Israel increases fighting in Gaza (7 images)

By Wade Sheridan

Israeli soldiers work on tanks and move into southern Israel from the southern Gaza Strip as fighting increases against Hamas on Thursday. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz recently announced a significant escalation of Israel's renewed offensive in Gaza to capture "large areas," creating security buffers between the Palestinian enclave and Israeli territory to the north and east and along the border with Egypt.

Israeli army armored personnel carriers move into southern Israel from the southern Gaza Strip and park as smoke rises from inside the Gaza Strip from fighting on April 3, 2025. Photo by Jim Hollander/UPI

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Israeli soldiers work to repair an IDF tank in a staging area inside southern Israel near the southern Gaza Strip border. Photo by Jim Hollander/UPI

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An Israeli army tank kicks up dust as it moves inside southern Israel. Photo by Jim Hollander/UPI

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An Israeli soldier stands atop an armored personnel carrier. Photo by Jim Hollander/UPI

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