Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, announced a major expansion of attacks on Gaza and the “capture of large areas that will be added to the security zones of the state of Israel”.

The announcement followed a night of airstrikes on Khan Younis and Rafah in southern Gaza, which officials said had killed at least 21 people, including a pregnant woman. The intensification of Israel’s offensive comes after more than two weeks of airstrikes and ground operations that have, according to Gaza’s health ministry, killed more than 900 people. Unicef has said that at least 322 of those killed since the renewed attacks have been children.

Earlier this week 15 bodies of Palestinian paramedics and rescue workers, killed by Israeli forces and buried in a mass grave, were discovered. According to witnesses, some victims were found with their hands or legs bound and had gunshot wounds to the head and chest.