NEW DELHI: Israel said that it was expanding its military operation in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, stating that the army would seize "large areas" of the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz released a statement saying that his country would expand its presence in Gaza to "destroy and clear the area of terrorists and terrorist infrastructure".

He said that the expanded military operation would "seize large areas that will be incorporated into Israeli security zones", without sharing details on how much territory Israel would capture.

Earlier, Katz had warned that the Israeli army would soon "operate with full force" in Gaza's additional parts.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on Sunday (Mar 30), said he is willing to allow Hamas leaders to leave the Gaza Strip, but only if the group agrees to disarm. The announcement came as Israel continued its military operations in Gaza.

"We are negotiating under fire... We can see cracks beginning to appear" in Hamas's positions during ceasefire talks, he told his cabinet.

In the "final stage", Netanyahu said, "Hamas will lay down its weapons. Its leaders will be allowed to leave".

On Sunday morning, an Israeli airstrike hit a house and a tent sheltering displaced people in Khan Yunis, killing at least eight individuals, including five children, according to Gaza’s civil defence agency. The attack occurred on the first day of Eid al-Fitr, the festival that marks the end of Ramadan. 

Israel restarted intense bombing across Gaza on 18 March, followed by a new ground assault. This ended nearly two months of ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

At the start of a cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu dismissed claims that Israel was not engaged in talks to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza.

“We are negotiating under fire... We can see cracks beginning to appear,” he said. “Hamas must lay down its arms. Its leaders will be allowed to leave,” he added.

Netanyahu also stressed that Israel’s military approach was yielding results. “The military pressure is working,” he added, noting that it was weakening Hamas and increasing the chances of hostage releases.