Ask Onix
Netanyahu directs military to increase Gaza control
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Thursday that he instructed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to raise its control of the Gaza Strip to 70%, up from the current 60%. Speaking at a conference, Netanyahu stated the military is "squeezing Hamas from all sides" and will address remaining areas after reaching the new target.
Ceasefire terms violated by expansion
The directive contradicts the October 2025 ceasefire agreement brokered under former U.S. President Donald Trump, which limited Israeli control to 53% of Gaza. Netanyahu confirmed the IDF now holds 60% of the territory, exceeding the agreed "yellow line" demarcation. The next phase of the 20-point peace plan called for Hamas disarmament and Israeli troop withdrawal, but indirect negotiations remain stalled.
Civilian casualties mount amid strikes
At least 738 Palestinians have died since the ceasefire took effect, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, whose data the UN considers credible. Recent strikes include:
- An attack in Gaza City Wednesday killed 10 people, including five children. The IDF claimed it targeted two senior Hamas operatives, later identified as battalion commander Imad Asleem and his daughter.
- A Tuesday strike in Khan Younis eliminated Ihab Khrizim, head of a Hamas funds transfer network, and Mohammed al-Habash, a weapons manufacturing commander.
- Hamas military wing leader Mohammed Odeh and his family were killed in a separate strike Monday.
Political tensions escalate
Defense Minister Israel Katz reaffirmed Wednesday that Israel remains committed to eliminating leaders of the 2023 October 7 attack, which killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. Katz also referenced a "voluntary emigration plan" for Gaza civilians, echoing far-right ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, who have advocated for Palestinian displacement-a potential war crime under international law.
Humanitarian crisis deepens
Israel's military campaign has devastated Gaza, displacing most of its 2.1 million residents. As of May 12, 2026, the Hamas-run health ministry reports 72,742 Palestinians killed, including 21,283 children, with 172,565 injured. The UN continues to regard these figures as reliable.
