The Israeli army’s occupation of parts of the Gaza Strip, for an undefined period of time, is one of the most dramatic developments in the war that began with Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel on October 7.

The army’s activities in the occupied areas are diverse: expanding military bases, building infrastructure and even paving roads, all while under persistent Hamas fire. Based on satellite imagery analysis and other open sources, Haaretz calculates that the Israeli army now controls about 26 percent of Gaza.

First, the IDF built a buffer zone along the Israeli border, razed almost all the structures within it and prohibited Palestinians from entering. The army also took control of the Philadelphi route on the Gaza-Egypt border, to prevent Hamas access to Egypt, and also destroyed many of the structures there.

The Netzarim corridor used to be full of life. Now there’s almost no trace of it left. At the end of the corridor lies the pier that the United States built to bring aid to hungry Gazans. But the pier is a farce and isn’t as effective as ground routes. It broke apart, was dismantled twice ahead of high seas, and aid is piling up in the unloading area. Meanwhile, the army is securing the area, having installed electricity infrastructure. There’s already graffiti in its vicinity: “Without settlement, there is no victory.”

The most prominent building in the Netzarim corridor in which the IDF is operating is the Turkish Hospital. The IDF spokesman confirmed to Haaretz that the army uses the hospital, adding that it found many “shafts and terror infrastructure” in it.

Soldiers have also put up mezuzahs all over Gaza. During several mezuzah installments they used the blessing, “He who establishes the boundary of the widow,” which is customarily recited during the renewal of a Jewish settlement in Israel.

The chairman of Nahala, and one of the most prominent figures in the settlement movement, Daniella Weiss, appeared recently at a newly-established Knesset caucus for settlement in Gaza, where she spoke about a plan for a nucleus of settlements, which had attracted hundreds of families ready to ‘return’ immediately. She explained the resettlement could start in army bases. Aspiring settlers have been gathering along the Israeli side of the Gaza border, awaiting an opportunity to enter.