'Israel' claims seized key south Gaza corridor amid attack
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The Israeli occupation claims its forces had taken over the Morag axis in southern Gaza amid heightened aggression.
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Displaced Palestinians flee from east to west of Gaza City after the Israeli occupation forces issued evacuation threas in the area, Friday April 11, 2025 (AP)
The Israeli occupation announced Saturday that its military had completed the takeover of the Morag axis, a strategic corridor between Rafah and Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, as part of its ongoing efforts to seize large parts of the Palestinian territory.
Security Minister Israel Katz said the area between the Philadelphi Route, which runs along the Egyptian border, and Morag has now been incorporated into what he described as an Israeli "security zone."
"IDF operations will soon intensify and expand to other areas throughout most of Gaza," Katz said in a message addressed to Gaza residents. He urged civilians to evacuate combat zones, calling on them to "rise up, remove Hamas, and release all the Israeli hostages" as the path to ending the war.
Repeat evacuation threats
The announcement came as 'Israel' issued a sweeping evacuation threat for tens of thousands of residents in Khan Yunis and surrounding areas.
Meanwhile, a Hamas official told AFP that the group expected "real progress" toward a ceasefire agreement ahead of negotiations with Egyptian mediators scheduled for later Saturday.
Katz also stated that Israeli forces were expanding their control in northern Gaza, including the Netzarim Corridor, further enlarging the military's declared security zones.
Egypt, Palestine discuss ceasefire
Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty discussed the latest developments and Cairo's efforts to revive the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, as well as ongoing negotiations to initiate its second phase, during a meeting with his Palestinian counterpart, Mohammad Mustafa.
According to Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tamim Khallaf, Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s firm rejection of the forced displacement of Palestinians, emphasizing the importance of preserving their inalienable rights.
He also stressed the need to work toward creating the necessary political sphere for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with the Eastern part of al-Quds as its capital.
Ongoing discussions
The meeting, which was held on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, also addressed the latest regional developments, ongoing efforts to support the Arab-Islamic plan for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip in coordination with international stakeholders, and preparations for the reconstruction conference that Egypt will host in cooperation with the Palestinian Authority and the United Nations.
The two sides also discussed the situation in the West Bank in light of the relentless Israeli raids on Palestinian cities and refugee camps.
Moreover, a senior delegation from the Hamas movement is scheduled to head to Cairo tomorrow, Saturday, a senior Palestinian official told Al Mayadeen.
