Israel Expands Military Operation in Gaza, Seizing ‘Large Areas’ Amid Rising Tensions
Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has announced a major escalation in the ongoing conflict, with plans to expand the Israeli military operation in Gaza and seize “large areas” of the territory.
This strategic move could significantly intensify the already volatile situation, as Israel aims to target and dismantle Hamas infrastructure within Gaza.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Katz emphasized that the expanded offensive would focus on “destroying and clearing the region of terrorists,” with the captured areas becoming part of Israeli security zones.
The offensive, according to Katz, will also necessitate a large-scale evacuation of Palestinian civilians, urging them to remove Hamas from the region to facilitate the return of Israeli hostages. He asserted that this aggressive military strategy was the only viable path to end the war.
Israeli ground forces have reportedly initiated operations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, a move that follows last week’s warnings of intensified military action in other parts of Gaza.
The Israeli Defense Forces launched this renewed offensive on March 18, after Hamas reportedly rejected a US-backed ceasefire proposal designed to extend the truce and free the 59 Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. Hamas, however, accused Israel of breaching an earlier ceasefire agreement forged in January.
As the conflict deepens, Gaza’s humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate sharply. Since March 2, Israel has blocked all aid deliveries to Gaza, marking the longest suspension of humanitarian assistance since the war’s onset.
In response to growing violence, the United Nations scaled back operations in the region last month following an Israeli airstrike that killed eight Palestinian medics, six Civil Defence responders, and a UN staff member in southern Gaza.
The war, ignited by Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which claimed the lives of approximately 1,200 Israelis and resulted in the abduction of 251 hostages, has spiraled into a devastating conflict.
In retaliation, Israel launched a military campaign aimed at eradicating Hamas. Since the beginning of the conflict, more than 50,000 people have died in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, with countless others displaced as the fighting rages on.
With Israel now set to expand its military operations and tensions escalating on both sides, the conflict shows no signs of abating. The fear of further civilian casualties and the exacerbation of Gaza’s already dire humanitarian crisis looms large as both sides brace for what lies ahead.
