Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has announced plans for an intensified military campaign in Gaza, which includes seizing large portions of the territory.
In a statement on Wednesday, Katz said the goal of the operation is to eliminate armed groups and dismantle their infrastructure.
The captured areas will be placed under Israeli security control, he added.
He also called for the mass evacuation of Palestinians from targeted zones and urged them to oppose Hamas and secure the release of Israeli hostages, saying that was the only way to end the ongoing conflict.
Reports indicate that Israeli ground forces began operations in Rafah overnight, marking an expansion of military activities in southern Gaza.
This move follows Katz’s earlier warning that Israeli forces would soon escalate their operations across additional regions of Gaza with full military force.
Israel renewed its offensive on March 18, blaming Hamas for rejecting a U.S.-backed proposal aimed at extending a ceasefire and securing the release of 59 Israeli hostages.
Hamas, however, accused Israel of breaching a prior agreement reached in January.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has worsened significantly, with Israel halting aid shipments to the enclave since March 2, marking the longest blockade of humanitarian relief since the war began.
In March, the United Nations scaled back its operations in Gaza, citing security concerns following the deaths of several aid workers.
Israeli forces reportedly killed eight Palestinian medics, six Civil Defence responders, and a UN staff member in southern Gaza.
Israel’s military campaign began after the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, in which approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.
The ongoing conflict has since resulted in more than 50,399 deaths in Gaza, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.