Gaza war: Israel operating in new areas, defence minister Yoav Gallant says

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has said his country's forces are operating in new areas in Gaza as the Israeli military widened its offensive on the southern half of the Palestinian territory.

Gallant's remarks, reported by news website The Times of Israel on Saturday, came during a visit to reservists stationed near the enclave.

"In the last two days, we are… operating in areas where we did not operate in the last month and this will increase. This action will reach every area that needs to be reached," he said.

"We are going for the complete elimination of the Hamas organisation," Gallant added.

Israel's devastating military offensive in Gaza has so far killed over 15,200 people, mostly women and children.

It was not clear what the minister meant by "operating". The Times of Israel reported that "Gallant [has said] the military is striking in areas of Gaza that it had not yet hit".

It comes as the Gaza war resumed on Friday, after a weeklong truce ended. Israeli forces have since restarted their relentless campaign of strikes in the territory, killing scores of people.

Ground troops are currently present only in the north of Gaza, including Gaza City, but it is anticipated they will also move into the south. Khan Younis, Gaza's second-largest city, is likely to be one of the main targets.

Israel's military on Sunday ordered more areas in and around Gaza's second-largest city of Khan Younis to evacuate.

Heavy bombardments were reported overnight and into Sunday around Khan Younis and the southern city of Rafah, as well as parts of the north that had been the focus of Israel's blistering air and ground campaign.