Netanyahu's Strategy in Gaza: Expanding Occupation and Violating Truce to Escape 2026 Deadlines

The field situation in the Gaza Strip has witnessed a remarkable Israeli escalation in recent days, as occupation forces have intensified their military operations, resulting in an increasing number of martyrs and widespread destruction of infrastructure. These developments coincide with the announcement by the head of the occupation government, Benjamin Netanyahu, to expand the so-called 'Yellow Zone' to include 60% of the Strip's area instead of 52%, with directives issued to reach 70%.

Field data indicates that Netanyahu's current strategy is based on military subjugation of the Strip despite the existence of a declared truce agreement since October 10, 2025. The occupation government treats this situation as an acquired right, exploiting the political and military cover provided by the United States, which has led to the commitment to a ceasefire becoming one-sided, only on the Palestinian side.

Field reports have documented the occupation army committing more than 2,200 violations of the truce agreement since its announcement. These violations have led to the martyrdom of 945 people and the injury of nearly three thousand citizens with varying degrees of wounds. These figures reveal the extent of Israeli disregard for international guarantees and concluded agreements, amidst a complete international silence regarding these continuous violations.

Through this escalation, the occupation authorities seek to create new geographical and demographic realities on the ground, by attempting to seize more of the Strip's land and annex it to the occupied territories. Netanyahu's government does not rule out the possibility of completing the full occupation of the Strip in a blatant violation of all understandings, which places the region before open scenarios of confrontation.

In addition to military pressure, the occupation practices a policy of political and economic blackmail against the residents of Gaza, with the aim of subjugating the popular base and forcing the resistance to surrender its weapons. This policy includes the continuation of the suffocating blockade and preventing the entry of more than half of the agreed-upon quantities of humanitarian aid and basic necessities for the besieged population.

In a related context, the occupation government obstructs the entry of the technocrat committee that was supposed to manage civil affairs in the Strip, and also prevents the start of any real reconstruction operations. These measures aim to keep Gaza in a state of administrative and service paralysis, exacerbating humanitarian suffering and increasing the complexity of the living situation.

Israeli strategy also relies on keeping the Gaza Strip in a state of permanent tension and continuous attrition, to facilitate the transition to an all-out war at any moment Netanyahu deems appropriate. This approach aims to exhaust the vital forces in Palestinian society and prevent the stabilization of security or living conditions, making the Strip an environment that repels its residents.

Informed sources indicate that the occupation seeks to create a very harsh living environment to push residents towards options of forced or voluntary displacement under the weight of hunger and destruction. The occupation also works to support local groups and provide them with logistical support to try to strike the Palestinian social fabric and create internal conflicts that weaken the resistance front.

Observers believe that Netanyahu, through these brutal practices, is trying to achieve a 'military achievement' to present to the Israeli voter as the Knesset elections approach in October 2026. Current opinion polls show a significant decline in the popularity of the ruling coalition, which pushes Netanyahu to escape towards military escalation to save his political future.

Despite the machine of killing and destruction, Netanyahu faces a 'complex' represented by the failure to achieve major strategic goals, foremost among them disarming the resistance or breaking its will. This field failure in Gaza is accompanied by similar failures on the Lebanese front and in confronting the escalating Iranian influence in the region, which increases pressure on the extremist government.

Political circles in Tel Aviv fear that Washington will reach an agreement with Tehran before Netanyahu's government can impose its military reality, and therefore the latter resorts to escalating the situation to keep the conflict open. This behavior reflects a desire to escape an internal 'reckoning' that will inevitably show the failure of military operations to achieve the promised security for settlers.

On the international level, the massacres and the starvation policy have caused an unprecedented isolation of the Israeli entity, as it has become, in the eyes of many countries and human rights organizations, a pariah entity. Israel currently faces a more hostile regional environment and sustained security concerns, despite all attempts at military decisive action that have only deepened the crises.

Netanyahu is expected to continue his escalatory approach at least until the next elections, betting on the time factor to achieve some breakthrough in the wall of resistance. However, elements of reverse pressure have begun to appear clearly, especially with the gradual decline in absolute American cover and the escalation of popular and political pressures in Western capitals.

In conclusion, these Israeli strategies suffer from a clear state of exhaustion within the army ranks, in addition to the disruption of regional normalization paths that Tel Aviv was counting on. This means that these policies may be subject to adjustment or collapse in the face of the steadfastness of the resistance and the field and political developments that may impose themselves in the next stage.

Netanyahu's complex lies not in his ability to kill and destroy, but in his inability to subjugate the resistance and disarm it.