Israeli Ground Invasion of Gaza Today and the Fate of the Hostages Remains Unknown

In a serious field development, Israeli forces began a large-scale ground invasion of the city of Gaza this morning, Tuesday, amid intense shelling and movement of tanks towards the border fence, leading to a wave of mass displacement of residents to the south, despite the absence of any safe areas within the besieged enclave.

Israeli military sources confirmed that the incursion is still in its early stages, noting that the tanks have not yet reached the city center or taken control of vital positions.

They added that the operation is being conducted with the participation of two combat brigades, with a third brigade expected to join later.

Alongside the field progress, a forum representing the families of Israeli hostages held by Hamas expressed deep concern regarding the fate of their loved ones.

The forum stated in a statement: "After 710 nights of hostage-taking, these may be their last hours," referring to the ongoing military operations that could directly threaten their lives.

The forum directly accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating that he "decided to sacrifice the hostages for political reasons, ignoring warnings and assessments from military and security leaders."

For its part, Hamas held the Israeli government fully responsible for the dangers threatening the lives of the hostages, asserting that the start of the invasion puts them in imminent danger.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump warned Hamas against using the hostages as human shields, amid the ongoing Israeli ground assault.

In the same context, American military analyst and retired Air Force Colonel Cedric Leighton described the ground assault in a statement to CNN as a "great danger" to the lives of the hostages, noting that their survival would be a "miracle."

Leighton said: "The type of forces being sent into Gaza is considered a brute force, not relying on the precise operations required in such cases," adding that "there are several ways to free the hostages without putting them at risk, but Israel is not currently adopting them."

He added: "Israeli forces will have to carve their way through the rubble and may face significant difficulties dealing with the tunnels that Hamas is still effectively managing."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced earlier today the launch of a large-scale military operation in Gaza during a hearing related to a corruption case, without disclosing additional details.

Meanwhile, reporters from Gaza reported that the city is witnessing a massive wave of displacement to the south, despite the lack of safe shelters, amid a severe deterioration in the humanitarian and service situation, especially in the medical and relief sectors.