Israel Announces Expansion Operation to 'Seize Large Areas' of Gaza Strip

What Happened?

Israel announced new plans to 'seize large areas' in the Gaza Strip amid an increase in aerial and ground operations following a ceasefire collapse with Hamas.

In a statement Wednesday, Defense Minister Israel Katz said, 'Troops will move to clear areas of terrorists and infrastructure and seize extensive territory that will be added to the state of Israel’s security areas.'

Katz reportedly urged Gazans to eliminate the Palestinian militant group and return Israeli hostages as the only way to end the war.

The announcement comes after at least 21 people were killed overnight from intensive airstrikes on Khan Younis and Rafah in southern Gaza.

According to reports, the bodies of five women, one of them pregnant, and two children were brought to an area hospital Wednesday.

Sweeping evacuation orders for the people residing in that zone were issued last week by the Israeli military.

Despite being designated as a humanitarian zone, IDF has repeatedly carried out attacks in the zone, according to The Guardian.

'It seems like (Prime Minster) Netanyahu will not stop his war on Gaza until we are displaced,' Palestinian citizen Amer al-Farra told Reuters.

Israel's Netanyahu reportedly accused Hamas of disappearing after emerging during a ceasefire.

Why it Matters

According to Gaza's Health Ministry, at least 60 people were killed Wednesday in Israeli strikes.

Hundreds of Palestinians protested last week in northern Gaza against Hamas in a rare display of public frustration.

Large crowds of people chanted 'Hamas out' in response to the group's Oct. 7, 2023 raid on Israel after the death toll in Gaza surpassed 50,000.

Most of the infrastructure in northern Gaza has been reduced to rubble as residents have been moved several times to escape the conflict.

Hamas officials accused the protests of being used for 'suspicious political agendas' following tension from the political Fatah movement.

Fatah leads the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the occupied West Bank.

The United Nations agency UNRWA stated that no food, water, medicines, or fuel had entered Gaza in three weeks, inching closer to an acute hunger crisis.

Since the hostilities resumed in Gaza, at least 124,000 people have reportedly been displaced.

How it Affects You

The UN Humanitarian (OCHA) office estimates over one million people in Gaza are now at risk of being left without food.

Officials are also trying to prevent the permanent displacement of 2.1 million Gazans, which the Trump administration and Netanyahu had recently supported.

Families have urged a return to the negotiations to prevent the death of other hostages.

But a second-phase ceasefire appears extremely unlikely.

Israel pushes to seize territory despite warnings of ethnic cleansing while neighboring countries like Jordan and Egypt remain on watch.