Israel has vowed to intensify its offensive against Hamas, a conflict that has lasted nearly 18 months, until the militant group releases the hostages, lays down its arms, and leaves the territory.
Overnight, Israeli attacks in Gaza killed at least 50 people, according to hospital sources. This came a day after senior government officials announced plans to seize large areas of the Strip and establish a new security corridor.
In the southern city of Khan Yunis, bodies were taken to Nasser Hospital, including those of five children. Another 19 bodies, among them five minors and a pregnant woman, were transferred to the European Hospital, according to local doctors. Meanwhile, in Gaza City, Ahli Hospital received the bodies of seven children.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) ordered the evacuation of several areas, warning that they would operate with “extreme force” in those zones and urging residents to seek shelter in western Gaza City.
Israel has also blocked the entry of food, fuel, and humanitarian aid for a month, leading to a severe shortage of supplies.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the creation of a new security corridor in Gaza, which would apparently isolate the city of Rafah from the rest of the enclave. He called it the “Morag Corridor,” suggesting it would run between two southern cities. He compared the measure to the “Philadelphi Corridor,” a strip along the Egyptian border that has been under Israeli control since May.
Additionally, Israel has regained control of the Netzarim Corridor, dividing the Gaza Strip into multiple sections. “We are fragmenting Gaza and increasing pressure step by step so that Hamas returns our hostages,” Netanyahu stated.
The Palestinian Authority, led by Fatah and backed by the West, rejected the creation of the corridor and called on Hamas to relinquish control of Gaza. Meanwhile, the militant group has faced rare internal protests in recent weeks.
Netanyahu’s announcement followed remarks by Defense Minister Israel Katz, who said Israel would take more territory in Gaza and add it to its designated security zones. Katz urged Gaza residents to “expel Hamas and return all the hostages,” stating that it was “the only way to end the war.”
Hamas, in response, reiterated that it would only release the remaining 59 hostages—24 of whom are believed to be alive—in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire, and an Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping 251 others. Since then, large parts of Gaza have been reduced to ruins, and at its peak, nearly 90% of the population has been displaced.
