Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that Israeli forces now control 60 per cent of the Gaza Strip, marking the first official confirmation of an expansion in territory held by Israel inside the Palestinian enclave.

Speaking during events marking “Jerusalem Day”, Netanyahu said Israel had maintained its military positions despite international pressure during nearly two years of conflict.

“Over the past two years, we have shown the entire world the innate strength of our people, our state, our army, our heritage,” he said in statements released by his office.

“We brought home all our hostages, down to the last one. We have not given up any territory. Some told us to leave, we did not leave, and today we control 60 per cent of the area. Tomorrow, we will see,” he added.

The remarks come as tensions continue across Gaza despite an existing ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel. Both sides have repeatedly accused each other of violating the truce, while violence and military strikes continue in parts of the territory.

The war began on October 7, 2023, following a large-scale Hamas attack on southern Israel. A ceasefire that came into force on October 10 this year led to the release of remaining hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel.

However, negotiations on the second phase of the agreement have stalled. The next stage was expected to include the disarmament of Hamas and a gradual Israeli withdrawal towards the so-called “yellow line”, which separates areas controlled by Hamas from those held by the Israeli military.

Israeli media reports in recent weeks suggested troops were advancing beyond that position towards what has been described as an “orange line”, amid warnings from Israeli officials that fighting could resume if Hamas refuses to surrender its weapons.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, which is administered by Hamas, more than 850 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began. The Israeli military has reported the deaths of five soldiers in Gaza during the same period.