Egypt warns Israel that dangerous Gaza escalations threaten ceasefire

Egypt is urgently intervening to salvage a fragile Gaza ceasefire agreement threatened by renewed Israeli attacks and statements regarding Palestinian displacement. An Egyptian intelligence official stated that Cairo warned Israel against expanding its occupation in Gaza, which would undermine peace efforts. Egypt has also invited a senior Hamas delegation for urgent talks to prevent an all-out war. These diplomatic moves follow a wave of deadly Israeli airstrikes, which have killed at least 141 Palestinians in the past two weeks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to expand its control in Gaza, and Defense Minister Israel Katz revived a plan for the "voluntary migration" of Palestinians, drawing regional outrage. Egypt has rejected any measures aimed at pushing Gaza's residents towards emigration or towards the Rafah crossing.

Despite an apparent ceasefire, Israel's long-term plans for Gaza remain unclear, with leaders hinting at annexation. Following the 2025 Trump peace plan, which stipulated Israeli withdrawal to the "Yellow Line" and control of 58 percent of Gaza, Israeli forces have not withdrawn. Instead, since October 2025, Israel has expanded its territory by approximately 11 percent, established military outposts and infrastructure, and restricted humanitarian aid. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently announced plans to seize an additional 10 percent of Gaza, stating the goal is to control 70 percent of the territory.

The German government has expressed concern over Israeli plans to increase its military control in Gaza. A Foreign Office spokesperson stated that Berlin opposes any permanent division of the enclave, following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's order to expand Israeli control to 70 percent. This move raises questions about the durability of the October ceasefire, which required Israel to control approximately half of Gaza. The expansion of Israeli occupation is expected to further deteriorate conditions for Gaza's 2.3 million residents. Germany, a close ally of Israel, has recently begun criticizing some Israeli actions, including its annexation of West Bank territory and the implementation of the death penalty for Palestinians. Netanyahu indicated that Israel might seize even more than 70 percent of Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he has directed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to increase control of Gaza to 70%. Speaking at a conference, Netanyahu stated that Israel currently controls 60% of the territory, up from 50%, and aims to reach 70% by pressing Hamas from all sides. This reported expansion of Israeli control contradicts the terms of a ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas in October 2025. The statement was made amidst ongoing Israeli strikes on Gaza and stalled indirect talks between Israel and Hamas regarding a peace plan. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, at least 738 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced an order for the military to take control of 70 percent of Gaza. The article states that Netanyahu himself issued this directive. No further details regarding the timing, specific areas within Gaza, or the stated reasons for this order are provided in the given content. The action involves the Israeli military assuming control over a significant portion of the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed the Israeli military to expand its control over Gaza. Initially, this expansion aims to seize 70 percent of the Palestinian territory. Israel currently controls an estimated 64 percent of the Gaza Strip, which has been heavily impacted by Israel's military operations following the 2023 Hamas attack. This directive comes despite a US-brokered truce in October, which was intended to halt Israeli attacks and secure Hamas' disarmament, and under which Israeli troops were meant to withdraw to a designated "Yellow Line." The population of Gaza is already confined to a small coastal area.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed the army to expand control of the Gaza Strip to 70 percent. The Israeli army currently controls 60 percent of Gaza, having already expanded its control by 11 percent beyond a "Yellow Line" agreed upon in a 2025 ceasefire. This expansion means Palestinians cannot access about two-thirds of Gaza. The article notes that this further seizure would displace two million Palestinians into an even smaller territory. Despite a nominal truce, Israeli bombing in Gaza continues, with recent attacks resulting in casualties.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the army to seize 70% of the Gaza Strip, a move that threatens to violate a US-brokered ceasefire and worsen humanitarian conditions. This directive follows a steady advance by Israeli forces into Hamas-controlled territory since October, expanding their control from 53% to a stated 60%, with the goal of reaching 70%. This expansion is seen as a violation of the ceasefire agreement and a previous peace plan that established a demarcation line. The Israeli defense minister has indicated an aim for Palestinians to leave Gaza through "voluntary migration," which critics describe as a plan for ethnic cleansing by making living conditions unbearable. The article states that such an expansion would cram Gaza's 2.2 million Palestinian survivors into less than a third of their territory.

Israel's Defense Minister, Israel Katz, stated that the government intends to implement a plan for large-scale Palestinian migration from Gaza. He linked this plan to Israel's long-term strategy for the territory and the exclusion of Hamas from power. Human rights groups and lawyers argue that the conditions imposed by Israel make any departure involuntary and constitute ethnic cleansing. This policy appears to contradict a ceasefire plan signed by Israel last year, which called for Gaza's redevelopment for its residents. Israel previously established a bureau for "voluntary emigration" and eased travel restrictions for those wishing to leave Gaza.