Gaza is on fire, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on his social media page on Tuesday morning, following intense overnight bombardment of Gaza City, which marked a new phase in the Israeli Defense Forces' (IDF) offensive in the region.  Hamas said in a statement Tuesday morning that the Trump administration"bears direct responsibility" for escalating the conflict with its "open bias" and warned that the attack "endangers the lives of captured Israeli soldiers."

Gaza is on fire. The IDF is cracking down on the terrorist infrastructure with an iron fist, and IDF soldiers are fighting bravely to create the conditions for the release of the hostages and the defeat of Hamas. We will not give up or back down – until the mission is complete

– said the Israeli Defense Minister.

“Gaza residents, the army has begun destroying Hamas infrastructure in Gaza City. Gaza City is a dangerous combat zone, and staying in the area could put you in danger. Please proceed as quickly as possible via Al-Rashid Street to designated areas in the southern Gaza Strip by vehicle or on foot. Join the more than 40 percent of the city’s population who have already left the city, ensuring the safety of themselves and their loved ones,” Avichay Adree, an Israeli military spokesman, wrote on his community page.

At least 48 Israeli hostages are still being held in Gaza, kidnapped by Hamas and allied militants in an attack on October 7, 2023, and who have not yet been returned home. Of these, only 20 are believed to be alive. Families of the hostages staged a demonstration outside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence on Tuesday morning to protest the attack, with police sealing off the area.

Donald Trump called on Hamas

US President Donald Trump has warned the Palestinian terror group Hamas not to use Israeli prisoners as"human shields" in Gaza. The US president repeated his call for the hostages to be released on his social media account on Monday."I just read a report that Hamas has taken the hostages to the surface of the earth to use them as human shields against Israel's ground offensive," the president wrote in his post.

I hope the Hamas leaders know what they are getting themselves into if they do this. This is an inhumanity that few have ever seen. Don't let this happen, or all bets are off from here on out. Release all hostages immediately!

– said the US president, who regularly posts threatening posts against Hamas.

On Sunday, Israeli media reported that Hamas had moved prisoners to houses and tents in vulnerable areas, putting pressure on Israel to stop its bombardment of Gaza City. In recent days, the Israeli army has stepped up its attacks in and around the city with hundreds of strikes.

US Secretary of State held talks in Israel

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the disarmament of Hamas and the return of the Palestinian terrorist organization's hostages in Israel on Monday, and then he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a joint press conference, MTI reported. Marco Rubio held talks with Netanyahu and other Israeli officials for more than three hours.

At the press conference, Rubio declared that “all hostages must return home immediately” and that Hamas must be “disbanded” as an armed organization. He sharply criticized Hamas’s “unparalleled barbarism” and stated that the people of Gaza cannot live in peace and build a better future until Hamas is dismantled and all hostages are released. He also emphasized that US President Donald Trump remains committed to these goals.

The Israeli prime minister also said his government was committed to achieving the hostages' release, thanking Trump for his help in the matter. He added that Israel was also committed to defeating Hamas in Gaza, which those demanding a hostage deal say is at odds with rescuing the hostages.

(Cover image: Gaza September 16, 2025. Photo: Amir Cohen / Reuters)