An estimated 1 million Palestinians were living in the Gaza City region before warnings to evacuate began ahead of the offensive. The Israeli military estimates 350,000 people have left the city. The U.N. estimates that more than 238,000 Palestinians have fled northern Gaza over the past month. Hundreds of thousands more have stayed behind.

Qatar hosted a summit of Arab and Islamic nations in hopes of presenting a united response to Israel’s attack on Hamas leaders last week in Doha.

Trump says he assured Qatar's leader that Israeli strikes against Hamas in Doha wouldn't be repeated. Netanyahu has threatened to do just that.

Israeli officials and analysts say that revenge for the Hamas-led 2023 attack on Israel, and frustration over moribund Gaza truce negotiations, informed the decision to strike in Doha.

Qatar's prime minister has denounced Israel as Arab and Muslim foreign ministers are meeting to discuss a unified response to Israel's attack on Doha.

Qatar slams Israeli attacks on Hamas leaders in Doha as "state terrorism" after the bombardment rocks the tiny U.S. ally and dashes hopes of a ceasefire in Gaza

Tenafly native Edan Alexander was freed after 17 months in Hamas captivity. But he said this week that would rejoin the Israel military.

The Trump administration has already approved about $12 billion in major military assistance to Israel this year. Most recently, the U.S. in June approved a half-billion-dollar arms sale to Israel to resupply its military with bomb guidance kits for precision.

Some Israeli officials believe the military assault on Gaza City will deliver a decisive blow to the group, which continues to stage ambushes and guerrilla attacks.