Netanyahu orders expansion of Israeli control to 70% of Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed the Israeli military to expand its control of the Gaza Strip to 70 per cent of the territory, according to remarks aired by Israeli media.

 

Speaking in footage broadcast by Israeli Channel 12 on Thursday, Netanyahu said Israeli forces currently control about 60 per cent of Gaza and have been instructed to extend that figure further.

 

“At this point, we are fully in control of 60 per cent of the territory of the Gaza Strip, and my directive is to get to 70 per cent,” Netanyahu was quoted as saying.

 

The comments have heightened concerns over the future of the enclave and the fate of its more than two million residents, many of whom have already been displaced multiple times during the conflict.

 

Israeli forces had previously expanded their presence beyond the so-called “Yellow Line” established under a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement reached in October 2025.

 

Reports indicate that Israeli-controlled areas had already increased significantly beyond the boundaries outlined in the truce arrangement.

 

The latest directive has raised fears of further territorial seizures and additional displacement of Palestinian civilians, many of whom are living in overcrowded shelters, tents and damaged buildings amid worsening humanitarian conditions.

 

Humanitarian agencies have warned that shortages of clean water, inadequate sanitation facilities and ongoing military operations continue to place civilians at severe risk across the territory.

 

Despite the ceasefire agreement reached last year, reports of continued Israeli airstrikes and military operations have persisted.

 

Gaza health authorities said at least 10 people, including four children, were killed in an airstrike on Thursday, while several others sustained injuries.

 

The conflict began after the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups on southern Israel, which triggered a large-scale Israeli military campaign in Gaza.

 

International organisations and diplomatic actors have continued to call for the protection of civilians, increased humanitarian access and renewed efforts toward a lasting political resolution to the conflict.

 

The latest developments are expected to intensify international scrutiny of Israel’s military strategy in Gaza and could further complicate ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at preserving the ceasefire and addressing the humanitarian crisis.