Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, visiting an IDF outpost near the Gaza Strip's yellow line on Wednesday, said Israel controls the territory and is staying. Accompanied by Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Southern Command head Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor, and 99th Division commander Brig. Gen. Elad Tzuri, Netanyahu stated the goal is disarming Hamas and demilitarizing Gaza, adding that the Strip will no longer threaten Israel, according to The Zioneer.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to an IDF outpost near the yellow line in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday afternoon was first reported by The Zioneer at 15:29 Jerusalem, when he stated that Israel controls the territory and will remain, vowing to disarm Hamas and demilitarize Gaza. The Zioneer updated the account at 15:38 Jerusalem with additional details, and a subsequent refinement now at 16:20 adds that Netanyahu was accompanied by Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Southern Command head Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor, and 99th Division commander Brig. Gen. Elad Tzuri, and that he was briefed on operational missions along the yellow line, threat removal efforts, and force protection. This marks an escalation in the clarity of the prime minister's position on the ground, with the senior military leadership present underscoring the operational seriousness of the statement.
The Zioneer first reported the prime minister's Gaza declaration at 15:29 Jerusalem, establishing the initial frame of control and intent to stay. Forty minutes later, at 15:38, the same assertion was repeated with additional detail on the operational context—the briefings from top commanders—and now the identity of the attending commanders provides further texture. Earlier on Wednesday, The Zioneer also reported that Netanyahu conducted a security assessment at the Gaza Division and met with Shin Bet fighters who arrested the Hamas internal security chief (16:16 Jerusalem), situating his visit within a broader day of security activity.
The prime minister's insistence on remaining in Gaza until Hamas is fully disarmed aligns with a doctrine The Zioneer has documented in recent months. On August 9, Netanyahu explicitly rejected a 15-point peace plan, insisting the IDF would not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is completely disarmed. In late June, he outlined a similar logic for southern Lebanon, asserting Israel would maintain a buffer zone there indefinitely. The yellow line itself—a de facto IDF operational boundary inside Gaza—has been a focus of ground activity since the escalation that began in early 2025, as reported by The Zioneer.
No new claims of operational progress or specific timelines for disarming Hamas were provided during the visit. The prime minister's statements remain at the level of political-strategic assertion, with no on-the-ground confirmation of the disarmament process or the status of Hamas's remaining capabilities.
4 developments
- DevelopingNetanyahu: Israel holds 60% of Gaza Strip, expects to reach 70% soon
- StrongMinister Eli Cohen: Israel now controls nearly 70% of Gaza Strip
- StrongSatellite analysis maps four IDF penetration zones inside shrinking Hamas Gaza territory
- DevelopingMinister Eli Cohen: IDF now holds nearly 70% of Gaza Strip, will reach 100%
Source and signal
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