Israel's defence minister Israel Katz announced a major expansion of the military operation in Gaza on Wednesday, saying large areas of the enclave would be seized and added to the security zones of Israel.
In a statement, Katz said there would be large-scale evacuation of the population from areas where there is fighting, and told Gazans that eliminating Hamas and returning Israeli hostages was the only way to end the war.
The Israeli military had already issued evacuation warnings to Gazans living around the southern city of Rafah and towards the city of Khan Yunis, telling them to move to the Al-Mawasi area on the shore, previously designated a humanitarian zone.
Israel's Army Radio said the 36th division, sent to the Southern Command area last month to prepare for operations in Gaza, would take part in the operation.
Katz's statement did not make clear how much land Israel intends to seize.
Israel has already set up a significant buffer zone within Gaza, expanding an area that existed around the edges of the enclave before the war and adding a large security area in the so-called Netzarim corridor through the middle of Gaza.
At the same time, Israeli leaders have said they plan to facilitate the voluntary departure of Palestinians from the enclave, after.
Katz's remarks came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeated calls for Hamas to disarm and said the application of military pressure was the best way to get back the remaining 59 hostages.
"I call on the residents of Gaza to act now to eliminate Hamas and return all the kidnapped," Katz said in his statement, which added that the operation would clear the area of militants and their infrastructure.
"This is the only way to end the war," Katz said.
, after two months of relative calm following the conclusion of a US-backed truce to allow the exchange of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinians in Israeli jails.
Efforts led by Qatari and Egyptian mediators to get talks aimed at ending the war back on track have failed to make progress yet.
