Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin has confirmed the start of a ground invasion into Gaza City, stating that the military has “initiated preliminary operations and the first stages of the attack” and that its forces “already control the outskirts” of the city. The announcement, cited by international media, marks a significant escalation in the conflict.
Concurrently, a major political escalation is underway in the West Bank. Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich hailed the final approval of the new E1 settlement east of Jerusalem, declaring it “the end of the illusion of a Palestinian State.” The E1 project, deemed illegal under international law by the United Nations, effectively bisects the West Bank, severing its northern and southern parts and fragmenting a potential future Palestinian territory.
“The Palestinian state is being taken off the table not with slogans, but with facts,” Smotrich asserted, claiming each of the 3,400 new housing units represents “a nail in the coffin of this dangerous idea.”
The move has drawn widespread condemnation. The Palestinian Authority accused Israel of seeking to turn the West Bank into a “real prison” and undermine the two-state solution. The European Union renewed its call for Israel to abandon the plan, warning that settlement policy “must cease” as it fuels tension and compromises peace prospects.
UK Defence Minister David Lammy issued a firm condemnation. The Israeli peace movement Peace Now denounced the E1 project, stating its sole purpose is to “sabotage a political solution for Gaza and the West Bank and rush towards a binational apartheid state.”
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pushing to accelerate military operations to occupy Gaza City and nearby refugee camps, viewed as “the last strongholds of Hamas.” Defence Minister Israel Katz approved the attack plan for the Strip’s most populous city, which includes the evacuation of a million Palestinians further south, and the call-up of 60,000 reservists.
The IDF reported repelling a “large-scale” attack near Khan Yunis, the most massive since the war began on October 7, 2023, killing 10 militants who attempted to infiltrate a base. Hamas’s military wing claimed the raid, saying it caused Israeli casualties.
The impending Gaza offensive has alarmed the international community. French President Emmanuel Macron warned it “can only lead to a real disaster for the two peoples and drag the region into a permanent war.” He is instead pushing for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, the disarmament of Hamas, and an international stabilization mission.
In contrast, the United States under Donald Trump firmly backs Israel. Trump called Netanyahu a “war hero,” and the State Department announced sanctions against four more International Criminal Court (ICC) judges, accusing the court of being a “tool of lawfare” against the U.S. and Israel. The ICC, which has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes, denounced the sanctions as an “attack on its independence” and vowed to continue its work “undeterred.”