Israel Announces Plan to Control 70 Percent of Gaza Strip

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Thursday that Israeli forces will expand control in Gaza to 70 percent of the territory. He stated that forces currently hold 60 percent, up from 50 percent, and said operations would continue step by step.

The announcement follows an October 2025 ceasefire agreement under a U.S. peace plan that required Israeli forces to withdraw behind a designated line while retaining control of 58 percent of the territory. Withdrawal to a final line was scheduled for a later date that has not occurred.

The same data indicated an 11 percent increase in territory held since October 2025. Near-daily strikes during the ceasefire period have killed at least 922 people, according to the report.

Aid organizations including Oxfam have stated that restrictions on deliveries of food and essential goods have worsened living conditions for Gaza residents. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has expressed concern about the ability of the remaining population to survive in a shrinking area.

Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that a plan for voluntary emigration from Gaza will be implemented at the appropriate time. Several government ministers have used the same term when discussing population movement.

Becker, a professor of international human rights law at Trinity College in Dublin, told Al Jazeera that permanent control over the entire Gaza Strip would constitute unlawful annexation under international law. He referenced a 2024 International Court of Justice advisory opinion stating that acquisition of territory by force violates a core prohibition.

Becker added that international attention has shifted toward the U.S. and Israel conflict with Iran and developments in Lebanon, leaving questions about enforcement of the Gaza ceasefire unresolved.