Gaza Ceasefire on the Brink: Israel Orders 70% Land Grab as Talks Collapse

Netanyahu Orders a 70% Land Grab

In a dramatic move that directly contradicts the spirit and terms of the truce, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on May 28 that he had ordered the Israel Defense Forces to expand its military control over the Gaza Strip to 70 percent of the territory . He stated, "We are currently squeezing Hamas. We now control 60% of the territory in the strip, and my directives are to move toward controlling 70%" . The original October 2025 ceasefire had envisioned Israel maintaining a temporary presence on roughly 53% of the land behind a designated "yellow line" . Israel had already unilaterally expanded its hold in the months prior to Netanyahu's order .

Hamas officials immediately condemned the declaration. Spokesman Bassem Naim described it as a "dangerous escalation" and a "blatant violation of all agreements, as is their usual practice... while the killing and starvation continue" . The move has heightened fears among Gazans of further displacement, with over 2 million people already penned into a constricted coastal area .

Board of Peace Pivots to 'Plan B'

Faced with the deadlock, the Board of Peace is shifting its strategy away from a comprehensive simultaneous agreement. A new approach, often referred to as a "Plan B," is taking shape. This plan would bypass the areas still under Hamas's control and instead begin implementing the U.S. 20-point peace plan—including reconstruction and governance by a new technocratic committee—only in the parts of Gaza currently held by Israel . The remaining areas, where the vast majority of the population lives, would be left in a state of indefinite suspension . On May 21, Mladenov warned the UN Security Council that the current division risked becoming permanent, with "more than 2 million people crowded into less than half its territory" .

Renewed Diplomacy and a Looming War

In a last-ditch diplomatic effort, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey have invited a Hamas delegation for high-stakes talks in Cairo on Wednesday, June 3 . This comes after multiple failed rounds in April and May, including visits by Hamas's Gaza chief, Khalil Al-Hayya, yielded no progress . The mediators have reportedly presented new, revised proposals, but a Hamas official stated the group is only willing to consider "proposals acceptable to both Hamas and Israel" .

On the other side, Israel is actively preparing for a return to full-scale war. Following the collapse of talks in early May, Israeli officials began weighing contingency plans for a major military campaign, arguing that Hamas is exploiting the diplomatic pause to rebuild its capabilities . At least 846 Palestinians have been killed in the Strip since the October 2025 ceasefire came into force, underlining its fragility .

With negotiations deadlocked over disarmament, Israel expanding its military footprint, and both sides preparing for the worst, the Gaza ceasefire is in its most critical state since its inception eight months ago.