After extensive overnight strikes in the southern Gaza Strip, the Israeli occupation army has deployed another division to the area as the families of Israeli captives blasted the move, accusing the Israeli government of “sacrificing the hostages for the sake of territorial gains.”
Palestinian media reported a large wave of strikes in Rafah and Khan Younis overnight, and this morning said troops were advancing in Rafah.
At least 21 Palestinians were martyred in the strikes, Quds News Network reported.
Grieving Palestinians mourn their loved ones killed in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a residential building in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, last night. pic.twitter.com/8SqoRnVlek
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) April 2, 2025
On Monday, the occupation army issued an evacuation warning for the entire Rafah area and a large area of land between Rafah and Khan Younis, where the IOF has previously not operated with ground troops.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said troops will move to clear areas “of terrorists and infrastructure, and capture extensive territory that will be added to Israel’s security areas.”
In response to the announcement of the expanding military operation in Rafah, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum issued a statement saying, “Has it been decided to sacrifice the hostages for the sake of ‘territorial gains?’”
“Instead of securing the release of the hostages through a deal and ending the war, the Israeli government is sending more soldiers into Gaza to fight in the same areas where battles have already taken place repeatedly,” the statement read.
The Forum said families “were horrified to wake up this morning to the defense minister’s announcement that the military operation in Gaza would be expanded for the purpose of ‘capturing extensive territory.”
“The responsibility for the release of the 59 hostages held by Hamas lies with the Israeli government. Our grave concern is that this mission has been pushed to the bottom of its priorities and has become merely a secondary objective.”
Source: Israeli media
