Benjamin Netanyahu has outlined a new strategy for military operations in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli Prime Minister stated that he has ordered the armed forces to expand the zone of actual control, now covering 70% of the enclave's territory. This decision marks the next stage of escalation following the Hamas invasion on October 7, 2023.
"We have moved from 50 to 60 percent. My task is to move forward, step by step. First to 70. We are putting pressure on Hamas from all sides. We will deal with the remnants later," emphasized the Israeli leader, demonstrating a tough approach to ending the conflict.
Humanitarian crisis and consequences of the offensive
The expansion of the Israeli army's control zone has left approximately two million Palestinians trapped in an increasingly narrow space. Most of them are displaced persons forced to live in tents amidst the ruins of destroyed cities. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that even after the ceasefire signed in October 2025, mediated by the US, Israeli attacks did not cease, and the disarmament of Hamas has not been achieved.
According to the terms of the deal, Israeli troops were supposed to retreat to the so-called "yellow line," marking the boundaries of their control, after which a more prolonged withdrawal of forces from Gaza was planned. However, reality turned out to be different: instead of a retreat, there was a further offensive.
Trump's plan and the elimination of Hamas leaders
Washington continues to seek ways to resolve the conflict. The Peace Council under US President Donald Trump is preparing a 15-point plan for the disarmament of Hamas, which, according to the US side, is necessary for the restoration and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip after the war.
Meanwhile, Israel continues to target the leadership of Hamas. At the end of May, two key commanders were killed: Mohammed Odeh, whom Tel Aviv calls one of the "architects" of the October 7 attack, and Izz al-Din al-Haddad — the last of the top commanders involved in that attack. These actions indicate that Israel does not intend to stop at what has been achieved and will strive for the complete neutralization of the threat from Hamas.