Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz dropped a bombshell on Saturday, April 12, 2025, announcing that the military is ready to ramp up its offensive across most of Gaza. The statement has heightened tensions in the region, as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) prepare for broader operations to “crush” what they call terrorist threats. Katz also confirmed the creation of a new “security zone” effectively splitting the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Younis—an aggressive move that has left many Gazans bracing for worse.
This escalation didn’t come out of nowhere. Israel has been on the offensive since March 18, when it ended a fragile two-month ceasefire with Hamas, accusing the group of breaking an agreement to release hostages. Since then, the IDF has seized land along Gaza’s borders, calling these areas buffer zones to prevent attacks. Katz pointed to gains along the “Morag axis”—a strategic strip named after a former Israeli settlement—saying it effectively cuts off Rafah from Khan Younis, isolating roughly one-fifth of Gaza’s territory.
Now, with evacuation orders hitting parts of Khan Younis and surrounding areas, the IDF appears poised for a broader campaign. Saturday’s push came after Hamas claimed responsibility for firing projectiles into Israel, reigniting a volatile situation that’s already pushed millions to the edge.
The toll on Gaza continues to climb.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, 21 Palestinians were killed and 64 injured in the past 24 hours alone. Since the war began following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, assault on Israel—which killed approximately 1,200 people and led to 251 hostage takings—over 50,900 people in Gaza have reportedly died.
The humanitarian crisis is deepening. Gaza’s 2.3 million residents are facing extreme shortages of food, medicine, and shelter. The United Nations reports that no aid has entered in weeks, with bakeries shuttered due to a lack of flour and fuel. “We don’t know where to go anymore,” said Ahmed, a local reached through a contact. “Every place they tell us is safe gets hit next.”
Defense Minister Katz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are framing the push as a final effort to pressure Hamas into releasing the 59 remaining hostages—24 of whom are believed to be alive—and to eliminate the group’s fighting capability. “This is the last chance,” Katz declared, urging support for intensified military action to end the war.
But Hamas maintains that Israel is violating past agreements and has refused to withdraw forces or commit to a permanent ceasefire, conditions they insist are prerequisites for any hostage release.
Evacuation orders now cover 64% of Gaza, according to the UN’s Jonathan Whittall. Displaced families are fleeing again—many for the third or fourth time—headed toward zones like al-Mawasi, which Israel designates as a humanitarian area, though it has been bombed before.
Anger is also rising within Israel. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum issued a searing statement, accusing the government of prioritizing land grabs over the lives of its citizens. “We’re horrified,” the group said. “More fighting just puts our loved ones at greater risk.”
The United States continues to affirm Israel’s right to self-defense but is also urging a ceasefire to secure the hostages' release. Egypt and Qatar are actively trying to broker a deal, but negotiations remain stalled.
As Israel pledges to “vigorously” expand its campaign, civilians in Gaza—like Ahmed—are left to navigate a shrinking map of safety. With the violence showing no signs of slowing, the region stands at yet another precarious crossroads, and the world watches, wondering how much more either side can endure.