, most of them civilians.

Israel's offensive against Hamas in Gaza since then has killed more than 64,000 Palestinians, according to health officials in the enclave, who warn that famine is setting in.

What To Know

"Gaza is burning. The IDF is striking with an iron fist at the terror infrastructure, and IDF soldiers are fighting

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