Israel targets 70% control of Gaza as Nova festival memorial seeks funds

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the army has been ordered to bring control of about 70 % of the Gaza Strip under Israeli authority, up from the roughly 60 % it currently holds. The push follows a large‑scale military campaign that began after the Oct. 7 attack, which the United Nations says has displaced 1.9 million Palestinians and left more than 72,000 dead. Israel has employed a virtual “yellow line” to restrict the Gaza population to a smaller area, a measure condemned by Hamas as a breach of the cease‑fire.

At the same time, a memorial site near Re’im is being expanded to honor the 378 victims of the Oct. 7 Nova music‑festival attack in southern Israel. Organisers report thousands of daily visitors and have launched a fundraising drive aiming for 1.5 million shekels (≈ 460,000 EUR) to complete the project. The effort is backed by groups such as the Jewish National Fund and the Emek Hefer foundation.