GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories, May 30, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Hamas accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday of a "blatant violation" of the October 2025 ceasefire after he ordered the army to seize more territory in the Gaza Strip.

"In a blatant violation of all agreements, as is their usual practice, Netanyahu announced expanding control over 70 percent of the Gaza Strip, while the killing and starvation continue," Hamas political bureau member Bassem Naim told AFP.

Hamas spokesman, Hazem Qassem, also condemned the "complete silence" of US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace and its high representative for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov, on the topic.

"Failing to condemn Israel's expansionist policies and forced displacement plans raises serious questions about the extent of the sponsoring parties' commitment to obliging Israel to adhere to its obligations" under the ceasefire deal, Qassem said in a separate statement.

On Thursday, Netanyahu had announced his intentions to have the military expand its control of Gaza from 60 percent now, to 70 percent.

He said the military had controlled 50 percent of Gaza under the terms of the ceasefire, adding: "My directive is to move to... 70 percent".

"We're squeezing them from all (sides). We'll deal with what's left afterwards."

The first phase of the truce that started in October 2025 saw the last hostages seized in Hamas's October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, which triggered the war in Gaza, released in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel.

The transition to the second phase, which was supposed to involve Hamas's disarmament and a gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army, has been stalled for months.

Under the terms of the ceasefire, Israeli forces were to pull back behind a so-called "yellow line", a demarcation between the area under Hamas control and that held by the Israeli army.

Netanyahu announced on May 15 that the Israeli army had expanded its grip on the Gaza Strip.

"There were those who said: get out, get out. We did not get out. Today we control... how much? 60 percent. Tomorrow we shall see," he said at the time.

Gaza remains gripped by daily violence, with both the Israeli military and Hamas accusing one another of violating the truce in effect since October 10.