Netanyahu says he told IDF to seize 70% of Gaza, well beyond terms of truce

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that he ordered the Israel Defense Forces to take control of 70 percent of the Gaza Strip – well beyond the portion of the enclave that Jerusalem was allowed to temporarily continue occupying as part of an October 2025 ceasefire deal with Hamas. “At this point, we are fully in control of 60% of the territory of the Gaza Strip… and my directive is to get to… 70%,” Netanyahu said, in Hebrew-language remarks delivered at a conference held by the Ein Prat Leadership Academy. When one audience member shouted out that Israel should take “100 percent” of the territory in Gaza, Netanyahu responded, “First 70%. We’ll start with that.”

Netanyahu acknowledged last week that Israel already holds 60 percent of the territory in the Strip, significantly more than the roughly 53% allotted to Israel in the October ceasefire deal. That truce, which secured the release of hostages held by Hamas and other terror groups in Gaza, left Hamas in de facto control of the remainder of the Strip.

The deal was envisioned as part of a larger process that would see the terror group disarmed and the enclave demilitarized, but progress toward that vision has stalled, as Hamas has refused to lay down its weapons and Israel has continued striking deep inside Gaza, while facing allegations that it is violating additional terms of the October agreement. Maps issued by Israel in March showed a new restricted area controlled by Israel. Marked with an orange line, it made up an estimated 11% of Gaza’s territory beyond the “Yellow Line” demarcating the part of Gaza occupied by Israeli troops since the truce.The areas appeared to cordon off nearly two-thirds of Gaza’s territory in total. (Ed note: So now the IDF will have to move all those big yellow border blocks.)  (Read More)