Israel Expands Gaza Military Operation to Seize Control of Large Areas, Says Defense Minister:

Israel’s military has expanded its operation in the Gaza Strip to seize “large areas” and eliminate what it terms as “terrorist infrastructure.” Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed this in a written statement on Wednesday.

“The operation is expanding to crush and clean the area of terrorists and terrorist infrastructure, and to capture large areas that will be added to the security zones of the State of Israel,” Katz stated.

Call for Expulsion of Hamas and Return of Hostages

Katz urged Gaza residents to “expel Hamas and return all hostages.” The militant group currently holds 59 hostages, of whom 24 are believed to still be alive. Many were released earlier through ceasefire agreements and other negotiated deals.

Background: How the Conflict Started

The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched an attack on southern Israel. Around 1,200 people were killed—mostly civilians—and 251 were taken hostage during the assault.

Death Toll and Military Claims

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israel's response has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, including several hundred since the recent ceasefire ended about two weeks ago. The figures provided do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

Israel, on its part, claims to have killed approximately 20,000 militants, though it has not released independent evidence supporting this number.