Hamas is no longer capable of carrying out a terror infiltration, as seen on October 7, 2023, IDF Central Command Chief Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth said on Wednesday.
"The threat of a terror infiltration like on October 7 is no longer possible," he stated.
"More than 60% of the Strip is in our hands. There is a security zone for the Gaza border communities held by two divisions and the finest IDF soldiers," he added.
Hamas, however, still remains a threat according to Bluth.
"But our eyes are open, and we can see and identify the challenges that still exist. Hamas still rules, and the murderous organization retains residual capabilities, while its vision of destroying Israel has not changed," he said.
"Our work has not finished," he told the assembled officers and soldiers.
"We stand here in the northern Gaza Strip, and we have achieved a great deal," Bluth said.
Bluth was speaking at a change-of-command ceremony for the military's 99th Division at Netiv Ha’asara, a Gaza border community north of the strip.
The 99th Division is a reservist division, officially under the Central Command, but aided in repelling infiltrating terrorists following the October 7 massacre, and operated in the Gaza Strip throughout the Israel-Hamas War.
Israel now controls up to 70% of Gaza, military officials brief Security Cabinet
Bluth's comments follow two Israeli sources telling The Jerusalem Post that senior military officials briefed the Security Cabinet that the IDF controls between 67% and 70% of the Gaza Strip.
Under the hostage-release agreement, the IDF was expected to remain in roughly 53% of the Gaza Strip, along what became known as the Yellow Line.
Several weeks ago, Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the IDF to expand its control to 70% of the Gaza Strip.
"My directive is to move to 70% control of the Gaza Strip," Netanyahu said at a conference in the Jordan Valley at the end of May.
As audience members called on him to take control of 100% of the territory, Netanyahu urged patience.
"We're at 60% right now. Let's do this step by step, first 70%," he said.
Amichai Stein contributed to this report.