Israel has continued its demolitions and killed more than 850 people in Gaza since the October ceasefire [Getty]
The Israeli army has expanded its area of control in Gaza to 64% of the enclave, with a new “Orange Line” replacing the “Yellow Line” marking the new de-facto border, according to Israeli media reports.
Israel Hayom, citing an unnamed Western diplomat, reported on Tuesday that the army had received approval for the move from US President Donald Trump’s self-styled “Board of Peace” which is overseeing the truce in Gaza.
The newly seized territory, which lies beyond the “Yellow Line” which previously marked Israel’s area of control, adds 34 square kilometres – a further 11% of Gaza – to the Israeli-occupied area.
According to the unnamed diplomat, the Board of Peace gave its approval due to alleged ceasefire violations by Hamas, and its refusal to disarm. The source added that “additional measures” would be taken if Hamas continues its alleged violations.
Israel’s near daily attacks on Gaza since the ceasefire have killed over 850 people however, with virtually no pushback from the US and the Board of Peace.
Hamas – which has ceased active operations against Israel in Gaza -has refused to disarm until the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Hamas has previously accused Israel of expanding its military occupation of Gaza through the ceasefire, with senior official Bassem Naim saying that Israel had taken control of more than 60% of the territory.
According to the report, Israel has escalated its demolitions in within the newly-seized areas – a tactic Israel Hayom described as entrenching a new reality that will make Gaza’s reconstruction difficult.
The paper, owned by the family of Trump mega donor Sheldon Adelson, added that the move marks a shift from declaring “total victory” to a strategy of “establishing facts on the ground” which gradually deepens Israeli control over the enclave.
The report comes as the Board of Peace’s high representative for Gaza Nickolay Mladenov visits the region, amid efforts to push ahead with the Trump peace plan.
Mladenov said on Wednesday that the ceasefire in the Palestinian territory was holding but that there have been daily violations, without highlighting Israel’s continued killing of Palestinians.
“We have a ceasefire. It is holding. It is not perfect. It is far from perfect. There are violations every day, and some of them are very serious,” Mladenov said during a press conference in Jerusalem.
The envoy added that Hamas could have a role in Trump’s plan for post-war Gaza if it disarmed.
“We are not asking Hamas to disappear as a political movement,” he said.
