Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has confirmed that the Israeli military will soon expand its offensive across most of Gaza, with intensified operations in multiple regions of the territory.
Katz announced that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had successfully taken control of a “security zone” in the southern Gaza Strip, between the cities of Rafah and Khan Younis. In response to ongoing projectile attacks launched from Gaza, which Hamas has claimed responsibility for, Israel also issued evacuation orders for Khan Younis and surrounding areas, indicating the imminent escalation of military strikes.
This renewed offensive follows the collapse of a two-month ceasefire in mid-March, when Israel resumed operations against Hamas. Since then, the IDF has gained control of significant areas of Gaza, displacing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. The military has taken over the entire stretch of Gaza’s borders, describing the area as a “buffer zone” intended to protect against further attacks.
Israeli officials have stated that the ultimate goal of the offensive is to pressure Hamas into releasing the 59 hostages still held in Gaza, 24 of whom are believed to be alive.
On Saturday, Katz confirmed that the IDF had completed the takeover of the “Morag axis,” referring to a former Jewish settlement between Rafah and Khan Younis. This takeover has effectively severed Rafah from Khan Younis, marking a significant shift in control of the region. Katz stated that this would make the entire area from the Philadelphia axis to Morag part of Israel’s security zone.
Katz also warned that Israel’s military activities would soon expand further across Gaza, urging residents to evacuate the conflict zones. “This is the last moment to remove Hamas, release the hostages, and bring about the end to the war,” he said.
In northern Gaza, areas including Beit Hanoun and the Netzarim Corridor are also being evacuated in preparation for the expansion of security zones. “In northern Gaza as well – in Beit Hanoun and other neighborhoods – residents are evacuating, the area is being taken over, and the security zone is being expanded, including in the Netzarim corridor,” Katz added.
Hamas responded to the ongoing military actions, accusing Israel of causing harm to defenseless civilians and creating further uncertainty about the fate of the hostages. The group stated that Israel’s actions were exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The United Nations’ human rights office has raised concerns about the legality of Israel’s evacuation orders, claiming that they fail to meet international law standards. The UN criticized the lack of provision for adequate accommodation, health, safety, and nutrition for displaced individuals.
However, the Israeli government defended the evacuations, arguing that they were necessary to protect civilians from harm and from being used as human shields by Hamas, which Israel claims is a violation of international law.
Following Katz’s announcement, the Israeli military issued an evacuation order for residents of Khan Younis and nearby areas, in anticipation of retaliatory strikes for projectile attacks from Gaza. The IDF stated that its air defense systems had intercepted three projectiles launched from Gaza into Israeli territory. No casualties were reported, although Hamas’s military wing later claimed responsibility for the attack.
As of Saturday, the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reported 21 people killed and 64 others injured in the previous 24 hours as a result of the escalating violence. Since Israel’s resumption of military operations on March 18, over 50,933 people have been killed in Gaza. The majority of those casualties have occurred since the offensive restarted, with 1,563 deaths recorded since mid-March.
This renewed offensive follows a deadly cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, in which approximately 1,200 people were killed, and 251 others were taken hostage by Hamas.