Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that he has instructed the Israeli army to extend its control over the Gaza Strip to 70% of the territory. The Israeli Prime Minister asserts that Israel already controls approximately 60% of the Palestinian enclave, while the ceasefire is faltering and tensions with Hamas persist.
“We have Hamas by the throat”
In a video broadcast by Israeli television, Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the Israeli army had made progress since the ceasefire came into effect. He explained that Israeli forces had increased their territorial control from approximately 50% to 60%, before announcing his objective: to reach 70%. This statement marks a new stage in Israeli military strategy in Gaza.
An extension that goes beyond the ceasefire limits
The control announced by Israel goes beyond the lines stipulated in last year's ceasefire agreement. Maps provided to humanitarian organizations already showed an expanded Israeli-controlled zone, covering nearly two-thirds of the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army presents these maps as coordination tools, but their evolution reinforces concerns about a lasting division of the territory.
An increasingly compressed population
This military advance has direct consequences for Palestinian civilians. More than two million people are now concentrated in a small part of Gaza, with limited access to aid, healthcare, and basic infrastructure. The humanitarian situation remains critical, as military operations, movement restrictions, and destruction continue to take their toll on the population.
A ceasefire under pressure
The ceasefire theoretically remains in effect, but it is increasingly contested on the ground. Israel accuses Hamas of not having relinquished its military and political control over Gaza. For its part, Hamas accuses Israel of continuing its occupation and obstructing the full implementation of the agreed-upon commitments. This impasse fuels the risk of a wider resumption of fighting.
