Al Jazeera Weekly Wrap: 'Under Cover of Ceasefire, Israel Increases Grip' on Gaza

Al Jazeera's April 28–29 weekly wrap documented how Israel has used the October 2025 ceasefire framework to consolidate its military and territorial hold over the Gaza Strip. Key findings: Israel has expanded its eastern control zone by 37 km (23 miles) since the ceasefire, now controlling approximately 60% of the enclave. The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a technocratic Palestinian body established under the Board of Peace, has been effectively 'emptied of its role' and isolated in Cairo by Israeli pressure, blocking civilian governance implementation. Hamas has been excluded from any governance discussions, but also refuses to disarm without a full Israeli withdrawal and recognition of Palestinian statehood. The report notes that US diplomatic bandwidth is increasingly focused on Iran and Lebanon ceasefire consolidation, drawing attention away from Gaza's unresolved Phase 2 status. 824 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire and Phase 2 talks have yielded no progress.