United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has landed in Qatar, the only country he says can mediate an end to Israel’s war on Gaza, shortly after warning that just a “short window” remains to secure a ceasefire. Israel announced on Tuesday it has started the main part of a ground operation to seize Gaza City soon after Rubio left Tel Aviv.

More than 400,000 Palestinians have evacuated Gaza City as Israel continues to expand its ground operation, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). This leaves an estimated 600,000 people still in the city.

Families of Israeli hostages protested outside Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem after news emerged that Israel had launched a ground offensive in Gaza City. Families of Israeli hostages protested outside Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem after news emerged that Israel had launched a ground offensive in Gaza City.

With hundreds of thousands of Palestinians still in the city, the Israeli military said it was opening another temporary evacuation route. The U.N. warned that food supplies in northern Gaza would soon run out.

WASHINGTON (TNND) — Israel says “Gaza is burning” as it launches a massive ground invasion of Gaza City, a move officials describe as an effort to root out Hamas and pressure the group to release the remaining hostages — about 20 of whom are believed to be still alive.

Israeli tanks were stationed on the edge of Gaza City on Wednesday ahead of a planned ground operation into the enclave’s largest urban area, according to eyewitnesses and satellite imagery.

IDF pushes deeper into Gaza City