Netanyahu orders IDF to expand control of Gaza to 70%, intensifying ceasefire violations

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly ordered the military to extend its control over the Gaza Strip to 70% of the territory. This directive, issued on Thursday, May 28, 2026, comes as Israel already controls an estimated 60-64% of the enclave. The move significantly surpasses the 53% control outlined in a US-brokered ceasefire agreement from October 2025, which mandated Israeli forces to withdraw to a designated "Yellow Line."

This expansion of Israeli military presence is seen by critics as a direct violation of existing ceasefire terms and an attempt to establish new realities on the ground. Reports indicate that Israel has already unilaterally shifted the "Yellow Line" deeper into what was previously Hamas-controlled areas.

The decision raises significant international concern and amplifies fears of further displacement and a worsening humanitarian crisis for the approximately two million Palestinians concentrated in the already diminished coastal strip.