Israel expands military effort in Gaza, defense minister says

Israel will expand its military operation in Gaza by seizing more land and incorporating it into its security zones, Defense Minister Israel Katz announced Wednesday.

In a statement, Katz said large areas of Gaza would be taken under Israeli control, with a large-scale evacuation of civilians from combat zones.

He urged Gazans to eliminate Hamas and return Israeli hostages as the only way to bring the war to an end.

He did not specify how much land Israel intends to seize. However, Israel has already established a significant buffer zone inside Gaza, expanding pre-war border areas and creating a major security corridor through the center of the enclave.

Israeli leaders have also stated their intention to facilitate the voluntary departure of Palestinians from Gaza. The announcement follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for Gaza to be permanently evacuated and redeveloped as a coastal resort under American control.

The latest military escalation comes after Israel resumed airstrikes and redeployed ground troops to Gaza this month, ending a period of relative calm following a U.S.-backed truce that allowed for the exchange of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners.

Mediation efforts led by Qatar and Egypt to restart negotiations aimed at ending the war have so far stalled.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained that applying military pressure is the best strategy to secure the release of the remaining 59 hostages.