Netanyahu says Israel plans to control 70% of Gaza
Benjamin Netanyahu (photo: Getty Images)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he has instructed Israeli forces to expand their area of control to include 70% of the Gaza Strip, according to NBC News.
“We were at 50, we moved to 60. My directive is to move to — let’s go step by step. First of all, 70. Let’s start with that. We’re pressing [Hamas] from all sides. We’ll deal with the remnants," Netanyahu said.
NBC News notes that after the Israeli offensive on Gaza, which began following Hamas’s invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023, Israeli forces have since maintained control over more than half of the enclave.
Thus, Israel’s presence in the Gaza Strip has left about 2 million Palestinians — mostly displaced persons — trapped in a small area, many of them living in tents among the ruins of destroyed cities.
In October 2025, the parties, with US mediation, reached a ceasefire that ultimately failed to stop Israeli attacks or ensure the disarmament of Hamas.
Under the agreement, Israeli forces were first to withdraw to the yellow line, which marks the boundaries of their control, after which a longer‑term pullout of Israeli forces from Gaza was expected.
What else is important to know
The Peace Council, under US President Donald Trump, is preparing a 15‑point plan for the disarmament of Hamas, which Washington considers necessary for the recovery and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip after the war.
Meanwhile, Israel is eliminating Hamas leaders in Gaza one after another. Just days ago, the media reported that Mohammed Odeh, the commander of Hamas’s military wing, was killed in an airstrike on May 26. Israel calls him one of the architects of the October 7 attack.
In addition, information emerged recently that an airstrike on Gaza eliminated the last of Hamas’s top commanders — Izz al-Din al-Haddad, who was involved in the October 7, 2023, attack.
