Israel’s military has transformed every bit of Gazan territory within about half a mile of the Israeli border into a wasteland.

Israeli troops could be seen clearing ground and building watch towers on Monday in parts of Gaza they have seized in recent days in a renewed offensive that the United Nations says has already captured or depopulated two-thirds of the enclave.

Israel has dramatically expanded its footprint in the Gaza Strip since relaunching its war against Hamas last month.

The Israeli military has intensified strikes on parts of Gaza after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged that the country’s forces would be “switching gears” in the territory, dividing and seizing more parts of the strip.

The Israeli military said on Monday that an initial investigation into the killing of 15 emergency workers in south Gaza last month showed that the incident occurred "due to a sense of threat".

The Israeli military backtracked on its account of killing 15 Palestinian medics last month after phone video appeared to contradict its claims.

Israel has depicted its tightening grip as a temporary necessity to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages taken during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that started the war.

The Israeli military had previously asserted that the workers had been “advancing suspiciously” toward its troops. A video obtained by The New York Times on Friday appeared to contradict that account.

Israel announced a major expansion of military operations in Gaza on Wednesday, saying large areas of the enclave would be seized and added to its security zones.

One month after Israel cut off humanitarian aid from the Gaza Strip, aid agencies say the humanitarian situation there has deteriorated dangerously, with the plight of two million civilians worsened by intensive Israeli military operations.