Netanyahu Orders Army to Expand Control in Gaza Strip
Israeli PM Netanyahu orders his forces to expand control in Gaza Strip beyond initial terms of a ceasefire agreement, aiming for at least 70% control. The move has reignited tensions with Hamas amid ongoing violence.
Highlights
- •- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders army expansion into the Gaza Strip
- •- Israel's control over Gaza increases to 60%, target is up to 70%
- •- Ceasefire agreement signed in October but terms have not been fully followed
- •- Over 900 Palestinians killed since ceasefire, violence continues
Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced a significant move, ordering the military to expand its control over the Gaza Strip. In defiance of initial ceasefire terms, Netanyahu stated that Israel now controls 60 percent of the territory and aims for at least 70 percent. The declaration was made during a conference in an occupied West Bank settlement, according to video aired on Israel's Channel 12 channel.
Under the ceasefire agreement, which took effect in early October, Israeli forces were supposed to have taken back behind a demarcation line known as the 'yellow line,' marking areas under Hamas control. Netanyahu has maintained that his directive is to squeeze Hamas from all sides and address what remains later.
The truce's first phase involved trading the release of 14 Israeli hostages, seized during Hamas' October 7 attacks in Gaza, for the Palestinian detainees held by Israel. However, progress toward disarming Hamas and a gradual Israeli withdrawal has stalled amid daily violence. Over 900 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began, according to official Gazan health ministry figures.
On Wednesday, Netanyahu announced that his forces had targeted and killed Hamas' new leader of its armed wing, Mohammed Odeh. This follows the recent killing of the previous head of this group earlier in May. The Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz renewed calls for an end to Hamas' rule over Gaza and mentioned plans supporting voluntary migration from the territory.
The announcement comes amidst ongoing tensions and accusations between Israel and Hamas about ceasefire violations. Despite the stated truce, Israel's military actions continue, targeting key Hamas leaders within both Gaza and across the region since October 2023.
