This comes as Israel has vowed to seize large parts of the Palestinian territory to pressure Hamas to release the remaining 59 hostages, 24 of whom are believed to be alive.

Israel announced Saturday that its military has completed the establishment of a new security corridor in the Gaza Strip, effectively taking full control over Rafah.

The Israeli military announced on Wednesday the creation of a 15-kilometre-long security corridor in the southern Gaza Strip ...

Israel has reasserted control over the Netzarim corridor, also named for a former settlement, that cuts off the northern third of Gaza, including Gaza City, from the rest of the narrow coastal strip.

The Netzarim corridor and other zones help Israel keep control of Gaza indefinitely, raising concerns about occupation.

Israeli troops deployed to a newly established security corridor across southern Gaza, the military announced Saturday, as pressure on the Hamas fighter group increased weeks into the renewed war.

Netanyahu had said Morag would be “a second Philadelphi corridor,” referring to the Gaza side of the border with Egypt farther south, which has been under Israeli control since May.

The announcement came after Netanyahu’s defense minister said that Israel would seize large areas of Gaza and add them to its so-called security zones.

Israel has also reasserted control of the Netzarim corridor, which cuts off the northern third of Gaza from the rest of the Strip.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel is establishing a new security corridor across Gaza. In a statement issued Wednesday, he described it as the Morag corridor.

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel is establishing a new security corridor across the Gaza Strip to pressure Hamas, suggesting it would ...