Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that he had ordered the Israeli military to take control of 70 per cent of the Gaza Strip, indicating a major escalation even though a fragile ceasefire has been in place since October.
Speaking at a conference in an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, Netanyahu said Israel was gradually expanding its control in Gaza as part of its operations against Hamas.
“We are currently squeezing Hamas. We now control 60 percent of the territory in the strip. You know, we were at 50, we moved to 60. My directive is to move to… 70 percent,” Netanyahu said, according to footage shown by Israel’s Channel 12.
His comments came just days after he admitted that Israeli forces already control around 60 per cent of Gaza, showing the extent of Israel’s military presence in the region despite the ceasefire.
Since the war began, Israeli forces have carried out major ground and air attacks across Gaza. The Israeli military says its goal is to destroy Hamas infrastructure and reduce the group’s fighting ability.
Gaza Death Toll Rises As Israel Targets Hamas Commanders
According to Gaza’s health ministry, more than 900 people have died in Israeli strikes since the ceasefire started. The ministry is run by Hamas, but the United Nations considers its casualty numbers to be reliable.
Israel has continued attacking Hamas leaders during the war. On Wednesday, the Israeli military said it had killed Mohammed Odeh, the new chief of Hamas’s armed wing in Gaza. His predecessor was also reportedly killed earlier this month.
Since Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023, the Israeli military has been targeting top Hamas leaders in Gaza and other parts of the region.
Israeli officials said Odeh is the fourth commander of the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades to be killed since the war began.
Israel’s Gaza Migration Proposal Raises Global Concern
At the same time, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel’s main goal is still to remove Hamas from power in Gaza. He also mentioned a controversial proposal to relocate people living in Gaza.
On Wednesday, Israel Katz said,“The plan for voluntary migration from Gaza will also be implemented, everything will be done at the right time and in the right way.”
The remarks are expected to increase global concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and raise more questions about the future of the ceasefire process.
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