Israeli military operation in Gaza expanding to seize 'large areas': 'Expanding to crush and clean the area'

Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip is expanding to "crush" the area of Hamas terrorists and seize "large areas," Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday.

Katz said in a statement that the military operation was "expanding to crush and clean the area of terrorists and terrorist infrastructure and seizing large areas that will be added to the security zones of the State of Israel."

Israel's security perimeter, which runs along the border with Israel in northern and eastern Gaza, has been used for decades as a way to protect its citizens residing near the territory.

It is unclear which areas of Gaza will be seized in the expanded operation, which Katz says includes the "extensive evacuation" of people from areas where fighting is happening.

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