Israel expands its offensive in southern Gaza, where “large areas will be annexed”

After almost two months of truce, Israel resumed in March its air and land offensive against Hamas, with whom it is at war from the unprecedented attack of October 7, 2023.

Defense Minister Israel Katz, said in a statement that they were going to expand his operation in the enclave “for destroy and clear the terrorist area and terrorist infrastructure. ”

This expansion will serve “To take large areas that can be incorporated into Israeli security areas “he added.

The Israeli army had already warned last week that soon They were going to “operate with full force” in more areas of the besieged territory.

The Gaza Ministry of Health said Tuesday that 1,042 people died from the new Israeli attacks since the truce broke.

On Wednesday, the civil defense of the territory reported at least 15 dead, including children, for Israeli actions against homes in the city of Khan Yunis, in the south, and the refugee camp of Nuseirat (center).

The Arabic spokesman of the Israeli army, Avichay Adree, had addressed the inhabitants of Khan Yunis on Tuesday and the nearby Rafah, on the border with Egypt.

“Do not listen to Hamas’s attempts to prevent them from evacuating to stay as their human shields. They immediately evacuate the designated areas,” he said in X.

In February, in the middle of the truce that allowed the return of several dozen hostages captured by Hamas-some deceased some-Katz announced a plan to create An agency for the “voluntary game” of Palestinians of the Gaza Strip.

The project seemed to align with the idea of ​​US President Donald Trump, to relocate to 2.4 million Gazati to Jordan and Egypt to turn the devastated territory into a luxury tourist destination.

Criticized vehemently by much of the international community, the proposalA has been embraced by numerous politicians of the Israeli rightincluding Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, willing to implement it.

The Israeli leader offered Hamas leaders the possibility of leaving Gaza, on condition that the group delivers their weapons, and rejected the criticisms of Not being doing enough to free the rest of hostages.

The families forum, the largest association of relatives of those kidnapped by Hamas, declared Wednesday “horrified” for the announcement of the Ministry of Defense.

“Instead of release hostages with an agreement And end the war, the Israeli government sends more soldiers to Gaza to fight in the same areas where They have fought again and again“He said.

“Explain how this operation serves the goal of recovering hostages and how they tell to avoid them in danger,” he claimed.

The mediating countries between both parties (Qatar, Egypt and the United States) They work in a new high -fire agreement that allows the return of the rest of Hamas captives.

A high position of the Palestinian Islamist movement said on Saturday that they had approved a new truce proposal presented by the mediators and urged Israel to do the same.

The Netanyahu Prime Minister’s office confirmed to have received the proposition of the mediators and indicated that they had presented A counterproposal.

The details of these last mediation maneuvers were not revealed.