Jerusalem, Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that he had directed Israel’s military to take more of Gaza, initially by seizing 70% of the Palestinian territory.
Military control in Gaza
Israel effectively controls an estimated 64% of the coastal enclave, which has been devastated by Israel’s two-year military assault following the 2023 Hamas attack on southern Israel.
Under an October U.S.-brokered truce that has not stopped Israeli attacks or secured Hamas’ disarmament, Israeli troops were meant to withdraw to a “Yellow Line” marking their extent of control. On military maps, that line placed Israel in control of about 53% of Gaza, with Hamas controlling the rest.
Reuters has reported that Israel has unilaterally moved concrete blocks marking the Yellow Line deeper into Hamas-controlled territory. Military maps issued in March showed a larger restricted area that analysts say covers about 64% of Gaza in total.
Netanyahu has repeatedly said in public remarks that the military controls more than 60% of Gaza. Speaking at a conference in a settlement in the occupied West Bank, he said more of Gaza would be taken.
“We were at fifty, we moved to sixty. My directive is to move to – let’s go step by step,” Netanyahu said on Thursday.
“First of all, seventy. Let’s start with that. We’re pressing them (Hamas) from all sides. We’ll deal with the remnants.”
Israeli strikes and Palestinian concerns
Netanyahu has described the territory Israel has seized in Gaza, Syria and Lebanon as “buffer zones” intended to prevent potential militant attacks after the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led assault that triggered the Gaza war.
Palestinians view Israel’s expanding Gaza buffer zone as part of a strategy to permanently displace them, pointing to remarks from senior ministers, including defense chief Israel Katz, who has said they want to encourage “voluntary migration” from Gaza.
