The area under Israeli military control inside the Gaza Strip has continued to grow during the so-called "ceasefire", amid expanding fortifications and deepening uncertainty over the future of the enclave, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.
According to the newspaper, Israeli occupation forces now control nearly 59% of Gaza, compared to around 53% when the US-brokered ceasefire began in October last year. Sources cited in the report said Israeli troops pushed the "yellow line" several hundred meters deeper into Gaza until it intersected with Salah al-Din Road, the territory’s main north-south artery.
Fortified military lines
Satellite imagery reviewed by the newspaper reportedly showed the Israeli military constructing extensive fortifications in central Gaza, including deep trenches, elevated sand berms, and at least seven newly established military outposts. Some of the sites are paved and contain more than a dozen structures, in addition to dozens of other military positions spread throughout the Strip.
The report said Israeli forces have also continued demolishing structures in areas under their control while expanding buffer zones and carrying out tunnel-clearing operations near the dividing lines.
Ceasefire stalemate
The developments come amid what the newspaper described as a growing stalemate in US President Donald Trump’s peace initiative, as negotiations remain frozen while Israeli military operations continue.
“The more we stabilize the status quo, the more that status quo becomes difficult to remove,” Nickolay Mladenov, the diplomat leading the Trump-brokered effort, said in mid-May, warning that Gaza could become permanently divided.
Earlier this month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that "Israel" controls 60% of Gaza, a figure broadly consistent with estimates cited in the report.
Mounting humanitarian toll
The report said the ongoing situation has deepened uncertainty for Palestinians still living amid widespread destruction across the Strip.
Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation continues its military campaign across Gaza despite the ceasefire agreement, with Palestinian authorities reporting continued violations, attacks, and rising casualties.
The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza announced two days ago that 890 Palestinians have been killed and 2,677 injured since the ceasefire took effect.
According to the Ministry, the overall death toll since October 7, 2023, has risen to 72,783 Palestinians, while 172,779 others have been injured. Palestinian officials added that many victims remain trapped under rubble or stranded in areas inaccessible to ambulance and civil defense crews.
Source:Websites
