Israel’s prime minister has announced a major expansion of military control over the Gaza Strip, instructing the army to take command of 70% of the territory – a move that threatens to shatter an already fragile US-brokered ceasefire and has drawn sharp condemnation from Hamas.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has said he has instructed the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) to establish control over 70% of the Gaza Strip. He made the announcement during a speech at a conference in the occupied West Bank.
According to Netanyahu, Israel is gradually tightening its grip on the enclave. The military currently holds 60% of Gaza’s territory, having previously controlled 50%.
“My directive is to keep moving forward, step by step, primarily towards 70%,” he emphasised.
As reported by local media, at the end of April the IDF distributed maps to international humanitarian organisations indicating that approximately 64% of Gaza was under Israeli military control.
The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, brokered by the United States in October 2025, had stipulated a withdrawal of Israeli forces to the demarcation line, after which around 53% of the territory was to remain under Israeli control.
On Tuesday, Hamas accused Israel of altering the boundary line and violating the ceasefire terms. The movement stated that Israel’s actions were aimed at cementing military control over the Gaza Strip.
Implementation of the ceasefire deal has effectively stalled. Nikolay Mladenov, the Bulgarian diplomat overseeing the agreement’s enforcement, had previously warned that the temporary demarcation line could turn into a “fence or wall” and lead to a permanent partition of Gaza.
Since the truce was agreed, Israel has continued to carry out strikes on the Gaza Strip, accusing Hamas of rebuilding its armed forces and breaching the terms of the accord.
