Arabic version: نتنياهو يأمر الجيش الإسرائيلي بتوسيع السيطرة على غزة إلى 70%

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed the Israeli army to expand its control of the Gaza Strip to 70 percent, according to remarks aired by Israeli media. Netanyahu stated, “At this point, we are fully in control of 60 percent of the territory of the Gaza Strip… and my directive is to get to… 70 percent,” during a recent news conference.

According to Al Jazeera, the Israeli army had in mid-March quietly sent maps to aid organisations showing it had already expanded its control to about 11 percent beyond the so-called “Yellow Line” demarcating areas of the enclave occupied by Israeli troops, increasing its control to 64 percent of the territory. This directive comes as the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, with many Palestinians unable to access two-thirds of the enclave due to the ongoing occupation.

Despite a nominal truce reached last year, Israeli airstrikes persist, with reports indicating that at least 2,400 violations occurred from October to April. Recently, an air raid resulted in the deaths of at least 10 individuals, including four children. The United Nations has highlighted the critical humanitarian situation in Gaza, where displaced families live in overcrowded conditions with limited access to clean water.

The ongoing conflict, which escalated following the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups, has resulted in the deaths of over 72,775 Palestinians. The international community remains concerned about the potential for the current status quo to become permanent, with calls for urgent action to address the humanitarian crisis and uphold ceasefire agreements.