Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the military to move forward with plans to seize around 70 percent of the Gaza Strip, marking a major escalation in Israel’s war on the Palestinian territory.
The order comes as Israeli attacks on Gaza continue after more than two and a half years of war and devastation following the outbreak of conflict in October 2023. Israeli forces are expected to expand ground operations across several areas of Gaza as part of a broader strategy aimed at tightening military control over the enclave.
The reported plan has sparked alarm among Palestinians and humanitarian organisations, who warn that further territorial seizures could permanently displace large numbers of civilians and deepen the humanitarian catastrophe already unfolding in Gaza. Much of the territory has been reduced to rubble by repeated Israeli bombardments, while severe shortages of food, medicine, fuel and clean water continue to affect millions of people.
Critics say the move signals an attempt to impose long-term control over large parts of Gaza and further weaken prospects for a future Palestinian state. Displaced families across the enclave continue to face repeated evacuation orders and worsening living conditions as the fighting intensifies.
