Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said troops were seizing an area he called the Morag Axis, a reference to a former Israeli settlement once located between the cities of Rafah and Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip, some 3-4 kilometers from the southern border. He said the move, which would cut off Rafah from Khan Younis, would give Israel control of a second axis in southern Gaza in addition to the so-called "Philadelphi Corridor", running along the border with Egypt, which Israel sees as a key line preventing the smuggling of weapons into Gaza. According to Israeli rights group Gisha, even before the operation Israel had already taken control of some 62 square kilometers or around 17% of the total area of Gaza, as part of a buffer zone around the edges of the enclave.
Published at: 2025-04-02 21:38:36
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