Israeli military operation in Gaza expanding to seize ‘large areas’: ‘Expanding to crush and clean the area’

FreedIsraelihostageYardenBibaspleadedwithPresidentDonaldTrumptobrokerpeaceon“60Minutes”inhisfirstinterviewsincebeingreleased.  Israel’smilitaryoffensiveintheGazaStripisexpandingto“crush”theareaofHamasterroristsandseize“largeareas,”DefenseMinisterIsraelKatzsaidWednesday. Katzsaidinastatementthatthemilitaryoperationwas“expandingtocrushandcleantheareaofterroristsandterroristinfrastructureandseizinglargeareasthatwillbeaddedtothesecurityzonesoftheStateofIsrael.” Israel’ssecurityperimeter,whichrunsalongtheborderwithIsraelinnorthernandeasternGaza,hasbeenusedfordecadesasawaytoprotectitscitizensresidingneartheterritory. ItisunclearwhichareasofGazawillbeseizedintheexpandedoperation,whichKatzsaysincludesthe“extensiveevacuation”ofpeoplefromareaswherefightingishappening. ISRAELIFORCESORDEREVACUATIONFORMOSTOFRA