The Israeli military now in effect controls 77 per cent of the total geographical area of the Gaza Strip, Al Jazeera quotes the enclave’s Government Media Office as saying.

“This is achieved through direct ground incursions and the deployment of occupation forces within residential and civilian areas, through heavy fire control that prevents Palestinian citizens from accessing their homes, areas, lands, and property, or through unjust forced eviction policies,” it said in a statement.

“The continued genocide, ethnic cleansing, colonialism, aggression, and occupation control over the vast majority of the Gaza Strip reflects an Israeli political will to impose a ‘final solution’ by force, in blatant defiance of all international laws and norms,” the statement said.

The office called on the UN and the international community to take action to stop the Israeli expansion.