Netanyahu says Israel controls 60% of Gaza, exceeding ceasefire agreement terms

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged that Israel now controls around 60% of the Gaza Strip, exceeding the territory outlined under the ceasefire agreement reached last year, Israel's Haaretz newspaper reported Friday. "Today we control 60% of the Gaza Strip," Netanyahu reportedly said during an event marking the anniversary of the occupation of East Jerusalem.

Ceasefire violations

The newspaper said the figure exceeds the area envisioned under the US-mediated ceasefire agreement that entered into force in October 2025, under which Israeli-controlled territory was estimated at around 53% of the enclave. According to Palestinian officials and rights groups, Israeli forces have gradually expanded beyond the original demarcation line into additional areas deeper inside Gaza, referred to in recent reports as the "orange line."

Westward expansion

In January, Haaretz published a field report documenting the westward movement of the "yellow line," the demarcation between Israeli-controlled areas and zones where Palestinians were permitted to remain. The newspaper said the expansion had continued in recent months, further reducing what it described as the already limited living space available to Palestinians in Gaza. Local sources told Anadolu that Israeli military bulldozers moved yellow-painted concrete blocks westward along Salah al-Din Street in the Netzarim corridor area on May 10.

Assessment

Lori Bouvier of Doctors Without Borders said Israeli-controlled territory had expanded from around 53% in October to approximately 57-58% currently. Including areas referred to as the "orange line," where humanitarian organizations must coordinate movements with the Israeli military, Israel effectively controls more than 60% of Gaza. Hamas official Bassem Naim previously told Anadolu that Israel had shifted the "yellow line" westward by an additional 8-9%.