(JNS) The IDF has deployed another division to the Gaza Strip following overnight strikes on the enclave’s south, with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stating on Wednesday morning, April 2 that “Operation Strength and Sword” is being expanded.

Israeli forces will move to secure wider areas to reinforce buffer zones along the border, with the aim of weakening terrorist infrastructure and pressure local communities to distance themselves from Hamas while supporting the return of hostages, he said.

On Wednesday, the IDF reported that troops eliminated an armed terrorist who approached the security fence in southern Gaza.

According to the military, the suspect posed a threat and was shot before reaching the fence. No Israeli injuries were reported.

Also on Wednesday, the IDF and Shin Bet confirmed a targeted strike on Hamas operatives in Jabalia. According to a joint statement, the terrorists were located in a command center used to coordinate attacks and serve as a key meeting point for the group’s leadership. The compound, operated by Hamas’ Jabalia Battalion, was also used to plan attacks on Israeli civilians and troops, according to the statement.

The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said that 19 people were killed in an Israeli strike on an UNRWA clinic in the Jabalia refugee camp, including nine children. For its part, the IDF said that extensive precautions were taken to avoid civilian harm, including aerial surveillance and intelligence gathering. The Israeli military accused Hamas of continuing to exploit civilian infrastructure and use human shields.

The IDF’s 36th Division is currently operating in relatively unpopulated territory between Khan Yunis and Rafah, according to Israel’s Channel 12 News.

On Monday, the IDF issued an evacuation order for the Rafah area, signaling a major intensification in its military campaign.

The military has also issued evacuation alerts for Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, Sheikh Zayed and other districts in northern Gaza.

On Tuesday morning, rockets launched from northern Gaza triggered sirens in Sderot. The IDF confirmed the projectile’s interception and responded with both evacuation notices and precision strikes targeting the launch sites.