A top official said “large areas” of the enclave would be seized, suggesting that Israel intended to hold on to more territory.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel has captured a new strip of territory in the Gaza Strip, part of a new strategy to seize land in the enclave after the cease-fire with Hamas collapsed last month.
Israel has conducted a new round of airstrikes to force Hamas to release more Israeli hostages. Hamas argues that Israel is violating the agreement it signed in January, which created a path toward ending the war. Both sides have been speaking to mediators about a potential deal to restore the truce — so far without success.
Meanwhile, some anti-Hamas protests have also broken out in parts of Gaza. And the United Nations accused Israel of killing more than a dozen rescue workers.
What is happening in Gaza?
On March 18, Israel launched what it called “extensive strikes” on Hamas targets in Gaza, shattering the fragile truce in the enclave.
In the weeks since, Israeli ground troops have seized the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza, from which they withdrew during the cease-fire with Hamas, and they have expanded ground raids in northern and southern Gaza. The Israeli military has issued sweeping evacuation orders, displacing more than 140,000 people in Gaza since the cease-fire broke down, according to the United Nations.