Israel’s military offensive within the Gaza Strip is increasing to “crush” the realm of Hamas terrorists and seize “giant areas,” Protection Minister Israel Katz mentioned Wednesday.
Katz mentioned in an announcement that the army operation was “increasing to crush and clear the realm of terrorists and terrorist infrastructure and seizing giant areas that shall be added to the safety zones of the State of Israel.”
Israel’s safety perimeter, which runs alongside the border with Israel in northern and jap Gaza, has been used for many years as a solution to shield its residents residing close to the territory.
It’s unclear which areas of Gaza shall be seized within the expanded operation, which Katz says contains the “in depth evacuation” of individuals from areas the place combating is occurring.
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Israeli Protection Minister Israel Katz mentioned Israel’s army offensive within the Gaza Strip is increasing to grab “giant areas.” (REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun)
The minister known as on Gaza’s inhabitants to “expel Hamas and return all hostages.” The phobia group nonetheless has 59 hostages, together with 24 who’re believed to nonetheless be alive. A lot of the different captives had been launched in ceasefire agreements or different offers.
“That is the one solution to finish the struggle,” Katz mentioned.
The Hostage Households Discussion board, which represents many of the hostages’ households, mentioned it was “horrified to get up this morning to the Protection Minister’s announcement about increasing army operations in Gaza.”
The Israeli authorities “has an obligation to free all 59 hostages from Hamas captivity — to pursue each doable channel to advance a deal for his or her launch,” the group mentioned, emphasizing that each passing day places the captives’ lives at elevated danger.
“Their lives grasp within the steadiness as an increasing number of disturbing particulars proceed to emerge concerning the horrific situations they’re being held in — chained, abused, and in determined want of medical consideration,” the group mentioned.
Displaced Palestinians carry water in Jabaliya, Gaza Strip, Monday, March 31, 2025. (AP)
“Our highest precedence have to be a right away deal to deliver ALL hostages again dwelling — the dwelling for rehabilitation and people killed for correct burial — and finish this struggle,” it added.
The discussion board additionally known as on the Trump administration and different mediators to “proceed exerting stress on Hamas for the quick launch of our family members.”
“Our highest precedence have to be a right away deal to deliver ALL hostages again dwelling—the dwelling for rehabilitation and people killed for correct burial—and finish this struggle,” the group mentioned.
Israel continued to assault the Gaza Strip, together with with in a single day airstrikes that killed 17 individuals within the southern metropolis of Khan Younis, in accordance with hospital officers.
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Displaced Palestinians carry their belongings on the outskirts of Gaza Metropolis, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP)
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Officers on the Nasser Hospital mentioned the our bodies of 12 individuals killed in an in a single day airstrike had been dropped at the hospital, together with 5 girls — one among whom was pregnant — and two youngsters. Officers on the Gaza European Hospital mentioned 5 our bodies of individuals killed in two separate airstrikes had been taken to the hospital.
The struggle started on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack towards Israel, killing round 1,200 individuals and abducting 251 others.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed greater than 50,000 Palestinians, together with tons of killed in airstrikes since a ceasefire ended about two weeks in the past, in accordance with the Hamas-run authorities’s Gaza Well being Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and terrorists. Israel claims, with out providing proof, that it has killed roughly 20,000 terrorists within the struggle.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
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