Israeli forces have taken control of key areas in southern Gaza, separating the cities of Rafah and Khan Younis.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) achieved this after seizing the Morag axis, a former Jewish settlement in southern Gaza.
This move has created a security buffer between the two cities.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said the IDF will soon expand its military operation to cover most of Gaza.
Residents in several areas, including Khan Younis and Beit Hanoun, have been ordered to evacuate.
The Israeli military is preparing for further airstrikes in response to Hamas rocket attacks.
The latest escalation comes after a two-month ceasefire collapsed on March 18.
Since then, Israeli forces have regained large areas of Gaza, displacing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.
The IDF had already secured areas along Gaza’s border, declaring them a buffer zone to prevent attacks.
Gaza’s health ministry, run by Hamas, reported 21 deaths and 64 injuries in the past 24 hours due to Israeli strikes.
The ministry’s figures are not independently verifiable.
The source of this information is bbc.