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The Israeli army has announced the launch of a ground operation in the Shuja’iyya neighborhood, in the eastern part of Gaza City.

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In a statement released on Friday, the Israeli army said it is “expanding the ground operation in the northern Gaza Strip”.

It added that it has “begun operating in the past few hours in the Shuja’iyya area… with the aim of deepening control in the region and expanding the defensive security zone”.

The army reported killing several Hamas fighters and destroying the group’s infrastructure, including a command and control center. It also stated that, before and during the operation, it allowed civilians to evacuate through designated corridors for their safety.

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“Vast Areas”

Two days ago, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the army was expanding operations in Gaza to take control of “vast areas”, after resuming its offensive on the devastated enclave last March.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also announced on Wednesday that the army is “fragmenting” the Gaza Strip and “taking control” of certain areas to pressure Hamas into releasing the hostages it is holding.

On March 18, Israel resumed heavy bombardment of Gaza following disagreements over the second phase of a ceasefire agreement that had taken effect on January 19, after a devastating 15-month war with Hamas.

The war broke out following an unprecedented attack by the Palestinian movement on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

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Mass Displacement

In recent days, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have fled their homes, in one of the largest waves of mass displacement during the conflict, as Israeli forces move to expand the areas under their control.

Israeli troops are also positioned around the ruins of the city of Rafah, at the southern edge of Gaza.

Israel has not yet fully clarified its long-term objective for the areas it is currently occupying and designating as a “security zone”.

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Residents of Gaza believe the goal is the permanent displacement of people from large portions of land, including some of the enclave’s last remaining agricultural areas and water infrastructure.

The Israeli army stated it had killed several militants and dismantled infrastructure, including what it described as a Hamas command and control center.

Palestinians assert that Israel’s ultimate aim is to permanently displace the population of Gaza, in line with a plan proposed by former U.S. President Donald Trump to turn the enclave into a coastal resort under American control.

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