Shocking Israel Move: 5 Devastating Truths Behind Gaza’s 50% Takeover Exposed

Israel has taken control of over 50% of the Gaza Strip, following an intensified military campaign against Hamas. Much of this control is focused on an expanded buffer zone along the border and the Netzarim Corridor, which splits Gaza in half. Israeli soldiers and human rights groups report widespread destruction of homes, farmland, and infrastructure, leaving the area uninhabitable.

Prime Minister Netanyahu has stated Israel will maintain long-term security control, even after Hamas is defeated. Civilians have been displaced multiple times, with some areas turned into what soldiers described as “kill zones.” Eyewitness accounts claim soldiers were ordered to destroy everything, making it impossible for Palestinians to return. Critics, including rights organizations, argue this amounts to ethnic cleansing. While Israel insists its actions are legal and necessary for security, the scale and intent of the destruction raise serious humanitarian and legal concerns.

Shocking Israel Move: 5 Devastating Truths Behind Gaza’s 50% Takeover Exposed

As of April 2025, Israeli forces have seized control of more than 50% of the Gaza Strip, marking a dramatic escalation in their military campaign against Hamas. This expansion includes a massive buffer zone along the Gaza-Israel border, where entire neighborhoods, farms, and critical infrastructure have been demolished, rendering the region uninhabitable. Israeli soldiers and human rights organizations report that this destruction appears intentional—aimed at creating a fortified military zone that has grown significantly since the conflict reignited a month ago.

The largest portion of Israeli-controlled territory is the expanded buffer zone, now stretching up to 3 kilometers (nearly 2 miles) deep in parts of Gaza. Another key area under Israeli authority is the Netzarim Corridor, a strategic strip of land slicing through central Gaza, effectively dividing the territory’s north from the south. Combined, these zones now cover at least half of Gaza’s total land area.

Human rights experts and international observers warn that Israel’s actions could signal a move toward long-term dominance over Gaza. These concerns intensified after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that, even if Hamas is dismantled, Israel will maintain security control and may encourage Palestinians to leave the region entirely. Critics argue this could lead to permanent displacement, violating international laws that protect civilians during conflict.

Soldiers who served in Gaza have shared disturbing accounts of systematic destruction. One soldier described orders to raze homes, factories, farms, and public buildings, stating the goal was to prevent Palestinians from ever returning. These testimonies align with a report by Breaking the Silence, an Israeli group of ex-soldiers opposed to occupation, which documents widespread devastation ordered by military commanders.

The Israeli military defends its actions as necessary to prevent attacks like Hamas’s October 7, 2023 assault, which killed 1,200 Israelis and saw over 250 taken hostage. Officials insist operations comply with international law and prioritize civilian safety. However, evidence on the ground tells a different story. Troops have admitted receiving commands to “flatten everything”—from crops and trees to schools and hospitals—leaving no cover for Hamas fighters. In northern Gaza’s Beit Hanoun, once a thriving agricultural area, entire neighborhoods now lie in rubble. Farmers like Nidal Alzaanin, who briefly returned during a ceasefire, found their homes and livelihoods obliterated when fighting resumed.

The buffer zone’s vague boundaries have also turned deadly for civilians. A tank operator revealed orders to shoot anyone—including women and children—who ventures within 500 meters of Israeli positions. This “shoot-on-sight” policy has trapped displaced families in overcrowded southern Gaza, unable to return home without risking their lives.

Israeli leaders describe their control as temporary—a security measure to root out Hamas. Yet critics, including human rights groups, accuse Israel of committing war crimes by deliberately displacing Palestinians and destroying civilian infrastructure. Some legal experts argue the scale of destruction and forced migration could amount to ethnic cleansing, though Israel denies these claims, insisting evacuations are meant to protect civilians.

Analysts remain divided. Some view the buffer zone as a pragmatic security step, not a permanent occupation. Others see it as part of a broader strategy to annex Gaza’s land and push Palestinians into Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula or other regions. Meanwhile, Gaza’s displaced population faces a bleak reality: over 1 million people are crammed into tent camps with scant access to food, water, or medical care, while their former neighborhoods lie in ruins.

The international community has raised alarms, with calls for investigations into potential violations of humanitarian law. Yet diplomatic efforts have stalled, leaving Gaza’s future uncertain. For now, Israel’s grip on the territory tightens—and with each demolished home, hopes fade for Palestinians dreaming of return. The scars of this conflict—both physical and psychological—deepen daily, painting a grim picture of what may become a permanent transformation of Gaza’s landscape and its people’s fate.