Israel's defense minister says the country's military operation in the Gaza Strip is expanding to seize 'large areas' of the Palestinian territory.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had seized a corridor of land would could split one of Gaza’s largest city’s from the rest of the enclave.

The Israeli military is widening its area of control into large parts of the Gaza Strip, the country's prime minister said. Meanwhile, Germany announced that some of its citizens have left Gaza. DW has more.

At least 19 people are reported killed in Jabalia as Israel's defence minister says it is expanding ground operations.

At least 73 people were killed during Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, according to the Hamas-controlled health authority, as Israel launched a major expansion of military operations. A recent ceasefire has become a distant memory for Palestinians in the coastal enclave after Israel announced plans to establish another security corridor dividing the strip and the army said it had encircled part of the southern Gazan city of Rafah.

Israel's defense minister said expanding operations will "crush and clean the area" of militants, despite children making up many of the strikes' victims.

A top official said “large areas” of the enclave would be seized, suggesting that Israel intended to hold on to more territory.

Israel plans to establish another security corridor that divides the Gaza Strip, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday. "We are conquering the Morag corridor," he said in a video address.

Israel’s military operation in the Gaza Strip is expanding to "crush" the area of Hamas and seize "large areas," Defense Minister Israel Katz announced Wednesday.