Israel military expands operations in Gaza City, encircles Rafah
Israeli forces have launched new operations in Gaza City aimed at strengthening control over the area, dismantling Hamas infrastructure and expanding a designated “security zone” there, a military spokesperson said Saturday.
The latest offensive in the northern city began the previous evening, resulting in the deaths of dozens of militants and the destruction of observation posts, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
The military said civilians were allowed to leave areas of combat via safe corridors before and during the operation.
Earlier, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced an expansion of military operations across the Gaza Strip.
The southern city of Rafah has now been formally declared part of a so-called Israeli “security zone,” according to a statement addressed to Gaza’s population and cited by Israeli media.
The IDF said that it had fully encircled Rafah and completed the establishment of the so-called Morag Corridor, essentially newly declared “security zone” that cuts off Hamas brigades in Rafah and Khan Younis.
The corridor was formed over a 10-day operation that, according to the military, led to the elimination of dozens of militants and the dismantling of tunnels and other Hamas infrastructure.
Together with the Netzarim Corridor further north, the Morag Corridor effectively divides the Gaza Strip into three sections. Katz has described the captured areas as “security zones” intended to serve Israeli defence objectives.
Katz said the military would continue its advance into additional areas of the territory.
IDF forces are already carrying out plans to capture wide swathes of border areas of the Gaza Strip to create a buffer along the frontier with Israel.
The operations are part of the broader conflict that erupted on October 7, 2023, when the Islamist militant group Hamas and other factions attacked Israel, killing around 1,200 people and abducting roughly 250.
In response, Israel launched a large-scale military campaign on the Gaza Strip. According to Palestinians, more than 50,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the conflict began.
While the figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants, human rights organizations have expressed alarm over the high number of women and children among the casualties.
