Netanyahu Says Israeli Forces Expand Control Over Gaza to 70 Percent

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he has instructed the Israeli military to advance toward taking control of up to 70 percent of Gaza, marking a further escalation in the ongoing war and occupation dynamics in the territory.

Speaking during an interview at a conference in the occupied West Bank, Netanyahu said Israel was increasing its territorial control inside Gaza as part of its military campaign against Hamas.

“We are now in 60% of the territory of the Gaza Strip. We were at 50%. We moved to 60%,” he said. “My directive is to move to — take it step by step — first of all 70. Let’s start with that.”

His remarks were made as the audience reportedly called for full control over Gaza.

In late April, the Israeli military known as the Israel Defense Forces had already issued maps indicating it controlled roughly 64 percent of the enclave, according to aid groups.

Further expansion of control would significantly reduce the remaining territory available to nearly two million Palestinians living in Gaza, which has been heavily damaged by ongoing conflict.

The discussion comes against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire framework that has repeatedly come under strain. Under an October 2025 agreement between Israel and Hamas, Israeli forces had previously withdrawn to a demarcation known as the “yellow line,” leaving them in control of about 53 percent of Gaza.

The Palestinian group Hamas has accused Israel of violating the ceasefire by shifting this line and expanding its military presence.

Hamas said this “constitutes an explicit and ongoing undermining of the ceasefire agreement, a serious violation of its provisions, and an exposed attempt to impose new facts on the ground by force, with the aim of entrenching military control over the Strip and undermining any real chance of stabilizing the situation or making de-escalation efforts succeed.”

International observers have warned that without progress, the current demarcation could become permanent. Nickolay Mladenov, a Bulgarian diplomat involved in ceasefire implementation efforts, said the situation risked hardening into long term separation.

He warned that without progress the yellow line could turn “into a fence or wall, a permanent separation of Gaza.” He also noted that “civilians are still being killed” and that “families live in fear” due to continued military activity.

Since the ceasefire began, Israel has continued strikes in Gaza, claiming Hamas has violated the agreement by rearming and rebuilding military capabilities. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Public Health, more than 850 people have been killed since the ceasefire took effect.

Israeli officials have also confirmed targeted assassinations of senior Hamas military figures, including Izz al Din al Haddad and his successor shortly after.

Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz stated in a social media post that “We vowed to eliminate everyone who led the October 7 massacre, and that is what will be done: They are all condemned to death everywhere,” referring to the leadership of Hamas.

The United States brokered ceasefire plan, promoted during the administration of Donald Trump, has stalled amid mutual accusations of violations.

The broader plan envisions gradual Israeli withdrawal from occupied areas once Hamas disarms and an international security force is deployed, though no timeline has been finalized and key conditions remain unmet.

Several countries have indicated willingness to participate in such a force, but the absence of agreement has left Gaza in a prolonged state of uncertainty while military control on the ground continues to shift.