After a night of heavy bombardment in Gaza City, the IDF has commenced the ground incursion of Operation Gideon’s Chariots II, as Israeli tanks were reported in the heart of the city. 

At the start of testimony in his corruption trial on Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also confirmed the start of the ground operations, saying, "We have begun a powerful operation in Gaza."

The IDF's Arabic Spokesman, Col. Avichay Adraee, said the military started to "destroy Hamas infrastructure in Gaza City."

Defense Minister Israel Katz posted a message to X, saying, “Gaza is burning.” 

“The IDF strikes 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. We will not relent and we will not go back — until the completion of the mission,” he added. 

Palestinians in Gaza reported intense air strikes in the neighborhoods of Sheikh Radwan, al-Karameh, and Tel al-Hawa overnight, along with sounds of heavy aircraft activity and the launching of flares. One Gaza report claimed that 37 airstrikes were carried out within 20 minutes, including the use of helicopter gunships. 

By Monday evening, Israeli authorities estimated that over 370,000 Palestinian residents of Gaza City had already evacuated, following IDF instructions, as the military struck additional high-rise buildings in the city. 

Writing on X, Col. Adraee reiterated his warnings: "Gaza City is considered a dangerous combat zone, and staying in the area puts you at risk."

"Move as quickly as possible via Al-Rashid Street to the areas designated south of the Gaza Valley by vehicle or on foot. Join the more than 40% of the city’s residents who have left the city to ensure their safety and the safety of their loved ones."

Military officials believe that with the start of the ground operation within Gaza City, the civilian residents will flee the combat zone, as happened in the conquest of Rafah, earlier in the war. 

The IDF has been instructing residents to leave since late August, as it has been preparing the area for the ground incursion designed to defeat Hamas forces in Gaza City. 

Adraee also posted another warning regarding fake evacuation flyers being shared by Hamas-affiliated social media channels, as happened several days prior. 

“Once again, some accounts affiliated with Hamas and its mouthpieces are circulating images of fake leaflets aimed at spreading the poison of incitement and lies among Gazans and Arabs,” Col. Adraee wrote to X. “We reaffirm unequivocally that these leaflets and images are completely fake and untrue.” 

“Over the past days and weeks, we have called on the residents of Gaza City to move to the humanitarian zone in Al-Mawasi to ensure their safety,” Adraee continued.

“We urge everyone not to be swayed by rumors and misleading news spread by Hamas with the intent to deceive residents and continue using them as human shields. Hamas and its tools are in a state of hysteria, resorting, as usual, to lies as a weapon against the residents of Gaza and the region.” 

Following the reports of intensified IDF activity in Gaza City, protesters associated with the Hostages and Missing Families Forum gathered outside the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem, blasting the decision to start the operation as “the sacrifice of the hostages.” 

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir had previously warned the prime minister, as well as the cabinet ministers, that conducting the ground operations in Gaza City would likely lead to harming several of the hostages, as most are believed to be held in tunnels under the city. 

The IDF estimates that the operation to capture Gaza City could take two months or longer, depending on the civilian presence in the city, and how Hamas chooses to engage.  

Meanwhile, The Jerusalem Post reported that the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) is warning that the operation could lead to a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, due to the high number of evacuees coming to southern Gaza.

It asked the IDF to increase the rate of transfer of humanitarian supplies into the Strip, and warned that there could be a shortage of tents for newly arriving evacuees.

At the time of publication, the GHF had not released such a statement on its official channels.

This article was originally published by All Israel News.