Overview

• Israel confirms ground forces are operating inside Gaza City after a night of heavy bombardment, advancing toward the center against an estimated 2,000–3,000 Hamas fighters.
• Military spokesperson Effie Defrin says taking control will require several months and cautions the campaign could extend even longer before the city is fully destroyed.
• The UN commission led by Navi Pillay concludes Israel committed four of the five genocidal acts defined in the 1948 convention, citing interviews, verified documents and satellite imagery.
• Israel rejects the genocide finding as false while Defense Minister Israel Katz proclaims “Gaza burns,” and local health and civil defense officials report dozens killed and significant new displacement.
• U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterates strong support for Israel yet warns of a very brief window to secure a ceasefire as he heads to Qatar, while hostage families protest in Jerusalem with 48 captives still held in Gaza.