With Hamas refusing disarmament, IDF expands control to 70% of Gaza Strip & prepares for new fighting

With most of Israel’s focus on Iran and Lebanon, the situation in the Gaza Strip has not changed significantly over the past weeks, as Hamas has steadily refused to implement the 14-point Gaza Peace Plan while the IDF has slowly increased the area under its control.

The Israeli military now has operational control of some 70% of the enclave, up from around 60% at the start of the ceasefire. Meanwhile, it is entrenching control along the Yellow Line and preparing plans for a resumption of fighting, as well as for the creation of a proposed US-backed civilian zone in the Rafah area, according to Walla News.

“It is possible that the scope of operational control in Palestinian territory will increase in the coming months, while Hamas is allegedly dragging its feet, entrenching itself in the field, recruiting operatives, and preparing for war with Israel," a security source told Walla.

However, at the same time, some soldiers on the ground are complaining about new limitations on their ability to open fire on suspects crossing the ceasefire lines, in a situation reminiscent of similar allegations in the Lebanon buffer zone, Ynet News reported.

It is unclear whether the government has come under pressure from the U.S. to keep quiet on the Gaza front as well, after reportedly restricting the IDF’s ability to conduct airstrikes in Lebanon under pressure from Washington in order not to endanger talks with Iran.

Officers serving along the Yellow Line told Ynet on Monday that “until now, the battalion commander would brief us that any adult crossing the Yellow Line was a ‘shoot-to-kill’ target. That has changed to a suspect-arrest procedure that ends, at most, with shooting at the knees.”

COGAT continues to support humanitarian efforts across Gaza.
According to data of the international organizations working in Gaza more than 1.7 million meals are served every day, over 3.6 million pitas are baked daily, and 181 community kitchens are currently operating… pic.twitter.com/gxNfPfxMbp

— COGAT (@cogatonline) June 19, 2026

The IDF rejected the report of the allegations, stressing that “IDF soldiers operating in the Gaza Strip are authorized—and required—to remove any threat, while at the same time avoiding harm to uninvolved persons as much as possible.”

Hamas is using civilians to test the operational patterns and readiness of IDF forces along the ceasefire line, the officers explained.

“The shift from the simple instruction of neutralizing any enemy who crosses the Yellow Line toward us, to a suspect-arrest procedure ending with shots to the knees, is the beginning of a slippery slope. We know where this starts, but we don't know where it will lead us in the future,” a reserve commander told Ynet.

“The command is complacent and thinks Hamas is deterred, but we see the preparations and know that crossings of the Yellow Line are part of an effort to test our deployment. The enemy has the intent, the means, and the capability to carry out significant offensive actions,” he added.

Another officer said, “I'm going crazy. There have been incidents, and soldiers aren't being allowed to shoot. Drones cross the border and they weren't authorized to fire. Every day, lots of people cross. They're playing games with us.”

Despite instructions apparently aimed at keeping the situation quiet, the IDF is preparing for a renewal of fighting in the case that the peace plan finally fails, according to Walla.

This includes the construction of new routes, paving of existing dirt roads, upgrading defensive positions along the Yellow Line, and other efforts.

🔴ELIMINATED: Sabai Zaher Abd al-Hamid Abu Hasna, a Nukhba terrorist who infiltrated Israel during the October 7 Massacre and took part in holding Omer Shem Tov in Hamas captivity. Additionally, he planted explosives and attempted to advance terror attacks against IDF troops… pic.twitter.com/7yHBrF0AYv

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 22, 2026

Meanwhile, the IDF and the Shin Bet continue intelligence gathering to update a kill list of terrorists who were directly or indirectly involved in the Oct. 7 massacre or the kidnapping and holding of hostages, who continue to be eliminated periodically.

At the same time, the military is also preparing to carry out the U.S.-backed plan to start reconstruction in an area near the southern city of Rafah, which has been dubbed “the green city.”

🔴 ELIMINATED: Zaki Youssef Mahmoud Abu Mustafa, the Islamic Jihad Nukhba commander of the Khan Yunis Brigade who infiltrated Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7 Massacre & took part in the abduction of Yagil Yaakov.

Abu Mustafa advanced numerous terrorist attacks against IDF… pic.twitter.com/1hB7KyQhA5

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 21, 2026

The plan envisions the creation of an area free of Hamas’s presence to move the reconstruction plan forward without any interference by the terror group, in the hope of drawing civilians to the area and motivating similar programs in other areas.

Walla also reports that the United States began issuing infrastructure and construction tenders to create housing for some 50,000 Palestinians who would be allowed to live in the “green city.”