Israel expands occupied zones in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria

Over the past two and a half years since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack, Israel has taken control of roughly 386 square miles (about 1,000 km²) across Gaza, Lebanon and Syria – its biggest expansion of militarily occupied land in decades. The Israeli military seized large portions of Gaza during its broad invasion and later moved into parts of southern Lebanon and southern Syria, designating the areas as “buffer zones” it says are needed to prevent future attacks.

The land seizures have displaced more than 3 million people. In Lebanon about 1.2 million have fled as Israel now holds roughly 234 square miles (608 km²) there, while in Gaza Israel controls more than 60 % of the strip (about 75 square miles) and aims to increase its grip to 70 %. The United Nations‑brokered ceasefire remains deadlocked over Hamas disarmament, and Iran has tied Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon to the end of its own conflict with the United States.