Prime Minister Netanyahu Says All of Gaza Will Be Under Israeli Control

What Happened?

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this week that when the current Israeli military operation in Gaza is completed, all of Gaza will be under Israeli control. Speaking at a press conference in Jerusalem, Mr. Netanyahu told reporters ‘All of the Gaza Strip will be under the Israeli army's control’ by the end of the current assault.

The comments by Mr. Netanyahu come after Israel has launched a new ground offensive in Gaza following the collapse of the peace deal that had been reached with Hamas in January.

Why it Matters

The announcement by Mr. Netanyahu confirms the direction the Israeli military has been heading for some time. By continuously expanding the Israeli military presence in Gaza and pushing a larger number of Gazans into a shrinking area, Israel’s plan appears to be to gradually take control of the entire Gaza strip.

What remains less clear is what will happen after that. There is little doubt Israel’s military can seize control of Gaza, but maintaining control could prove costly in the long run. Which raises the question of how long does Israel intend to keep control of Gaza once that has been achieved? Mr. Netanyahu did not specify or speculate on the possible duration, but there are no indications he plans to give up control of Gaza anytime soon.

Israeli control of Gaza would give the Israeli Defense Force a prime opportunity to locate and eliminate Hamas fighters who remain hidden either in Gaza itself or underground. By controlling the entirety of Gaza, the IDF would be able to find and destroy Hamas fighters who thus far have eluded capture or elimination by hiding in Gaza or the tunnels underneath. Hamas built miles of subterranean tunnels beneath Gaza, and controlling all the ground above for an extended period of time may be the only way to destroy such an extensive underground network and the fighters hiding within it.

At the same time, Israeli public opinion is turning against the war in Gaza. Many Israelis are critical of both the way the war is being carried out and the need to continue it. The political risk for Mr. Netanyahu is significant, but he still appears willing to gamble his political future on continuing the war in Gaza until he sees fit to stop it. 

How it Affects You

Violence from the Gaza War reached the U.S. this week as two Israeli Embassy staffers were gunned down in Washington D.C. by a gunman shouting ‘free Palestine.’ Despite the unpopularity of the war in Gaza, both in Israel and abroad, it is likely the war will continue for the rest of 2025. Israel’s military believes they have a chance to crush Hamas for good, but only time will tell if they are able to do so.