The Israeli army will expand its offensive to cover most of the Gaza Strip, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced today.
"Soon, the operations of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will intensify and expand to other areas in most of Gaza, and you should evacuate the combat zones," Katz said in a message to the Palestinian population.
Katz announced today that the Israeli army has completed taking control of the "key Morag axis" between the cities of Rafah and Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip.
This made the "Philadelphia Corridor" zone along the border with Egypt and Moraga part of the Israeli security zone, Katz said.
Hamas delegation arrives in Cairo for Gaza ceasefire talks
A delegation from the Palestinian Hamas movement is expected in Cairo today for talks with Egyptian mediators to reach a new ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, an official from the Palestinian Islamist movement told AFP.
"We hope that the meeting will enable real progress towards an agreement aimed at ending the war and aggression, while guaranteeing the complete withdrawal of the occupation forces from the Gaza Strip," said the official, who did not want to be named.
According to the official, Hamas has not received a new ceasefire offer, despite information in Israeli media that Egypt and Israel have exchanged draft documents on a ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages.
"But contacts and discussions with mediators are ongoing," the official said.
The delegation is led by Hamas chief negotiator Khalil al-Hajja, he said.
According to the Times of Israel, the Egyptian proposal calls for the return to Israel of eight live hostages and the bodies of eight dead ones, in exchange for a 40- to 70-day ceasefire, as well as the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons.
During the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered the war, 251 people were kidnapped. 58 hostages are still being held in Gaza, of whom 34 are dead, according to the Israeli military.
The ceasefire, brokered by the United States (US), Egypt and Qatar, which lasted from January 19 to March 17, allowed for the return of 33 hostages, including eight dead, in exchange for the release of around 1.800 Palestinian prisoners.
Israel continued its attacks on the Gaza Strip on March 18th.
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