Israeli army says 30% of Gaza ‘operational security perimeter’

JERUSALEM

The Israeli army said Wednesday that it has designated around 30% of the Gaza Strip as an “operational security perimeter,” barring Palestinian access to those areas amid expanded ground operations.

In a statement, the army said that it had achieved “full operational control” over several key areas and corridors across the enclave.

Such zones refer to areas from which Palestinians have been forcibly displaced and are now prohibited from returning. Israeli forces are deployed across parts of these zones, which have steadily expanded since Israel resumed its offensive on March 18.

The army said it has widened its control of the “Morag Corridor,” which separates the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Younis, adding that three military divisions are currently taking part in ground operations in the enclave.

The military warned that “it is prepared to expand the ground operation in accordance with operational developments.”

According to the military, more than 1,200 targets have been hit by roughly 350 warplanes and other aircraft since March 18, with over 100 “targeted eliminations” carried out.

Palestinian and international organizations have accused Israel of disproportionately targeting civilians, including displaced families sheltering in tents, homes, hospitals, and civilian institutions.

More than 51,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have been killed in Gaza in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.