Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Wednesday that the country’s military is intensifying its operations in the Gaza Strip with the aim to crush Hamas, seizing extensive areas, and to create buffer zones for security. Katz, in his statement, emphasized the need to eliminate Hamas and terrorist infrastructure, urging civilians to leave areas of conflict. The policy aims to significantly expand Israel’s security perimeter, which has previously served as a protective measure for citizens living near the Gaza border. The areas targeted and the extent of the evacuation remain unspecified, though Katz mentioned a large displacement of people from these areas. The Hostage Families Forum expressed alarm over the announcement, concerning the impact on hostages held by Hamas — 59 in total, with 24 believed to still be alive. They stressed the urgency for diplomatic efforts to secure the release of these hostages and to put an end to the conflict. Calamities continue to strike within the Gaza Strip, including airstrikes in Khan Younis that resulted in multiple deaths. Accusations from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu towards the Israeli police of attempting to undermine his government parallel the ongoing conflict, highlighting the political intricacies involved.

Source: https://www.foxnews.com/world/israeli-military-operation-gaza-expanding-seize-large-areas-expanding-crush-clean-area