Israel Seizes Gaza Land, Dozens Killed in Strikes/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Israel’s military expanded operations in Gaza, seizing territory and intensifying airstrikes that killed over 30 people, including children. Defense officials said the campaign aims to eliminate Hamas and add areas to Israeli security zones. Humanitarian groups and hostage families are urging negotiations to end the conflict.
Israel’s Gaza Expansion: Quick Looks
- Israel expands military operation to seize large areas in Gaza.
- Over 30 killed overnight in Israeli airstrikes, including 11 children.
- Strike on UN building in Jabaliya kills 15, mostly women and children.
- Israeli military says targeted Hamas command centers in civilian zones.
- Gaza’s Health Ministry reports over 50,000 Palestinians killed since war began.
- Hostage families demand renewed focus on negotiations for release.
- Defense Minister calls for population evacuation and Hamas expulsion.
- Israel aims for indefinite security control in Gaza post-Hamas.
Israel Seizes Gaza Land, Dozens Killed in Strikes
Deep Look
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip is entering a new and intensified phase, with Defense Minister Israel Katz announcing plans to seize large areas of the territory as part of the ongoing war effort to dismantle Hamas. The move comes amid deadly overnight airstrikes that killed more than 30 Palestinians, including several children.
In a statement released Wednesday, Katz described the military operation as one that will “expand to crush and clean the area” of militants while establishing new zones that will be added to Israel’s long-standing security buffer inside Gaza.
Although he did not name specific locations, the expanded mission includes what Katz called the “extensive evacuation” of civilians from combat zones. The Israeli military recently ordered full evacuation of the southern city of Rafah and surrounding areas, signaling further escalation.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reaffirmed Israel’s intent to retain open-ended control over parts of Gaza, saying any postwar settlement must ensure long-term security for Israel. The government views Hamas as an existential threat following the October 7, 2023 attacks, when militants killed around 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages.
As of now, 59 hostages remain in Gaza, with 24 believed to be alive. Defense officials say any path to ending the conflict must involve their release and the removal of Hamas from power.
“This is the only way to end the war,” Katz emphasized.
Humanitarian Impact and Growing Civilian Toll
While Israeli officials present the operation as a security necessity, Palestinian health officials and humanitarian groups are warning of a rising death toll and deepening crisis.
Airstrikes overnight in the southern city of Khan Younis killed 17 people. Another 15 were killed Wednesday in the north, according to hospital sources. Nasser Hospital reported that 12 bodies, including five women (one pregnant) and two children, were brought in. The Gaza European Hospital reported five more deaths from separate strikes.
Later in the day, the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza confirmed that a strike on a UNRWA building in Jabaliya refugee camp killed 15 people, including nine children and two women. The building had reportedly been used as a clinic and shelter for displaced families.
UNRWA spokeswoman Juliette Touma confirmed the facility was hit but said more details were being gathered.
The Palestinian Civil Defense said it evacuated several wounded survivors and retrieved bodies from two rooms in the bombed building.
The Israeli military stated it was targeting Hamas operatives using the site as a command center, claiming it served as a key coordination hub for attacks.
Hostage Families Demand Prioritization
The Hostage Families Forum, representing relatives of those held by Hamas, issued a strong response to the defense minister’s statement, expressing shock at the expansion of the military campaign.
The group emphasized that Israel’s first priority should be securing a deal for the return of all hostages — both the living and those presumed dead.
“Their lives hang in the balance as more and more disturbing details continue to emerge about the horrific conditions they’re being held in,” the statement read. Hostages are reportedly chained, malnourished, and in need of medical care.
The group urged renewed international mediation, including pressure from the Trump administration, to secure a humanitarian deal and end the war.
War’s Human Cost
Since the conflict began, more than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Hundreds have died in the two weeks since the most recent ceasefire collapsed. The Ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its tallies.
Israel claims that it has killed 20,000 Hamas militants but has not provided independent verification.
As the military presses forward, analysts warn of a worsening humanitarian crisis and further damage to diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation and reconstruction.
The situation remains highly volatile, with mass displacement, civilian casualties, and international scrutiny mounting by the day.
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