Netanyahu admits his army controls 70% of the Gaza Strip

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Wednesday that his army forces now effectively control about 70% of the total area of the Gaza Strip. These statements came during a speech he delivered at the 'Money Expo 2026' exhibition in Tel Aviv, where he considered this military expansion a strategic achievement aimed at tightening the noose on Palestinian resistance factions.

Netanyahu explained that the Israeli army currently occupies an area estimated at 255 square kilometers out of 365 square kilometers, which is the total area of the Strip. He explicitly indicated that reaching this percentage was contingent on invading the city of Rafah, stressing that his government ignored all international warnings that called for not entering the densely populated city with displaced people.

These figures reveal a systematic policy to expand the area of occupation within the Strip, as the control percentage jumped from 53% at the signing of the ceasefire agreement last October, to 60% in mid-May, before settling at the current percentage. This progression reflects a clear Israeli disavowal of the truce terms that stipulated partial withdrawals and the opening of crossings.

In light of this military expansion, the area available to the Palestinian population has shrunk to only 110 square kilometers, creating an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. Approximately 2.13 million people face dire living conditions, as the population density has doubled to exceed 19,000 people per square kilometer, amid an almost complete lack of basic services and shelter.

The United States and the United Nations had repeatedly warned of the repercussions of invading Rafah, which housed 1.4 million displaced people, but Israel carried out its ground offensive in May 2024. This attack led to the control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing and its complete closure, causing a wave of forced displacement that included 800,000 Palestinians within a few days.

On the ground, medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported that the death toll from the ongoing war of extermination since October 2023 has risen to 73,041 martyrs. The Ministry of Health records also registered more than 173,000 injured Palestinians, at a time when the health system is suffering from an almost complete collapse due to direct targeting and siege.

Despite the ceasefire agreement coming into effect on October 10, 2025, Israeli violations have not stopped, as sources documented the killing of 1,029 Palestinians since that date. Military operations continue to target the remaining infrastructure, with reports indicating that about 90% of civilian facilities in various areas of the Strip have been destroyed.

Palestinian circles demand the necessity of decisive international intervention to stop the Israeli aggression and ensure compliance with the terms of the concluded agreement, including withdrawal from newly occupied areas. In contrast, Netanyahu continues to boast about military results, considering that control of the land is the only guarantee to achieve war objectives, disregarding all international resolutions and demands.

If we had listened to the calls rejecting entry into Rafah, we would not have reached control of 70% of Gaza's territory today.