Daijiworld Media Network - Gaza

Gaza, Apr 2: Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced on Wednesday that the military will expand its operations in Gaza, seizing "large areas" to establish new "security zones." The move, he stated, aims to eliminate militants and their infrastructure, requiring a large-scale evacuation of Palestinians.

The announcement comes amid reports of intensified Israeli airstrikes and shelling, particularly near the Egypt border, fueling concerns of a new major ground offensive. Overnight, at least 15 Palestinians were killed, with local hospitals confirming casualties. The Hamas-run Civil Defence agency reported that 12 bodies, including those of children, were recovered from a home in Khan Younis.

This week, Israel ordered around 140,000 people in Rafah to leave their homes and issued fresh evacuation directives for northern Gaza. The military has already expanded a buffer zone along Gaza's edges and seized a corridor cutting through the territory.

Israel resumed its offensive on March 18, blaming Hamas for rejecting a US-backed ceasefire proposal that included the release of 59 hostages. Hamas, however, accused Israel of violating an earlier agreement.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum in Israel expressed alarm over the military expansion, urging the government to prioritize hostage rescue efforts. Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens, with Israel blocking aid shipments since March 2—the longest such restriction since the war began.

Last month, the UN scaled back its operations after Israeli forces killed eight Palestinian medics, six Civil Defence responders, and a UN staff member in southern Gaza. The war, which began following Hamas' October 7 attack that killed about 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages, has since claimed over 50,399 lives in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.