Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said he had instructed the Israeli military to expand its control over the Gaza Strip to 70 per cent as fighting and tensions in the region continue despite an existing ceasefire arrangement.

Speaking at a conference in an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, Netanyahu said Israeli forces were increasing pressure on Hamas by steadily widening their presence across Gaza. According to AFP, his remarks were broadcast in a video aired by Israel’s Channel 12 network.

“We are currently squeezing Hamas. We now control 60 per cent of the territory in the strip,” Netanyahu said.

He further stated that under the current ceasefire arrangements, Israeli forces had already established control over nearly half of Gaza. “My directive is to move to... 70 per cent,” Netanyahu said.

“We're squeezing them from all (sides). We'll deal with what's left afterwards.”

The comments come at a time when negotiations over the next phase of the ceasefire agreement remain stuck. The first phase of the truce had led to the release of the remaining hostages taken during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. In return, Palestinians held in Israeli prisons were also released.

The second phase of the agreement was expected to focus on Hamas laying down its weapons and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from certain parts of Gaza. However, there has been no major breakthrough in the talks. Both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the ceasefire terms, which has further delayed progress.

As part of the ceasefire arrangement, Israeli troops were expected to pull back behind a “yellow line” that separates areas controlled by Hamas from zones held by the Israeli military. However, Israeli operations inside Gaza have continued over the past several weeks.

Netanyahu has repeatedly hinted at expanding Israel’s military control inside the Palestinian enclave. Earlier on May 15, he had also suggested that Israeli forces were increasing their hold over Gaza.

“There were those who said: get out, get out. We did not get out. Today we control... how much? 60 percent. Tomorrow we shall see,” he had said.

Despite the ceasefire being in place, violence has continued almost every day across Gaza. Hamas and the Israeli military have continued blaming each other for breaching the truce since it came into effect on October 10.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, which operates under Hamas authority, more than 900 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since the ceasefire began. The ministry’s casualty figures are considered reliable by the United Nations, AFP reported.

Meanwhile, Israel on Wednesday announced that it had killed Mohammed Odeh, who had recently become the head of Hamas’s armed wing in Gaza. The Israeli military said Odeh was killed weeks after the elimination of his predecessor.

Since the war began following Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel, the Israeli military has carried out a large-scale campaign targeting Hamas leaders and fighters in Gaza as well as in other parts of the region. Israel has maintained that its operations are aimed at weakening Hamas’s military structure and leadership network.

The conflict has continued to draw global attention as ceasefire negotiations remain uncertain and humanitarian concerns in Gaza continue to grow. Netanyahu’s latest remarks are likely to further raise concerns over the possibility of a wider Israeli military push deeper into the Gaza Strip in the coming weeks.