Israel Expands Gaza Control to 70% Despite US Ceasefire

The military of Israel has expanded its territorial control in Gaza to nearly 70%, continuing a steady increase from 65% reported earlier this month. This expansion occurs nine months after a ceasefire brokered by the United States. Central to the strategy is the creation of a militarized orange zone running north to south, which includes the Al-Shuja'iyya neighborhood of Gaza City and Beit Lahia in the north.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, described the push as a step-by-step plan to surround Hamas from all directions. The United Nations reports that approximately 200 Palestinians have been killed near these shifting lines of control since the ceasefire began. Gaza's health ministry reports more than 1,000 total deaths in the territory during the same period.

Humanitarian operations in northern Gaza have been suspended due to restrictive entry requirements and safety concerns. Residents in the orange zone report frequent tank shelling, gunfire after sunset, and a lack of basic services such as drinking water and medical clinics. These military developments coincide with the stalling of a peace plan proposed by Donald Trump, which called for the disarmament of Hamas and an Israeli withdrawal.