Israel says new security corridor completed, severing Gaza's southernmost city

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel announced Saturday it completed the operation of the caller Morag corridor, fundamentally separating the confederate metropolis of Rafah from the remainder of the Gaza Strip, further squeezing Palestinians into shrinking wedges of land, arsenic airstrikes continued crossed the enclave.

The forces person "completed the encirclement of Rafah,” a connection by the Israeli subject said.

Israeli troops with the 36th Division were deployed past week to Morag, the sanction of a Jewish colony that erstwhile stood betwixt Rafah and Khan Younis, aft the service ordered sweeping evacuations covering astir of Rafah, indicating it could soon motorboat different large crushed operation.

This comes arsenic Israel has vowed to prehend ample parts of the Palestinian territory to unit Hamas to merchandise the remaining 59 hostages, 24 of whom are believed to beryllium alive. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's authorities has besides imposed a monthlong blockade connected food, substance and humanitarian assistance that has near the territory’s astir 2 cardinal Palestinians facing acute shortages arsenic supplies dwindle — a maneuver that rights groups accidental is simply a warfare crime.

Netanyahu had said Morag would beryllium “a 2nd Philadelphi corridor,” referring to the Gaza broadside of the borderline with Egypt farther south, which has been nether Israeli power since May. Israel has besides reasserted power of the Netzarim corridor, which cuts disconnected the bluish 3rd of Gaza from the remainder of the Strip.

The corridors, coupled with a buffer zone, that Israel has razed and expanded, springiness it much than 50% power of the territory.

Israel's defence curate connected Saturday warned Palestinians that the service was going to “vigorously” grow to different locations passim Gaza, urging them to “remove Hamas” and merchandise the hostages.

“Hamas is incapable to support the residents oregon the territory. Hamas leaders are hiding successful tunnels with their families and successful luxury hotels overseas with billions successful their slope accounts, and are utilizing you arsenic hostages,” said Israel Katz.

He besides said Palestinians funny successful “voluntarily” relocating to different countries would beryllium capable to arsenic portion of a connection by U.S. President Donald Trump and Netanyahu. Palestinians person vehemently rejected the proposal, dubbed “voluntary emigration,” and expressed their determination to stay successful their homeland.

Trump and Israeli officials person not said however they would respond if Palestinians garbage to leave. But Human Rights Watch and different groups accidental the plan, if implemented, would magnitude to “ethnic cleansing,” the forcible relocation of the civilian colonisation of an taste radical from a geographic area.

Meanwhile, Israeli strikes crossed Gaza continued Saturday, sidesplitting astatine slightest 21 radical successful the past 24 hours, according to Gaza’s wellness ministry, which doesn’t separate betwixt civilians and combatants.

Israel besides ordered the evacuation to areas eastbound of Khan Younis up of an onslaught there, said Avichay Adraee, a spokesperson for the military. He said militants had fired rockets into Israel from these areas.

The Israel-Hamas warfare started connected Oct.7, 2023, aft the Palestinian militant radical attacked confederate Israel and near immoderate 1,200 radical dead. Israel's retaliatory violative successful the Gaza Strip has truthful acold killed much than 50,000 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry which says the bulk person been women and children.

The ministry said astatine slightest 1,500 radical person been killed since the ceasefire collapsed past month.

Israel says it has killed astir 20,000 militants, without providing evidence.

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Magdy reported from Cairo.