Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said he had ordered the military to expand its control over the Gaza Strip to 70 percent, despite the fragile ceasefire that has remained in effect since October 10, according to international media reports.
Speaking at a conference in an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, Netanyahu said Israeli forces currently controlled around 60 percent of Gaza.
“We are currently squeezing Hamas. We now control 60 percent of the territory in the strip,” he said in remarks broadcast by Israel’s Channel 12 network.
Netanyahu said the military had earlier controlled around 50 percent of Gaza under the ceasefire arrangement and had now been instructed to move towards controlling 70 percent of the territory.
The ceasefire’s first phase included the release of hostages taken during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. However, negotiations over the second phase expected to include Hamas’s disarmament and a gradual Israeli troop withdrawal have remained stalled.
Violence has continued across Gaza despite the truce, with both Israel and Hamas accusing each other of violations. Gaza’s health ministry said more than 900 people had been killed since the ceasefire took effect.
Disclaimer: This report is based on international media reports and publicly available information. Independent verification of all claims could not be immediately confirmed.
