Israel announces plan to seize 'large areas' in Gaza - latest updates

[groundloop]

Source: The Guardian

Here’s a recap of the day so far. Israel’s military operation in the Gaza Strip is expanding to seize “large areas,” according to defence minister Israel Katz. Officials at hospitals inside the Palestinian territory said Israeli strikes overnight and into Wednesday had killed more than 30 people, nearly a dozen of them children.

Israel says it is expanding its offensive in the Palestinian territory “to crush and clean the area” of militants and to seize “large areas that will be added to the security zones of the State of Israel”.

The Israeli government has long maintained a buffer zone just inside Gaza along its security fence and has greatly expanded since the war began in 2023. Israel says the buffer zone is needed for its security, while Palestinians view it as a land grab.

Katz didn’t specify which areas of Gaza would be seized in the expanded operation, which he said includes the “extensive evacuation” of the population from fighting areas. His statement came after Israel ordered the full evacuation of the southern city of Rafah and nearby areas.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/apr/02/israel-gaza-war-idf-hamas-live-updates-latest-news

[twodogsbarking]

1. There are no good guys.

Sorry.

[PhylliPretzel]

3. Aren't the children

"good guys?" What about the women? What about the medical personnel, Red Crescent staff, international aid workers? Let's not paint with too broad a brush . . . perhaps "no good combatants???"

[twodogsbarking]

5. If you wish. Seems it was implied.

[WorkingClassMan]

6. Only one side is committing a genocide.

Which gets unconditional support by the US government.

[maxsolomon]

8. Hamas conducted a Pogrom on 10/7.

What was the intent of that crime? To bait Israel into Genocide?

Seizing territory is a way to pressure Hamas, to make life in Gaza even more difficult - but short of ramping up the Genocidal killing.

[lark]

2. Ethnic cleansing and genocide, that is what Netanyahoo is doing.

[maxsolomon]

4. Israel is out of ideas and the bombs aren't achieving anything.

Bombing rubble is pointless. There is nothing left to destroy, nothing the Gazans can't absorb.

Israel can't kill them all, and Hamas doesn't care how many are killed or what deprivations the non-combatants suffer.

At this point, Hamas has no motivation to return hostages or even return to the negotiating table.

"When you ain't got nothin', you got nothin' to lose".

[bluestarone]

7. Two monsters. TSF and Netanyahu.

With lots of backing. What could go wrong? EVERYTHING!!