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Israel to expand operation in Gaza until Hamas releases hostages

10 April 2025 00:43 (UTC +04:00)

The Israel Defense Forces will expand the operation in the Gaza Strip until the radical Hamas movement releases hostages held in the enclave, Defense Minister Israel Katz said during a visit to the southern part of the Palestinian enclave, APA reports citing TASS.

"If Hamas does not release the hostages soon, the Israel Defense Forces will launch an operation throughout the Gaza Strip and will fight until Hamas is defeated and all hostages are released," the top defense official said in a video message distributed by his press office. In his opinion, "the likelihood of a hostage release deal has increased since the resumption of hostilities" in the Palestinian enclave. Katz added that Israeli servicemen are "destroying terrorists, identifying and destroying terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip, even in places like the Morag Axis where the military has not acted so far."