Israel Claims Control Over 60% of Gaza Strip as Violence Intensifies on Nakba Day
May 2026 | By Azad News
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israeli forces now control nearly 60 percent of the Gaza Strip, indicating a broader military presence than previously outlined under the October ceasefire framework.
Netanyahu made the remarks on Nakba Day, which marks 77 years since the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians during the creation of Israel in 1948.
The term “Nakba,” meaning “catastrophe” in Arabic, refers to the forced displacement and flight of approximately 700,000 Palestinians during the establishment of the Israeli state.
Gaza continues to face heavy violence and instability as diplomatic efforts aimed at securing a permanent ceasefire and ending the war remain stalled.
Speaking at a public event, Netanyahu praised the strength of Israel’s military and national resilience, saying Israeli forces had achieved major objectives during the conflict and expanded their territorial control inside Gaza.
Meanwhile, Israel’s defence ministry confirmed that a recent airstrike in Gaza targeted senior Hamas leader Ezzedine Al-Haddad, whom Israeli officials described as a key figure behind the October 7 attacks.
Israeli authorities said the results of the strike were still being assessed and did not confirm whether the Hamas commander had been killed.
In the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials reported that Israeli forces shot dead a 15-year-old boy in the town of Al-Lubban al-Sharqiyya near Nablus.
The Israeli military claimed the teenager had been throwing stones at vehicles traveling on a nearby road before the shooting occurred.
Separately, Palestinians in the village of Jibiya, north of Ramallah, accused illegal Israeli settlers of setting fire to a room inside a mosque and several nearby vehicles.
Residents also reported that Hebrew graffiti was spray-painted on the mosque’s outer walls during the incident.
Conclusion
The latest developments highlight the continuing escalation of tensions across Gaza and the occupied West Bank, as military operations, civilian casualties, and political divisions continue to deepen the regional crisis.
This article is a rewritten summary based on publicly available information. It has been fully paraphrased for informational purposes only and does not reproduce any original copyrighted text.
