Netanyahu in north of Gaza Strip

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has travelled to the northern Gaza Strip, his office announced on Tuesday.

Further details and the reason for his visit to the embattled Palestinian territory were not initially disclosed. According to Israeli media, he was visiting Israeli soldiers there.

Netanyahu last visited the blockaded coastal strip in July. At that time he also paid an unannounced visit to Israeli soldiers in the southern Gaza Strip.

Israeli troops are currently working to expand a so-called "security zone" in the north of the coastal area.

Defence Minister Israel Katz is threatening to permanently occupy parts of the Gaza Strip. According to the Israeli government, this is also intended to increase pressure on the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement to release the remaining hostages.

The trigger for the Gaza war was the unprecedented massacre carried out by Hamas and other extremists on October 7, 2023, in southern Israel.