Israeli military expands operations in Gaza Strip The Israeli army bombed refugee camps in central Gaza on Tuesday, according to local residents, in apparent preparation to expand their ground offensive into a third section of the besieged territory. The opening of a potential new battle zone points to the long and destructive road still ahead as Israel vows to crush Hamas after its Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. "They [Israeli forces] want to get down, it appears, to the Rafah area, the crossing with Egypt. There is a tunnel network there, it's believed that some of Hamas's top leaders may be hiding there," ABC News Correspondent Jordana Miller told FRANCE 24.