Israel says one-third of Gaza now under its military control

JERUSALEM, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli military said Wednesday it is expanding the "Morag Corridor," a new dividing line in the southern Gaza Strip, and has turned roughly a third of the enclave into "security zones" under full Israeli military control.

An infographic video released by the military showed the "Morag Corridor" running through an area between Rafah and Khan Younis, cutting off Rafah from Khan Younis and central Gaza.

In the video, Khan Younis, southern Gaza's largest city, appeared almost completely razed, with only a few severely damaged buildings left.

"As part of the operation, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) has achieved full operational control over several key areas and routes throughout Gaza. Approximately 30 percent of the strip's territory is now designated as an Operational Security Perimeter," the military said in a statement.

Apart from the "Morag Corridor," Israel has also established the "Netzarim Corridor" during the war, a military buffer zone in central Gaza aimed at isolating Gaza City and northern Gaza from the rest of the enclave.

Israel has blocked the entry of all humanitarian aid into Gaza since March 2. It then ended a two-month ceasefire with Hamas on March 18 and resumed deadly air and ground assaults on the enclave.

The military said since March 18, it has carried out airstrikes on about 1,200 targets in Gaza using approximately 350 fighter jets and other aircraft.

The renewed Israeli attacks have so far killed 1,652 Palestinians and injured 4,391 others, Gaza health authorities said Wednesday, adding the death toll in the enclave since the war began in October 2023 has risen to 51,025, with 116,432 injured.■