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The Israeli military has announced that it is reestablishing control over a key route known as the Netzarim Corridor that separates northern Gaza from the south, deepening its offensive in the region. The renewed attacks come after Israel broke a ceasefire with Hamas on Tuesday, launching a series of heavy airstrikes that have continued into Wednesday, albeit with reduced intensity.
Understanding the Netzarim Corridor and Its Strategic Importance
The Netzarim Corridor, a nearly seven-kilometer-long route, is set to cut off Gaza City from the rest of the enclave. The corridor runs from the Israeli border south of Nahal Oz to the Mediterranean Sea, featuring Highway 749, which will include a one-kilometer buffer zone.
According to reports from Israel’s Channel 14, the highway is being constructed by the Israeli army’s Engineering Corps, with Unit 601 tasked with demolishing surrounding buildings to create the buffer zone. Structures slated for demolition include the Turkish Hospital, an Al-Azhar University campus, the village of Juhor al-Dik, and the Nour and Sharm amusement parks.
The corridor also traverses the former grounds of the Netzarim Settlement, a Jewish settlement evacuated in 2005 during Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s disengagement from Gaza.
Israeli Defense Minister Vows Escalation Until Hostages Are Freed
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 400 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday, making it the deadliest day in the enclave after 17 months of war. Nearly two-thirds of the casualties were women and children. However, the ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned on Wednesday that military operations would intensify unless Hamas releases dozens of hostages and relinquishes control over Gaza.
“We will increase our attacks with an intensity that you have not known,” Katz declared.
So far, Hamas has not responded with direct military action, but the situation remains precarious, with fears of escalating violence and a return to full-scale war.
Fresh Wave of Palestinian Evacuations Amidst Renewed Fighting
The resumption of Israeli military operations has led to a new wave of evacuations, reminiscent of the displacement experienced by hundreds of thousands of Palestinians earlier in the war. Many civilians who had returned to their hometowns during the ceasefire are now being forced to flee once again.
Katz indicated that the military would soon order more evacuations from combat zones, further compounding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), likened his political struggles to those of U.S. President Donald Trump, accusing state institutions of attempting to undermine his leadership.
“In America and in Israel, when a strong right-wing leader wins an election, the leftist Deep State weaponizes the justice system to thwart the people’s will,” Netanyahu wrote on Wednesday. “They won’t win in either place!”
Israel Denies Responsibility for UN Employee’s Death
The Israeli leader has faced intense criticism over his recent decision to dismiss the head of the domestic security agency and his government’s efforts to oust the attorney general. Netanyahu has frequently accused law enforcement and judicial institutions of conspiring against him.
His comments mirror Trump’s frequent claims about the “weaponization” of the U.S. Justice Department and other federal agencies.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry expressed condolences over the death of a United Nations worker in Gaza but denied responsibility for the incident. An initial investigation by the Israeli military concluded that its forces were not involved in the ordnance strike that hit a U.N. guesthouse in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza.
“The circumstances are being examined,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein stated.
The United Nations confirmed that the incident resulted in one fatality and four injuries. The attack occurred despite the location of the U.N. facility being well-known to all parties involved in the conflict.
Ongoing Strikes by Israel Result in Heavy Civilian Casualties
Israeli airstrikes continue across Gaza, with a deadly attack in far northern Gaza on Wednesday evening killing at least 17 people and wounding 30 others, according to Palestinian health officials. The Israeli military has not yet commented on the strike.
The attack hit a condolence gathering in the Salateen area of Beit Lahiya, with many casualties from the same family. Among the dead were two children aged 11 and 16, as well as a 65-year-old man and his two sons, according to Fares Awad, head of the Health Ministry’s emergency services in northern Gaza.
Earlier on Wednesday, another airstrike killed at least five people in the southernmost city of Rafah. The attack targeted a vehicle in the Musbah area, with casualties taken to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.
Israel’s military stated that the Rafah strike targeted two Hamas militants and vowed to continue extensive operations throughout Gaza.
Also Read: Israel Issues Last Warning To Hamas, Renews Ground Operations
