Netanyahu Orders Major Gaza Expansion as Israel Pushes Toward Controlling 70% of Territory

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli forces are moving toward controlling 70% of Gaza as military operations intensify. Hamas accuses Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement and changing territorial boundaries in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Thursday that he has instructed the country’s military to significantly widen its control across Gaza, setting a new target of occupying 70% of the territory.

Speaking at a conference in the occupied West Bank, Netanyahu said Israeli forces have already expanded their presence deep inside the Gaza Strip and are continuing operations against Hamas.

“We are currently in control of 60% of Gaza’s territory,” Netanyahu said during the event. “We were at 50%, then advanced to 60%. My instruction is to proceed gradually and reach 70% first.”

His remarks drew loud reactions from audience members, some of whom shouted support for taking over the entire Gaza Strip.

The statement marks one of the clearest indications yet that Israel may continue enlarging the area under military control despite ongoing concerns over the humanitarian crisis and ceasefire arrangements.

Maps shared by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) with international aid agencies in late April had already shown Israeli troops controlling around 64% of Gaza.

Any further territorial expansion is expected to place additional pressure on Gaza’s civilian population. Nearly two million Palestinians could be confined to an even smaller portion of the enclave, much of which has already been heavily damaged during the conflict.

Under the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas in October 2025, Israeli troops had withdrawn to a boundary known as the “yellow line,” an area covering approximately 53% of Gaza.

However, Hamas accused Israel earlier this week of changing that boundary and breaching the terms of the ceasefire.

In a statement released Tuesday, Hamas said Israel’s actions represent “an explicit and ongoing undermining of the ceasefire agreement” and described the move as “a serious violation” aimed at creating “new facts on the ground by force.”

The Palestinian group also alleged that Israel is attempting to cement long-term military control over Gaza while weakening efforts aimed at restoring calm and preventing further escalation.

The latest developments come as international attention remains focused on the worsening humanitarian conditions inside Gaza and the uncertain future of the ceasefire deal.