Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel’s military is “switching gears” in Gaza, dividing and seizing more parts of the strip, a move experts say could mean Israel establishing deeper, more long-term control over the territory.

Phase one of the deal entailed the release of 33 Israeli hostages, which included all women, children, and men over 50, and special humanitarian cases.

Israel resumed its military offensive in Gaza in March, blaming Hamas for rejecting a new US proposal to extend the ceasefire and free the remaining hostages. Since then, the Israeli military has launched waves of airstrikes on the besieged territory, killing hundreds of Palestinians and forcing many more to evacuate.

Israel’s defense minister says the country's military operation in the Gaza Strip is expanding to seize “large areas” of the Palestinian territory.

DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — An Israeli airstrike on Thursday killed at least 27 Palestinians sheltering at a school in northern Gaza and wounded 70 more, said Health Ministry spokesman Zaher al-Wahidi, as Israeli forces have expanded their strikes and evacuation orders across the war-torn territory in recent days.

Israel’s military operation in the Gaza Strip is expanding to "crush" the area of Hamas and seize "large areas," Defense Minister Israel Katz announced Wednesday.

Israel's renewed military operation in Gaza "is expanding to crush and cleanse the area of ​​terrorists," Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement on Wednesday.

DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli airstrikes killed at least 100 ... The fresh evacuation orders came a day after senior government officials said Israel said it would seize large parts of the Palestinian territory and establish a new security ...

Israel launched an offensive late Tuesday to seize “broad areas” of the Gaza Strip, signaling a prolonged military presence there. The announcement by Defense Minister Israel Katz came as international outrage is mounting over the war.