Israel will expand Gaza ‘security zones’ to include Rafah

Israel’s defense minister announced the expansion of “security zones” in Gaza to include Rafah, following an evacuation order that displaced about 100,000 people. The military aims to isolate Gaza further to pressure Hamas for hostage releases, with two-thirds of the territory now under evacuation or no-go orders, affecting approximately 390,000 Palestinians. The UN warns of humanitarian crises due to blocked aid, as the IDF continues military operations and plans to push civilians towards the coast to focus on eliminating Hamas in urban areas.