The Israeli Defence Forces have extended their operational control over approximately 70 percent of the Gaza Strip, according to military officials, in a move that signals a strategic deepening of the campaign against Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the advance on Monday, dismissing fresh calls from Washington and European capitals for a ceasefire as the civilian death toll surpasses 25,000.
The expanded footprint marks a significant escalation from the 40 percent control reported in December. The IDF has established forward operating bases in Khan Younis and central Gaza, while maintaining a siege around the northern enclave. Military analysts suggest that the pace of operations indicates a deliberate strategy to fragment Hamas's command structure before any political settlement.
Netanyahu, addressing a press conference in Jerusalem, framed the operation as existential. "We will not stop until we achieve total victory," he said. "Hamas has sworn to destroy us. We have a moral duty to dismantle its military capabilities and ensure that October 7 never happens again." The Prime Minister rejected the notion of a two-state solution, which has been championed by the Biden administration as a post-war framework.
International reaction has been swift and condemnatory. The United Nations Secretary General described the expansion as "a violation of international humanitarian law" and reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire. The European Union's foreign policy chief warned that the operation risked regional conflagration, while the UK Foreign Office issued a statement expressing "profound concern" over the humanitarian impact.
However, the diplomatic pressure appears to have little effect on Israel's calculus. Washington, despite its public rhetoric, has continued to supply precision-guided munitions and has vetoed multiple UN Security Council resolutions demanding a ceasefire. Analysts interpret this as tacit approval for the operation's military objectives, if not its scope.
The humanitarian situation inside Gaza has deteriorated sharply. The World Food Programme has warned of famine conditions in northern areas, where aid convoys have been routinely blocked by Israeli inspections and fighting. Hospitals in the south are overwhelmed, with medical supplies running low. Out of a population of 2.3 million, over 1.9 million are now internally displaced.
Netanyahu's domestic position, while embattled, has been bolstered by the war. Polls show a narrow majority of Israelis support the operation, though his approval ratings remain mired in the low 30s. The Prime Minister faces three ongoing corruption trials and has seen his coalition fray over ultra-Orthodox military conscription. But war typically unifies Israeli society, and the opposition has been reluctant to challenge him during active hostilities.
Looking ahead, the IDF's gains on the ground do not yet translate into a clear endgame. Hamas's senior leadership remains at large, and the group's tunnel network, while degraded, continues to allow for guerrilla operations. International efforts to mediate a hostage deal and ceasefire have stalled with no sign of compromise from either side.
What is clear is that the post-October 7 paradigm in Israeli security policy is one of unilateral action, irrespective of global opinion. The expansion to 70 percent control is less a military objective and more a statement of intent: Israel intends to reshape the Gaza Strip on its own terms, with or without the consent of the international community.
