Israel has launched a major expansion of its military operations in Gaza, announcing plans to seize large areas of the enclave and add them to its security zones. This will be accompanied by large-scale evacuations of the population.
Defence Minister of Israel Katz urged Gazans to eliminate Hamas and return Israeli hostages, stating this was the only way to end the war.
The operation aims to clear out militants and infrastructure.
Evacuation warnings have been issued to Gazans living in some southern districts, with reports indicating that the area around Rafah is almost completely empty.
Gaza’s Health Ministry reported 53 people were killed in Israeli strikes, including 19 people killed in a strike at a U.N. clinic housing displaced people. Reports suggest that those killed in the airstrikes were civilians.