Netanyahu says Israel controls 60% of Gaza, exceeding ceasefire boundaries

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged that Israel now controls around 60% of the Gaza Strip, exceeding the territory outlined under the ceasefire agreement reached last year, Israel’s Haaretz newspaper reported Friday. “Today we control 60% of the Gaza Strip,” Netanyahu reportedly said during an event marking the anniversary of the occupation of East Jerusalem. The newspaper said the figure exceeds the area envisioned under the US-mediated ceasefire agreement that entered into force in October 2025, under which Israeli-controlled territory was estimated at around 53% of the enclave. According to Palestinian officials and rights groups, Israeli forces have gradually expanded beyond the original demarcation line established under the agreement into additional areas deeper inside Gaza, referred to in recent reports […]