Agencies
Gaza
Israel’s defence minister has announced its military will soon “vigorously” expand its offensive throughout most of Gaza. Defense Minister Israel Katz earlier announced Israel’s army has surrounded Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah in order to create a “security zone”.
Katz said the military is also taking over several areas in northern Gaza and the “security zone is being expanded, including in the Netzarim Corridor.”
The Israeli military has said it completed the construction of what it calls the Morag Corridor, which cuts off the city of Rafah from the rest of Gaza.
The Israeli army’s Arabic language spokesperson on Saturday issued new forced displacement orders for several neighbourhoods in Khan Younis, warning of an imminent attack “with great force” in response to alleged Hamas rockets fired at Israel from this area.
Residents in Qizan an-Najjar, Qizan Abu Rashwan, al-Salam, al-Manara, al-Qurain, Maen, al-Batn al-Sameen, Jurt al-Lot, al-Fakhari and the southern neighbourhoods of Bani Suheila were ordered to leave their homes and proceed to al-Mawasi, on Gaza’s sea coast.
“Troops are operating with significant force in the area, and will strike with intensity on any location from which rockets are launched,” the military posted on X. Katz added in his statement: “Soon, [army] operations will intensify and expand to other areas throughout most of Gaza, and you will need to evacuate the combat zones.”
