Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, visiting an IDF outpost along the Gaza Strip's yellow line on Wednesday, said Israel controls 60% of the territory and disclosed that the head of Hamas's internal security apparatus was captured on Tuesday. Netanyahu reiterated the goal of disarming Hamas and demilitarizing Gaza, stating the strip will no longer pose a threat to Israel, according to The Zioneer.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, visiting an IDF outpost along the Gaza Strip's yellow line on Wednesday afternoon, said Israel holds 60% of the territory and disclosed that the head of Hamas's internal security apparatus was captured the previous day. 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: "We control the territory. We are not withdrawing. We are staying on this line." The capture of the Hamas security chief was confirmed in a separate bulletin earlier Wednesday, when Netanyahu met with Shin Bet operatives involved in the operation at the Gaza Division headquarters.
The latest territorial claim continues a pattern we have tracked since June. On June 7, The Zioneer reported that Netanyahu told the cabinet that Israel controls 60% of the Strip and aims for 70%. By June 25, he stated at an IDF officer graduation ceremony that the IDF holds "nearly 70%." The front-line remarks Wednesday appear to confirm that the stated footprint has been maintained, with the Prime Minister reiterating the goal of disarming Hamas and demilitarizing Gaza.
The disclosure of the captured Hamas security chief adds a significant operational development. The arrest was first reported in a bulletin at 16:16 Wednesday, following Netanyahu's meeting with Shin Bet fighters at the Gaza Division. The capture had occurred on Tuesday, according to the Prime Minister's announcement.
The developments align with Netanyahu's broader strategic posture. In late June, he characterized Hamas's demand for an Israeli withdrawal in exchange for hostages as an "enormous defeat," and has consistently linked any withdrawal to full disarmament of the terror group.
What remains unverified: independent confirmation of the precise perimeter of the "yellow line" and the exact operational zone controlled by the IDF at this stage of the campaign.
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
- Open-source intake