The ceasefire that took effect in October 2025 divided Gaza into areas of control under a US-backed arrangement between Israel and Hamas. Satellite imagery analysed by The New York Times indicates that Israel has since consolidated and extended its military presence, establishing at least 12 outposts and moving beyond the withdrawal line set by the agreement.
The investigation found new Israeli positions along the “Yellow Line”, the line associated with the ceasefire arrangements. It said Israeli forces had also put up roadblocks, built earthen berms and restricted access to areas within the Gaza Strip.
The findings point to a wider Israeli military footprint than the one envisaged when the truce began. The ceasefire placed about half of the Gaza Strip under Israeli control. In May, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military controlled approximately 60 percent of Gaza's territory.
Netanyahu also said in May that Israel intended to seize more territory in Gaza. The exact amount of land beyond the agreed withdrawal line, and the timing and locations of the outposts' construction, remain unclear.
The military expansion has taken place alongside continued destruction in areas under Israeli control. The New York Times reported that Israeli forces have destroyed thousands of buildings there since the truce began. More than 100 buildings were destroyed south of Deir al-Balah between late August and early September.
Gaza's population is approximately two million residents. The UN Human Rights Office says approximately 80 percent of housing in Gaza has been destroyed or damaged.
The “Yellow Line” has also remained a site of lethal incidents. At least 196 Palestinians, including 18 women and 43 children, have been killed near the line since the ceasefire.
The future of Israel's military presence remains tied to the dispute over Hamas's weapons. US officials said in July that they had reached an agreement with Hamas regarding the laying down of arms. Netanyahu rejected the Hamas arms agreement and said Israel would not withdraw without “genuine disarmament”.
The ceasefire framework was intended to set territorial control zones while negotiations continued. Israel's construction of outposts and positions beyond the agreed line, as identified in satellite imagery, places that arrangement under further strain. Netanyahu's statements indicate that the Israeli government sees continued military control and further territorial expansion as part of its position on Gaza's security conditions.
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