The US-backed Board of Peace has granted approval to the expansion of Israeli control over the Gaza Strip, in a move signaling the organization’s growing frustration with Hamas’ refusal to accept disarmament.
Israel has in recent weeks expanded the area of the Gaza Strip under its military control, moving beyond the ceasefire’s original “Yellow Line” to a broader “Orange Line” as international efforts to secure Hamas’ disarmament remain stalled.
A senior Western diplomat told Israel Hayom that the move was approved by the US-led Board of Peace after Hamas failed to meet a timetable for laying down its weapons.
The expansion adds some 34 square kilometers, or just over 13 square miles, to Israeli security zones and leaves the IDF in control of roughly 64% of Gaza, according to the report.
“No one fell asleep at the wheel here,” the diplomat told Israel Hayom. “Further steps will be taken as long as Hamas continues to violate the understandings.”
Reuters reported last month that Israel had quietly distributed updated Gaza maps to aid groups showing an expanded restricted area marked by an orange line. COGAT, the Israeli military agency handling civilian affairs in the territories, said the boundaries were updated “in accordance with the operational situational assessment” to allow humanitarian work while protecting personnel in a complex battlefield environment.
The Israeli move follows weeks of deadlock over the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire framework.
The Board of Peace plan calls for Hamas to disarm over eight months, permit the destruction of its tunnel network and allow a Palestinian technocratic committee to assume security control, with a full IDF withdrawal only after verification that Gaza is free of weapons.
A document obtained by The Times of Israel said the Board of Peace does not intend to hold Israel to the October 2025 truce terms if Hamas fails to accept the disarmament framework. The document said such a refusal would render Israel’s commitments “null and void” after a timeframe determined by the board.
On the ground, Palestinian officials say Israel has carried out engineering work and demolitions along the expanded zone, further reducing the territory under Hamas control.
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