Gaza health ministry claims 10 dead in IDF airstrikes in Khan Yunis, as Israeli ground forces return to Rafah amid Israeli calls for Gazans to overthrow Hamas and free remaining hostages.
By David Rosenberg, World Israel News
Israeli ground forces entered the southern Gaza city of Rafah overnight, as the IDF expanded its ground operation in the Gaza Strip, ratcheting up pressure on Hamas to release the remaining 59 hostages held in the coastal enclave.
Arabic media outlets reported overnight that Israeli tanks and soldier advanced into central and eastern Rafah, as Israeli warplanes struck targets across the southern Gaza Strip, including Rafah and the city of Khan Yunis.
The Hamas-affiliated Gaza health ministry reported 10 dead in the airstrikes overnight.
On Wednesday morning, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz (Likud) issued a statement confirming that the IDF has expanded its ground operation – dubbed “Operation Might and Sword” in Gaza.
Katz said that Israel was now seizing territory in Gaza to expand its “security zones” in the Strip, in keeping with warnings Katz and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made last month.
Both leaders announced in March that should Hamas fail to immediately resume its release of hostages or agree to a new ceasefire deal which includes hostage handovers, Israel would seize parts of the Gaza Strip.
“Operation Might and Sword in Gaza is expanding to crush and clear the area of terrorists and terror infrastructure while seizing large areas that will be added to Israel’s security zones. I call on the residents of Gaza to act now to remove Hamas and return all the hostages. I wish success to the IDF soldiers fighting bravely and powerfully in Gaza for the return of the hostages and the defeat of Hamas.”
The IDF has ordered “large-scale evacuation of Gazan civilians from combat zones,” Katz continued, “crushing and clearing the area of terrorists and terror infrastructure, and seizing extensive territories that will be added to Israel’s security zones for the protection of the fighting forces and communities.”
“I call on the residents of Gaza to act now to remove Hamas and return all the hostages. This is the only way to end the war.”
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, one of two major organization representing relatives of the hostages which has organized protests against the Netanyahu government, excoriated Israeli leaders for expanding the Gaza operation.
“Instead of securing the release of the hostages through a deal and ending the war, the Israeli government is sending more soldiers into Gaza to fight in the same areas where battles have already taken place repeatedly,” the group said, adding it was “horrified” by Katz’s announcement.
“The responsibility for the release of the 59 hostages held by Hamas lies with the Israeli government. Our grave concern is that this mission has been pushed to the bottom of its priorities and has become merely a secondary objective.”
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