Israel Expands Gaza Offensive, Seizes Land Zones

Israel Expands Military Operation in Gaza, Seeks Control Over 'Large Areas' of Land

Israel has announced a significant expansion of its military operation in Gaza, with plans to seize "large areas" of land for integration into what it terms Israeli security zones.

In a statement on Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed the widened military campaign, stating it would involve the clearing of “terrorist infrastructure” and territorial acquisition. “The operation will include the removal of Gaza residents from combat zones,” the statement read, although specific details were not provided.

The move follows earlier reports from an Israeli official and a separate source familiar with the plans, who told CNN that Israel was preparing a large-scale ground offensive involving tens of thousands of troops aimed at securing substantial portions of Gaza.

An Arabic-language spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a directive for residents of Rafah in southern Gaza to evacuate their homes and head northward.

The development coincides with continued Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip. According to officials at Nasser Hospital and the European Hospital in Khan Younis, at least 17 people were killed in overnight Israeli air raids in the south.

Among the dead were 13 individuals, including women and children, who had been sheltering in a residential building after fleeing the Rafah area, Nasser Hospital confirmed. Two more fatalities were reported in separate airstrikes in central Gaza, according to Al Awda Hospital, which received the bodies.

The statement from Defense Minister Gallant did not indicate whether additional Israeli troops would be deployed as part of this expanded operation.