Israel announces plan to seize 'large areas' in Gaza - latest updates [View all]

Source: The Guardian

Here’s a recap of the day so far. Israel’s military operation in the Gaza Strip is expanding to seize “large areas,” according to defence minister Israel Katz. Officials at hospitals inside the Palestinian territory said Israeli strikes overnight and into Wednesday had killed more than 30 people, nearly a dozen of them children.

Israel says it is expanding its offensive in the Palestinian territory “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”.

The Israeli government has long maintained a buffer zone just inside Gaza along its security fence and has greatly expanded since the war began in 2023. Israel says the buffer zone is needed for its security, while Palestinians view it as a land grab.

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 Israel ordered the full evacuation of the southern city of Rafah and nearby areas.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/apr/02/israel-gaza-war-idf-hamas-live-updates-latest-news