Defense minister: "The main goal is to exert heavy pressure on Hamas for it to return to the framework of a hostage release."
Israel has expanded its buffer zone inside the Gaza Strip as part of a broader military campaign aimed at pressuring Hamas into releasing hostages.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday that “hundreds of thousands of [Palestinian] residents have already evacuated,” and “tens of percent of Gaza’s territory have become part of Israel’s security areas.”
“The main goal is to exert heavy pressure on Hamas for it to return to the framework of a hostage release,” Katz added. “As long as Hamas persists in its refusal, the IDF activity will intensify.”
Over the weekend, the Israel Defense Forces carried out extensive strikes across Gaza, hitting more than 90 targets. These included Hamas command centers, rocket launch sites, weapons storage facilities and armed cells.