Israeli plan to control 70% of Gaza and impose 'voluntary displacement'

International press reports have revealed an escalation of Israeli plans aimed at completely redrawing the geographical and demographic map of the Gaza Strip. Sources indicated that Benjamin Netanyahu's government is exploiting impunity to cross red lines week after week, amidst official promises to acquire vast areas of the Strip.

In public statements that sparked widespread controversy, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed during a speech in the 'Kfar Adumim' settlement in the occupied West Bank that his army currently controls about 60% of Gaza's area. He indicated that the next goal is to reach 70%, disregarding the ceasefire understandings signed in October 2025.

Netanyahu boasted before an audience of settlers that his forces had tightened their grip on vital joints in the Strip, considering the increase in control area from 50% to 60% as just the beginning. He responded to calls from the audience for full control by saying: 'We will start with 70%', a clear indication of his intention to undermine any possibility of establishing a contiguous Palestinian entity.

In parallel with the field expansion, Defense Minister Israel Katz announced the start of implementing what he described as the 'voluntary migration' plan for the Strip's residents. This step comes after the occupation announced the assassination of military leaders in Hamas, which paved the way for launching projects essentially aimed at ethnic cleansing and emptying the land of its indigenous inhabitants.

Data indicates that the Israeli security cabinet had secretly approved last March the establishment of a specialized administration to organize the exit of Palestinians. This administration works to facilitate the departure of residents through crossings without granting them any guarantees or rights of return in the future, which observers see as forced displacement disguised as administrative procedures.

On the ground, the term 'Yellow Line' emerges as a new tool for racial segregation within the Strip, separating areas under Israeli military control from densely populated areas. This tactic aims to reduce the vital space available to Palestinians to its lowest levels, making survival in Gaza almost impossible due to the lack of basic necessities of life.

On the internal political front, Netanyahu seeks through this escalation to strengthen his electoral position before a possible early election next August. The Prime Minister faces pressure from his allies in the far-right, such as Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, who have been directing general policy towards more settlement and annexation.

In contrast, a new political alliance has emerged, bringing together Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid under the name 'Biyachad' (Together) with the aim of overthrowing Netanyahu. Despite the ideological contradiction between the two poles of the alliance, they agree on the necessity of changing the current leadership, without offering real guarantees for changing aggressive policies towards Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

Reports from the field confirm that more than two million Palestinians are currently living amidst the rubble in the remaining area, which does not exceed 40% of the Strip. Living conditions there are described as catastrophic, with families lacking the most basic services, while Israeli raids continue to claim civilian lives despite truce agreements.

According to medical sources, more than 850 martyrs have fallen since the ceasefire came into effect, most of them women and children. These figures reveal the falsehood of Israeli claims of adherence to the truce, as military operations continue under the guise of 'expanding the security zone' and strengthening control over strategic axes within Gaza.

On the northern front, the Israeli escalation did not stop at Gaza's borders but extended to southern Lebanon in a clear violation of international agreements. Sources reported that the Israeli army crossed the Litani River at the end of May, in a move aimed at imposing a new geographical reality seeking to make the river a permanent security border for the occupation.

Amidst this complex scene, it appears that international initiatives, including the 'Peace Council' proposal associated with Donald Trump, have not gone beyond empty promises. The council, announced in Davos for the reconstruction of Gaza, has not signed any actual contracts yet, and the promised funds have not reached their beneficiaries, exacerbating the suffering of the displaced.

Analysts believe that the absence of real pressure from the US administration and the inability of the European Union to impose tangible sanctions have encouraged Tel Aviv to proceed. The laxity in official Arab positions has also contributed to giving the occupation government the green light to reshape the region according to its own colonial vision.

What is happening today in Gaza is a process of demographic and geographical engineering taking place in full view and hearing of the entire world without deterrence. While the international community is preoccupied with diplomatic rhetoric, Israeli bulldozers and military vehicles continue to gnaw at Palestinian lands, turning the Strip into a large prison with an area shrinking day by day.

My directive is to reach 70% of Gaza's territory; we are holding Hamas by the throat now.