In a move that threatens to engulf the Middle East in further bloodshed, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the Israel Defence Forces to seize control of 70 per cent of the Gaza Strip. Sources close to the Prime Minister’s office confirm the directive was issued late last night, with troops expected to begin the advance within hours. The order comes as international pressure mounts on Israel to halt its military campaign, with the United Kingdom leading calls for an immediate ceasefire.
Documents uncovered by this bureau reveal that the operation, codenamed ‘Iron Wall’, aims to establish a permanent Israeli security zone stretching from the northern border to the outskirts of Khan Younis. The plan involves expelling hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians from areas designated as ‘buffer zones’. Humanitarian organisations warn of a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, with over 70 per cent of Gaza’s population already displaced.
A senior UK Foreign Office official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Foreign Secretary David Lammy has convened an emergency session of the UN Security Council. “The UK is urging all parties to de-escalate immediately. This unilateral expansion of hostilities is unacceptable and will have severe consequences,” the official said.
But in Tel Aviv, the mood is defiant. “We will not allow Hamas to rebuild its terror infrastructure,” a senior IDF commander told this reporter. “If that means taking control of the land, so be it.” The commander’s words reflect a growing impatience within the Israeli security establishment with the civilian casualties that have drawn global condemnation. Over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
The Netanyahu government’s decision appears to be a direct challenge to Washington, which has repeatedly warned against a full-scale reoccupation of Gaza. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan was reported to have spent three hours on the phone with his Israeli counterpart last night, but the call ended without agreement. “The Americans talk. We act,” an Israeli political insider said.
Observers note that the timing of the offensive is peculiar. Netanyahu’s coalition government is teetering, with far-right ministers threatening to pull out if he shows any sign of weakness. “He needs a war to survive,” said Professor Yossi Shain, a political analyst at Tel Aviv University. “Seizing 70 per cent of Gaza gives him a victory he can sell to his base.”
But the cost is already being counted. In the past 48 hours, Israeli airstrikes have levelled the Al-Shifa hospital complex in Gaza City, killing over 200 patients and medical staff. The IDF claims the building was used as a command centre by Hamas, a charge the militant group denies. Separately, a missile strike on a UN-run school in Jabalia killed at least 50 people sheltering there.
The international community is scrambling to respond. The Arab League has called for an emergency summit. Egypt has closed the Rafah crossing, trapping thousands of aid trucks on the border. Qatar, which has mediated previous ceasefires, said negotiations have broken down.
For the people of Gaza, there is nowhere left to run. “We are being squeezed into a smaller and smaller cage,” said Dr. Ahmed al-Najar, a physician working in a makeshift clinic in Rafah. “If they take 70 per cent, there is no Gaza left. Just rubble.”
This is a developing story. More to follow.
