Israeli troops will remain in Gaza buffer zones indefinitely, Defense Minister Katz says

Israeli troops volition not permission the buffer zones successful Gaza, adjacent aft the warfare ends, according to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz. 

On Wednesday, Hamas appeared to cull an Israeli-proposed ceasefire woody that would spot the instrumentality of astir a twelve hostages who person been held captive for much than 550 days. Israel resumed combat operations successful the portion past period aft a erstwhile ceasefire statement fell isolated earlier Israel and Hamas could scope signifier two.

Israeli Prime Minister Benamin Netanyahu, center, with Defense Minister Israel Katz, right, Israeli Defense Forces main Eyal Zamir and different information officials are holding a information appraisal successful the Kirya successful Tel Aviv. (Prime Minister of Israel )

HAMAS REJECTS ISRAELI CEASEFIRE, HOSTAGE RETURN DEAL OVER DISARMAMENT DEMANDS

"Unlike successful the past, the IDF is not withdrawing from areas that person been cleared and captured. The [Israeli Defense Forces] IDF volition stay successful the information zones arsenic a buffer betwixt the force and Israeli communities nether immoderate impermanent oregon imperishable statement successful Gaza — conscionable arsenic it does successful Lebanon and Syria," Katz said successful a connection connected Wednesday.  

The buffer zones that Israel established on the Gaza borderline marque up 30% of the strip, according to the Times of Israel. The outlet besides reported that Israeli troops person been moving to make the Morag Corridor, which would chopped disconnected the confederate metropolis of Rafah from Khan Younis.

Hamas reportedly said that immoderate woody that does not person "real guarantees for halting the war, achieving afloat withdrawal, lifting the blockade, and opening reconstruction volition beryllium a governmental trap," according to Reuters.

IDF troops encircle Tel al-Sultan successful Rafah, Gaza arsenic they dismantled panic infrastructure sites and terrorists successful the area. The IDF said the cognition was successful bid to reenforce power and grow the information portion successful confederate Gaza. (IDF)

WITH TRUMP'S BACKING ISRAEL PUSHES DEEPER INTO GAZA AS PRESSURE BUILDS FOR HOSTAGE DEAL

Since it resumed operations successful March, Israel has been condemned by leaders of planetary institutions who person called for an contiguous ceasefire.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said successful a connection that helium was "very concerned" astir the concern and the deficiency of humanitarian assistance going into the strip. Katz confirmed connected Wednesday that humanitarian assistance was being blocked successful bid to enactment unit connected Hamas, which has been accused of stealing aid. 

A Palestinian lad carries an assistance container provided by UNRWA, amid a ceasefire betwixt Hamas and Israel, successful Gaza City, connected Feb. 3, 2025. (REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas)

Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon condemned Guterres’ statement, saying "The U.N. secretary-general has nary occupation explicitly condemning Israel’s antiaircraft warfare successful Gaza and unequivocally calling for a ceasefire. Yet his statements, erstwhile again, neglect to notation the hostages and neglect to notation Hamas, whose barbaric actions connected October 7, 2023, triggered this war."

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"This warfare Hamas started volition not beryllium implicit until each of our remaining 59 hostages are returned location from brutal captivity," Danon added.