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.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that the military was "dissecting" the Gaza Strip and seizing territory to pressure Hamas into freeing hostages still held in the territory.

One Israeli strike killed at least 17 people in a United Nations building, previously a clinic, that had been converted into a shelter for more than 700 displaced people.

The Israeli military has indicated it could soon launch another major offensive in Rafah and ordered most of the southernmost city in the Gaza Strip evacuated.

Gaza looms large. The most difficult problem is also the most obvious: Gaza. Netanyahu wants “total victory” over Hamas, a goal a top military official derided as sloganeering

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Wednesday that Israel is establishing a new security corridor across Gaza as the country said it planned to seize large areas of the Palestinian territory and launched a wave of strikes that Palestinian health officials said killed more than 40 people.

He says the military was “dissecting" Gaza and "increasing the pressure step by step" on Hamas. Read more at straitstimes.com.