Israel’s Defense Minister, Yisroel Katz, declared Wednesday morning that the military campaign in Gaza is intensifying. The expanded operation includes the mass relocation of Gazan civilians away from active combat areas, the destruction of terrorist elements and infrastructure, and the capture of large swaths of territory. These areas will be incorporated into Israel’s security buffer to safeguard both Israeli troops and nearby 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,” Katz added.
Meanwhile, Palestinian Arab media sources reported that Israeli tanks and troops began making headway into central and eastern parts of Rafah earlier in the day.
Those same sources said the ground assault was accompanied by sustained airstrikes that continued for several hours. The overnight attacks reportedly left more than ten people dead in the Rafah area.
On Tuesday night, loud blasts were reported in Israeli communities adjacent to the Gaza border. In response, the IDF confirmed that it had carried out an extensive wave of aerial and artillery strikes on Hamas targets spread throughout the Gaza Strip.
Over the past weekend, IDF forces operating under the command of the 143rd Gaza Division, and working in close coordination with Military Intelligence and the Shin Bet security agency, conducted an operation in Rafah’s Tel Sultan neighborhood.
During the course of that mission, Israeli troops eliminated numerous terrorists and took several individuals into custody for questioning in Israel.
In addition, the forces discovered multiple mortar shells hidden inside what was once a school repurposed by Hamas as a base of operations. They also found a launcher outfitted with 25 barrels in the vicinity.
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