Full Breakdown
Israeli Control of Gaza Exceeds 60% as Trump-Backed Recovery Plan Stalls
7/17/2026, 11:29:57 AM
Core Development: Expanded Israeli Presence in Gaza
Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth announced that “more than 60% of the Strip is in our hands,” during a change-of-command ceremony for the 99th Division in northern Gaza. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) now maintain a security zone for border communities, held by two divisions and “the IDF’s finest soldiers.” Bluth added that “the threat of an invasion, as occurred nearly three years ago, is no longer possible,” while warning that Hamas retains “residual capabilities” and its goal of destroying Israel remains unchanged.
Background & Context
The October 2023 Hamas attack triggered a two-year war that ended with an October 2023 ceasefire. Under the truce, Israel was to hold roughly 53% of Gaza along the “Yellow Line.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later ordered an expansion, stating, “My directive is to move to 70% control of the Gaza Strip.” Israeli officials have since briefed the Security Cabinet that the IDF controls between 67% and 70% of the enclave.
Data & Statistics
- Territorial control: 60% (Bluth) to 70% (Netanyahu’s directive and Security Cabinet briefings).
- Casualties since ceasefire: Gaza Health Ministry reports at least 1,123 deaths; other sources cite “more than 1,100” Palestinians killed.
- International Stabilization Force (ISF) contributors: Morocco (signed participation agreement), Kosovo, Albania, Kazakhstan, and potential troops from Morocco, Kosovo, and others.
- Funding: Of the $17 billion pledged for the original Trump peace plan, only a fraction has materialized; the EU’s Palestine Donor Group raised €883 million for water, sanitation, and waste-management projects.
Official Statements & Responses
- Netanyahu (May 2025): “We’re at 60% right now. Let’s do this step by step, first 70%.”
- Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita: Morocco’s participation “reflects the shared determination to contribute… to the establishment of a climate of peace and security in the region.”
- Board of Peace (BoP) envoy Nickolay Mladenov: Emphasized the need for an “international security force” and a “technocratic Palestinian committee” to assume governance from Hamas.
- Israeli military spokesperson: Police stations are legitimate targets “if they’re being used to advance military activities.”
Criticism & Opposition
- Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert labeled the pilot camp a “concentration camp.”
- Varsen Aghabekian, Palestinian Authority foreign minister, warned, “These are not Israeli funds to withhold or bargain with… These funds must be released immediately and unconditionally.”
- An unnamed diplomat cautioned that without progress, “others with a more extreme agenda… are talking about wholesale population transfer and colonisation.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “We are standing here [near] the northern Gaza Strip, looking at everything we have achieved — and we have achieved a great deal. More than 60% of the Strip is in our hands,” — Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, Central Command chief
- “The threat of a terror infiltration like on October 7 is no longer possible,” — Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth
- “The aim is just to keep something going, keep the ball in play, because if you stop there are others with a more extreme agenda just waiting to jump in and take over, and they are talking about wholesale population transfer and colonisation,” — Diplomat (Jerusalem)
- “I think you’re looking at late 2026. If we got this done, in place, by December, I’d be very happy,” — Official familiar with BoP planning
- “These are not Israeli funds to withhold or bargain with,” — Varsen Aghabekian, PA foreign minister
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Territorial control: Bluth cites “more than 60%,” while Jerusalem Post sources claim “between 67% and 70%,” and earlier truce terms set the figure at 53%.
- Casualty counts: Gaza Health Ministry’s 1,123 deaths differ slightly from other reports of “more than 1,100.”
- Pilot camp timeline: No construction has begun; satellite imagery shows only disturbed earth, and the BoP admits no major progress is expected before Israel’s October 2026 elections.
What’s Next
- Morocco’s participation in the ISF is now formalized, but deployment awaits signed Status of Forces Agreements.
- BoP officials anticipate the pilot camp near Rafah could be operational “by December 2026” if political conditions allow.
- Ongoing truce talks in Cairo, mediated by Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar, continue to address Hamas disarmament and Israeli withdrawal, though progress remains limited.
