Israel is planning to establish a new security corridor across the Gaza Strip, which would cut off the southern city of Rafah from the rest of Palestinian territory. The move was announced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said it aims to increase pressure on Hamas and bring back dozens of remaining hostages.
The corridor would run between the cities of Khan Younis and Rafah, a move that has been rejected by the Western-backed Palestinian Authority. The existing corridors in Gaza have already reduced the territory’s size and created “no-go” zones where many people are living in squalid conditions.
Over 60% of Gaza is now considered off-limits due to Israeli evacuation orders, with hundreds of thousands of people living in tent camps or destroyed homes. Israel has vowed to escalate the conflict until Hamas returns the hostages and disarms the territory.
The decision to resume hostilities has sparked protests in Israel, where many fear for the safety of the remaining captives. The Hostage Families Forum is calling on the Trump administration to broker a deal to free all hostages and end the war.
Since the start of the conflict in October 2023, more than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed, while over 1,200 civilians were killed in southern Israel. The conflict has left Gaza largely uninhabitable and displaced around 90% of its population.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-gaza-operation-04-02-2025-6b653fc8fa1e6f0c1a0c8d322bd48ccc