NEW DELHI : At least 30 Palestinians have been killed in intensified Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip, according to medical sources, as the Israeli military expands its ground assault into southern Gaza with the creation of a new "security corridor."

Six people were killed in an Israeli air strike on Khan Younis in southern Gaza, while six more died in a separate raid on Beit Hanoon in the north, Al Jazeera reported, citing medical personnel.

The Israeli military confirmed it had deployed ground troops into a newly established "Morag Corridor" in the southern part of the besieged enclave. The corridor, reportedly named after a former Israeli settlement between Rafah and Khan Younis, is said to run from east to west across the narrow coastal strip. While its precise dimensions remain undisclosed, maps circulated by Israeli media suggest it may effectively isolate Rafah from the rest of Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the plan for the corridor earlier in the week, indicating its strategic purpose in pressuring Hamas and restricting movement in southern Gaza, where over a million displaced Palestinians are sheltering.

Since the collapse of a weeks-long ceasefire in mid-March, Israel has resumed and escalated its air and ground campaign, demanding the release of Israeli hostages captured during Hamas’s October 7 attack on southern Israel. That attack killed at least 1,139 people, according to figures compiled by Al Jazeera based on Israeli statistics.

In a new video released by Hamas's armed wing, two Israeli captives — including Maxim Herkin, identified by his family — appeared alive. The second captive was identified by Israeli media as soldier Bar Kuperstein. Both were reportedly taken from the Nova music festival during the October 7 raid. The families of the captives have urged the public and media not to share the video.

According to Israeli authorities, 58 captives remain in Gaza, 34 of whom are believed to be dead. During the last ceasefire, Hamas released 33 captives, eight of them deceased.

The Health Ministry in Gaza reports that more than 50,669 people, the majority civilians, have been killed since Israel began its military retaliation. The United Nations has described the humanitarian toll as catastrophic, with at least 100 children reportedly killed or injured every day since airstrikes resumed.

“Nothing justifies the killing of children,” said Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday.

Diplomatic Push for Ceasefire

In a bid to revive diplomatic efforts, French President Emmanuel Macron announced he will participate in a trilateral summit on Gaza with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordan’s King Abdullah II. The summit is set for Monday in Cairo, where Macron is expected to arrive Sunday evening.

The French president also plans to visit the port of El-Arish near the Gaza border on Tuesday to meet humanitarian and security workers, highlighting France’s continued push for a ceasefire and improved aid access to Gaza.

El-Arish has served as a critical logistical hub for international relief efforts as the humanitarian situation in Gaza grows more dire by the day.