The Israeli occupation army announced the expansion of its ground operations to include the Daraj and Tuffah areas in the northern Gaza Strip, as part of what it described as "deepening operational control" and expanding the defensive zone under its control.

The army said in a statement on Saturday that its forces began operations last night in the two areas, eliminating a number of militants, destroying reconnaissance points, military infrastructure, and the path of an underground tunnel.

The Israeli army's statement claimed that it "allowed civilians to evacuate combat areas before and during the operation, through coordinated routes."