Netanyahu Orders Expansion of Israeli Control Over Gaza Amid Continued Military Escalation

May 29, 2026

Mintesinot Nigussie

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed the country’s military to expand its control over the Gaza Strip to about 70 percent, marking a further escalation in the war that has already reshaped territorial control across the enclave.

The directive was delivered during a public appearance at a conference in a settlement in the occupied West Bank, where Netanyahu said the military would proceed “step by step” toward widening its operational control.

Israel already holds control over an estimated 64 percent of Gaza. Under an earlier US-brokered truce, Israeli forces were expected to withdraw to a so-called “Yellow Line,” which would place roughly 53 percent of Gaza under Israeli control.

In remarks outlining his directive, Netanyahu said that Israeli forces had previously been at 50 percent control and had moved to 60 percent, adding that his instruction was to proceed step by step toward 70 percent.

Israeli officials have described the territory seized in Gaza as buffer zones intended to prevent future attacks following the Hamas-led assault on October 7, 2023.

Military operations have intensified alongside the territorial expansion plans, with Israel saying recent strikes have targeted senior Hamas leaders.