Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that even after any agreement that would end the war in Gaza, the Israeli army will continue to remain in the buffer zones established in Gaza.

The statement comes at a time when ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas have hit a deadlock. Last month, the Israeli army created a wide “security zone” within the Gaza Strip with renewed air and ground operations that violated the ceasefire. This move led to over two million Palestinians being squeezed into narrow areas in the south and along the coast. “ISRAELI ARMY NO LONGER WITHDRAWING”

Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz, following a meeting with military officials, mentioned that the Israeli army is no longer withdrawing from areas it has cleaned and controlled in the past. He stated that a significant portion of Gaza’s land has been added to this security zone.

Katz said, “The Israeli army will remain in these security zones as a buffer between settlements and enemies, both in temporary and permanent solutions, just like it does on the borders of Lebanon and Syria.” Israeli forces seized control of approximately 20% of the region by taking over the city of Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip. The army advanced into the inland areas along the “Morag corridor” that stretches from Rafah to the Mediterranean. Israel also currently occupies a broad corridor passing through the Netzarim region in the center of Gaza. A buffer zone extending hundreds of meters inland has been created along the border. This area includes the Shuja’iyya area east of Gaza City center. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), over 400,000 Palestinians have been displaced since the resumption of conflicts on March 18.

At least 1,630 people have lost their lives in Israel’s airstrikes and bombardments. “MASS GRAVE”

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) termed Gaza as a “mass grave.” Amande Bazerolle, the Emergency Coordinator of MSF in Gaza, stated, “We are witnessing the forced displacement and destruction of an entire population.” Since Israel’s operation in Gaza launched in response to Hamas’ “Aqsa Storm” in October 2023, at least 51,000 Palestinians have lost their lives. Palestinian health officials announced that at least 13 people, including renowned writer and photographer Fatema Hassouna recognized for documenting the war, lost their lives in today’s airstrikes. The Health Ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza reported that hospitals have begun to become non-functional due to the blockage of fuel, medicine, and food supplies since the beginning of March.