In late May, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel controlled about 60 percent of Gaza's territory, and that he had instructed the Israeli military to expand that hold to 70 percent .
His comments have reignited debate over Israel's long-term goals in Gaza, raising questions over whether they signal a gradual reoccupation or serve as political rhetoric aimed at managing domestic pressure, negotiations, and the evolving dynamics of the war.
The controversial statements come amid a highly fluid military and political landscape.
Despite the October 2025 ceasefire, the situation in Gaza remains volatile, with ongoing Israeli military actions, a worsening humanitarian crisis, and an ongoing deadlock over the phased truce deal .
While signalling an imminent escalation, Palestinian analysts see Netanyahu’s remarks more as part of Israel’s internal political dynamics , particularly as coalition pressures grow and debates over the war’s future linger, all amid the possibility of early elections. From the 'Yellow Line' to 70%: A changing reality According to Israel's Channel 12 , Netanyahu said that "Israel currently controls 60 per cent of the Gaza Strip, and my instruction is to move toward 70 per cent control".
He did not specify what this expansion would include, leaving room for interpretation about Israel's next steps.
The statement follows gradual shifts in Gaza’s military map. Under the ceasefire, Israeli forces initially withdrew to the so-called "Yellow Line," placing control at about 53 per cent.
That arrangement soon became fluid, with control later expanding to about 60 per cent, which Israel called the "Orange Line," amid delays in implementing later ceasefire phases and continued military operations.
Against this backdrop, Palestinian analysts question whether Israel is subtly redefining control in Gaza without a reoccupation, or instead using purported new plans as leverage with Hamas via regional mediators.
Speaking with The New Arab , analysts said that the "70 per cent control" reference is less about military feasibility and more about shaping bargaining positions in stalled talks.
"The message aims to pressure Hamas amid deadlock over governance, reconstruction, and the day after scenario," Mustafa Ibrahim, a Gaza-based political analyst, told TNA . Expanding control as a pressure tool Hamas, for its part, said that Netanyahu's statements were part of a broader strategy to undermine the ceasefire agreement and impose new realities on the ground under military cover.
In its official statements, the movement has described any expansion of Israeli control as a "serious violation" of the ceasefire signed in October 2025, warning that continued escalation could lead to the collapse of the truce and a return to full-scale confrontation.
Hamas argued that Israel's recent military actions, including targeted assassinations of field commanders and ongoing strikes on displacement areas, are linked to efforts to reshape the negotiating environment rather than isolated battlefield operations.
It highlighted restrictions on humanitarian aid and civilian movement as a strategy to deepen the crisis and influence political outcomes.
Hamas has rejected efforts to impose a new Gaza government from which it would be excluded, calling the proposals “indirect political surrender”. It has instead contacted mediators such as Egypt, Qatar, and the US to try to prevent the ceasefire’s collapse and avoid any further escalation. Netanyahu: Between coalition politics and the battlefield Mustafa Ibrahim said Netanyahu's rhetoric is linked to domestic politics, where the Gaza war is impacting his coalition’s stability amid far-right pressure and looming elections.
Netanyahu has consistently used the war as a tool for his own political survival, he argues.
"Talk of occupying Gaza resonates strongly with right-wing constituencies that demand decisive victory," he said. “At the same time, a full reoccupation would mean Israel taking responsibility for more than two million Palestinians in a devastated territory."
While the Israeli army may be capable of expanding control on the ground, the central challenge lies in governing and sustaining such control over time, particularly given Israel’s historical experience in Gaza.
Palestinian political analyst Akram Atallah agrees with this assessment, saying that the most likely scenario is continued partial or expanded military control without a formal reoccupation.
"Netanyahu is trying to balance competing pressures: demands from the political right for decisive outcomes, and operational, economic, and security constraints on the ground," he said.
Atallah added that a full reoccupation would carry high costs for Israel, not only in terms of security but also in managing civilian life amid a severe humanitarian collapse and the continued presence of organised resistance structures despite sustained military strikes.
He noted that Israeli escalation rhetoric often intensifies in parallel with indirect negotiations.
"The threat of expanding control serves as a negotiating tool to increase pressure on Hamas and shape the terms of any future agreement," he said.
Atallah pointed out that "military rhetoric is being used as part of the negotiation management strategy, where harsher alternatives are placed on the table to force concessions".
At the same time, he explained, there are factions within Israel’s political system that genuinely view the war as an opportunity to fundamentally reshape Gaza’s political and security landscape.
This is reflected in the growing influence of hard-right coalition figures who openly advocate for long-term Israeli security control or even the re-establishment of settlements , underscoring the ideological dimension shaping parts of Israel’s decision-making process.
Meanwhile, Gaza-based political analyst Hussam al-Dajani told TNA that continued US political and military support gives Israel substantial room for manoeuvre, limiting external pressure that might otherwise constrain the trajectory of the war.
He said that as Israeli control on the ground gradually expands and political rhetoric escalates, Gaza is entering a more complex and uncertain phase in which military realities and political calculations are increasingly intertwined.
"Unfortunately, Palestinian civilians are forced to bear the heaviest cost of a conflict marked by widening and unpredictable trajectories, without any near-term solution, meaning they will remain under the current conditions for a long time," he added. Sally Ibrahim is a Palestinian reporter based in the Gaza Strip Edited by Charlie Hoyle