Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced at a conference on Thursday that he has directed the Israel Defense Forces to expand their operational control over the Gaza Strip from approximately 60 percent to 70 percent of the territory. Speaking at a public event, Netanyahu described a sequential strategy, stating that Israeli forces had already moved from 50 percent control to 60 percent and that his next directive was to reach 70 percent, with an audience member calling out for 100 percent — a figure Netanyahu did not explicitly endorse, urging the crowd to "go step by step."

The Signs Of The Times reported that Netanyahu's order to occupy 70 percent of Gaza goes "far beyond the terms of the ceasefire deal" that had been brokered in earlier months, framing the directive as a significant escalation of Israel's military posture inside the Strip. The announcement comes as Israeli military operations have continued during what was formally described as a ceasefire phase, raising fundamental questions about the status and enforceability of that agreement.

Hamas responded swiftly and forcefully. Middle East Eye reported that Hamas said the Gaza seizure proposal constitutes a direct violation of the ceasefire agreement, while the Jowhar Somali News Leader quoted Hamas describing the ongoing offensive as a "blatant" breach of the deal. Anadolu Ajansı reported that Hamas has urged international bodies to condemn Israeli plans to expand territorial control, appealing specifically to what it described as a Board of Peace to take action.

The EconoTimes characterized the Netanyahu announcement as sparking both Hamas condemnation and broader international concern, noting that the expansion plan has unsettled governments and multilateral institutions that had invested diplomatic capital in securing the ceasefire. The Gulf Daily News Online similarly reported that the Israeli push to take more of Gaza has raised alarm internationally, with Hamas warning against further escalation that could collapse remaining diplomatic frameworks.

Germany was among the Western nations to register official discomfort. Arab News reported that Germany expressed alarm at Israel's plans for more Gaza territory, reflecting unease within the broader European community about the trajectory of the military campaign and its implications for any future political settlement in the Strip. Germany has historically maintained close relations with Israel while also supporting a two-state framework.

Pakistan Today reported that the expansion plan has sparked alarm across multiple governments, though specific diplomatic responses beyond Germany's were not immediately detailed. The Workers Revolutionary Party, in its coverage, characterized Netanyahu as "ramping up" the Gaza occupation in unambiguous escalatory terms, reflecting left-leaning and labor-movement perspectives that view the campaign through a lens of colonial occupation and international law.

The Indian Express framed its coverage around the broader destructive impact of Israeli military operations, describing Israel as proceeding with a "wrecking ball in Gaza" even as ceasefire negotiations nominally remained ongoing. This framing underscored the humanitarian dimension of continued military activity inside densely populated areas of the Strip.

On the humanitarian front, UN News and Mirage News both reported findings from UN human rights investigators indicating that 26 people were killed in Gaza over the Eid holiday period. The UN report adds to an accumulating body of documented casualties during a period when a ceasefire was ostensibly in effect, and human rights investigators have continued to document deaths and infrastructure damage throughout the conflict's latest phase.

What remains unconfirmed or contested includes the precise operational definition of "territorial control" as used by Netanyahu — whether it refers to active ground presence, aerial dominance, administrative authority, or some combination — and whether the 70 percent figure represents a formal military order or a public political statement intended for a domestic audience. The legal status of the ceasefire agreement, including whether Israel considers it still binding, has not been formally clarified by Israeli government spokespeople in response to Hamas's violation claims.

The announcements leave the situation in a state of significant uncertainty. International mediators, including Qatar and Egypt, have not publicly commented on the Netanyahu directive as of available reporting. The gap between the ceasefire's stated terms and the ongoing military activity on the ground continues to be a central point of dispute between Israeli officials, Hamas, and international observers monitoring the conflict.