Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said this week that Israeli forces will remain in the buffer zones they have established in Gaza even after the end of the war, in remarks that could complicate efforts to revive a truce in the devastated enclave.

Israel violated the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, which went into effect on January 19 and lasted for two months. Israeli forces resumed their offensive on March 18, seizing new areas of land across the Strip and once again displacing hundreds of thousands of residents.

The areas now controlled by Israel include vast tracts of land along the Gaza border, as well as the so-called Netzarim Corridor separating north and south, and a new buffer zone in the south. Together, these areas constitute 30% of Gaza's territory, according to the Israeli military. Explaining what he described as "Israel's policy in Gaza," Yisrael Katz said that "unlike in the past, [the IDF] will not evacuate cleared and confiscated areas." He added, "The IDF will remain in the security zones as a buffer zone between the enemy and population centers in any temporary or permanent situation in Gaza, as is the case in Lebanon and Syria"—where Israel recently took control of large areas.

Katz's remarks, which also reiterated Israel's insistence that "the disarmament of Hamas and the disarmament of Gaza" be conditions for ending the war, widen the significant gaps between Israel and Hamas at a time when mediators are trying to revive the truce.

Hamas has repeatedly insisted on the necessity of Israeli forces withdrawing as part of any permanent cessation of hostilities and has resisted calls to disarm. It reiterated this position after Katz's announcement.

Katz's remarks mark the latest in a series of toughenings in Israel's approach since it resumed its war last month, cutting off food, fuel, medicine, and humanitarian aid to the 2.2 million people living in the Strip. Israeli officials claim their stance is the only way to force Hamas to surrender and release the 59 hostages it is holding in Gaza—less than half of whom are believed to be still alive. However, UN officials and aid organizations have warned that the renewed fighting and the comprehensive blockade have exacerbated the catastrophic humanitarian situation.

The Israeli assault on Gaza has killed more than 52,000 people, according to Palestinian officials, displaced most of the population—many times over—and reduced much of it to rubble.

According to the Financial Times, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is exploiting an idea proposed by US President Donald Trump, which he launched from the White House (in the presence of Netanyahu) on February 4th. The idea concerns the expulsion of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, the seizure of the territory, and the opening of the way for American real estate companies to transform the Strip into luxury apartments. This idea was popular with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his extremist coalition, and gave him the green light to escalate the Israeli war of extermination on Gaza.

Netanyahu described the idea, which was denounced around the world as "ethnic cleansing," as "the only viable plan to open the way to a different future" for the region.

Residents expressed fear that the idea would be implemented after Israel violated a two-month truce.

Israel has imposed a 55-day ban on food and humanitarian aid and announced a "voluntary emigration unit" to encourage residents to emigrate, while expanding what it calls safe zones where it will keep soldiers even after the war ends.

Israel's escalation of the war received support from US President Trump. His new ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, supported the idea of blocking aid to the Gaza Strip, urging the international community to increase pressure on Hamas.

Many Gazans could not have imagined the situation would devolve, having hoped that a ceasefire would lead to the end of the war and the start of reconstruction efforts. The newspaper cited statements by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who described Gaza as a "death field."