Netanyahu admits to occupying 70% of Gaza despite ongoing ceasefire agreement

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a speech at the 'Money Expo 2026' exhibition in Tel Aviv, admitted that his forces currently control approximately 70% of the total area of the Gaza Strip. This official admission confirms the continued expansionist operations of the occupation within the Strip, disregarding the understandings related to the ongoing ceasefire agreement.

Netanyahu explained that reaching this percentage of field control was a direct result of the decision to invade the city of Rafah, noting that his government rejected all international pressure that called for not entering the city. He considered that this expansion primarily aims to tighten the siege and stifle the military and political capabilities of the Hamas movement in the remaining areas.

These figures mean that the Israeli army now effectively occupies an area estimated at 255 square kilometers out of the total area of the Strip, which is 365 square kilometers. This military expansion has led to the crowding of approximately 2.13 million Palestinians into a very narrow area not exceeding 110 square kilometers, creating a catastrophic and unprecedented humanitarian situation.

Field data indicates that the population density in areas not yet directly affected by the occupation has exceeded 19,000 people per square kilometer. This suffocating density coincides with massive destruction of infrastructure and a severe shortage of shelters and basic services, exacerbating the suffering of displaced persons who lost their homes during the ongoing military operations.

The United States and the United Nations had previously warned against the consequences of invading Rafah, which housed about 1.4 million displaced people, fearing human massacres and disruption of aid flow. However, Israel carried out the invasion on May 7, 2024, and took control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing and completely closed it, causing a wave of forced displacement of 800,000 people.

Returning to the political agreements, the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, which began in October 2025, included clear provisions such as prisoner exchange and a partial withdrawal of the Israeli army. However, the facts on the ground prove the occupation's evasion of these commitments, as forces continued to seize more land and expand their military presence.

Netanyahu's figures reveal a continuous escalation in the pace of occupation, as the control rate was 53% when the agreement was signed, then rose to 60% in mid-May. Today, with the rate reaching 70%, Palestinian and international demands for deterrent mechanisms to compel Israel to stop expansion operations and withdraw to the agreed lines are increasing.

Amid this escalation, informed sources reported that the continued Israeli control over large areas of the Strip hinders any real opportunities for reconstruction or the return of displaced persons to their areas. The field situation remains prone to further tension given the Israeli government's insistence on establishing a new occupation reality that permanently changes the geography of the Gaza Strip.

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