WASHINGTON, May 25 (WSH) — The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced Saturday that they now control approximately 40% of Gaza and intend to expand their hold to 75% within two months. This military strategy is aimed at dismantling Hamas’s infrastructure and eliminating its operational control over the territory. However, the plan is also expected to displace around two million Palestinians into a compressed zone covering only 25% of Gaza’s land area, raising alarm over a looming humanitarian crisis.
Military Objective Shifts to Territorial Control
According to reports from Bloomberg and The Times of Israel, the current phase of Israel’s campaign marks a strategic shift. Rather than focusing solely on targeting Hamas operatives, the IDF now prioritizes seizing territory and destroying logistical and administrative centers tied to Hamas. Five IDF divisions, comprising tens of thousands of troops, are currently deployed across northern, central, and southern Gaza to facilitate a large-scale ground operation.
Key targets include Hamas tunnels, command centers, and missile launch sites. Israeli officials have stated that “decisive territorial control” is necessary to undermine Hamas’s ability to govern and to pressure the group into releasing remaining hostages.
Palestinians Ordered into Narrow Zones
The Israeli military has designated three primary “safe zones” to relocate the civilian population: Mawasi along the southern coast, central areas near Deir al-Balah and Nuseirat, and sections of Gaza City. These zones collectively constitute about one-quarter of the Gaza Strip. The IDF has indicated that, once civilians are relocated, it will advance into remaining areas to flatten infrastructure and suppress all Hamas resistance.
Aid organizations and UN agencies have warned that concentrating such a vast population in a small area with limited food, water, and medical resources may lead to disease outbreaks and widespread suffering.
U.S. Urges Restraint as Diplomatic Clock Ticks
According to The Jerusalem Post, the United States has urged Israel to delay its ground offensive to allow time for negotiations on a potential hostage release deal. President Donald Trump commented on May 25, “We are speaking with Israel. We want to see the Gaza war end soon — we hope there’s good news coming.”
U.S. diplomatic sources confirmed that Washington is coordinating with Egypt and Qatar in backchannel efforts to avert further escalation and to maintain a path toward potential ceasefire talks.
Hamas Claims Wider Losses; Conflict Nears Critical Stage
While Israeli authorities claim to control 40% of Gaza, Hamas has asserted that Israeli forces now hold up to 77% of the territory. Analysts believe this discrepancy reflects ongoing propaganda efforts from both sides. Nonetheless, Israel’s rapid territorial gains suggest that Gaza may soon enter a post-occupation phase with uncertain administrative outcomes.
Observers say the next few weeks will be pivotal. Questions remain over whether Hamas can launch a counteroffensive, whether international mediators can achieve a breakthrough, and how Israel plans to govern newly seized areas — via military rule or civil reconstruction.
