Israel vows to seize "large areas" of Gaza as renewed war with Hamas kills hundreds of Palestinians

Jerusalem — Israel's renewed military offensive in the Gaza Strip is "expanding to crush and clean the area" of militants and to seize "large areas that will be added to the security zones of the State of Israel," Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a written statement on Wednesday. The Israeli government has long maintained a buffer zone just inside Gaza along its security fence, which has greatly expanded since the war with Hamas was sparked by the groups Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attack.

Israel says the buffer zone is needed for its security, but 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. His statement came after the Israeli military ordered all civilians to evacuate the southern city of Rafah and nearby areas — an order that came about two weeks after Israel abandoned a ceasefire that brokered by the U.S., Qatar and Egypt and resumed its bombardment of the Palestinian territory.