Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that the population of the Gaza Strip is being evacuated from the fighting zones, with many areas in the enclave being seized and annexed to Israel's security zones.

Katz made these remarks during a tour with senior commanders of the 12-km "Morag Corridor," a route being paved by the Israel Defense Forces in southern Gaza to separate Rafah and Khan Younis, according to a statement from his office.

"All of Rafah will become one large security zone, and this will also be pressure for the release of hostages and a bridge towards the defeat of Hamas," he said.

Katz warned that if Hamas does not release the remaining hostages soon, the Israeli army will engage in heavy fighting throughout Gaza "until the hostages are released and Hamas is defeated."

The minister noted that Israel is working to advance the voluntary migration plan for Gaza residents, which was proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump in early February. 

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