Israel Expands Control Over Gaza, Displacing Thousands
Since March 2025, Israel has expanded its control within Gaza to over 50% of the territory, displacing thousands of Palestinians and transforming vast areas into buffer zones along the border.
Published on April 7, 2025
Since relaunching its operations against Hamas in March 2025, Israeli forces have advanced to control over 50% of the Gaza Strip. Military actions have resulted in the razing of homes, farmland, and infrastructure near the Gaza-Israel border, thereby creating extensive uninhabitable buffer zones. Notably, corridors such as the Netzarim and planned southern routes have segmented Palestinian territory further, as reported in early April.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that even after Hamas is defeated, Israel will maintain security control over Gaza. This stance, coupled with plans to encourage the emigration of Palestinians, has drawn international criticism with many labeling the actions as steps toward ethnic cleansing. These developments, documented in reports from early April 2025, underscore a deepening crisis and rising humanitarian distress in the region.