Netanyahu Announces During Visit to Gaza Strip That Israel Will Remain in 60 Percent of the Territory

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz accompanied Netanyahu into the area, according to Israeli government sources. The joint appearance was meant, according to these sources, to underscore that security control over large parts of the Gaza Strip would remain permanently in Israeli hands. The exact duration of the stay was not officially specified.

With regard to the overall political situation, Netanyahu referred to the ongoing talks with the United States. US President Donald Trump had recently presented a plan for the postwar order in the region on multiple occasions, providing for an international transitional administration and the disarmament of Hamas. Details of the coordination between Jerusalem and Washington were not made public on Tuesday.

Coordination with Washington

Netanyahu's visit took place amid tensions between military control and the humanitarian situation. International aid organizations had repeatedly pointed out in recent weeks the catastrophic supply situation for the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip. Israel had subsequently announced time-limited daily pauses in fighting to enable the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Hamas responded through its channels with sharp criticism. Netanyahu's statement would be interpreted as a reaffirmation of the occupation and a rejection of any sovereignty perspective for the Palestinians. There was initially no independent confirmation of Israel's control over 60 percent of the territory; the figure is based on statements from the Israeli army from earlier announcements.

Hamas Reactions

International reactions to the visit initially remained restrained. Neither the White House nor the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs immediately issued statements. In Europe, several foreign ministries expressed concern about the effects on the civilian population and called for increased efforts toward a ceasefire.

The Israeli opposition criticized Netanyahu's appearance as an election campaign maneuver ahead of internal party-political votes. Opposition leader Yair Lapid accused the government of trying to stage military successes through the visits without presenting a clear strategy for dealing with the Palestinians and Hamas after the war. Netanyahu rejected these accusations.

Domestic Political Criticism

Observers assess the visit as a signal to multiple addressees: to Hamas, that Israel is not prepared to relinquish control; to the United States, that Jerusalem claims a security zone of its own in the Gaza Strip; and to its own population, that the government is continuing its war course. A near-term resolution of the conflict is still not in sight, according to analysts' assessments.