Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said his forces were launching a military operation in Gaza that would see it take control of “large areas”.
The expanded offensive would see Israel’s military “crush and clean the area” of militants, Katz said in a statement on Wednesday morning, and “seizing large areas that will be added to the security zones of the State of Israel.”
The Israeli government has long maintained a buffer zone just inside Gaza along its security fence and has greatly expanded since the war against Hamas began in 2023 following the October 7 attack.
Israel says the buffer zone is needed for its security, while Palestinians view it as a land grab that further shrinks the narrow coastal territory, home to around 2 million people.
Katz didn’t specify which areas of Gaza would be seized in the expanded operation, which he said includes the “extensive evacuation” of the population from fighting areas.
This is a developing story and more information will be added soon.
This article uses reporting by The Associated Press.
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