DayofPal—The Israeli army has begun transforming the so-called “yellow line” dividing the Gaza Strip into a physical barrier, effectively extending its control deeper into Palestinian territory, according to an investigation by Forensic Architecture in collaboration with Drop Site News.
Satellite imagery analyzed by the research group shows that since December 2025, Israeli forces have been constructing large earth berms, raised mounds of soil, along and beyond the yellow line, which marks the boundary between areas of Gaza under Israeli control and zones where Palestinians have been forced to live since the October 10 ceasefire.
These berms create a tangible separation between Israeli forces in the eastern part of the enclave and Palestinians concentrated in the west.
After withdrawing to the yellow line following the ceasefire, Israeli troops continued building military infrastructure and roads across more than 53 percent of Gaza, while simultaneously demolishing existing buildings.
The line marked only Israeli military maps and physical yellow blocks, but now became a fortified barrier.
Forensic Architecture documented at least 38 yellow blocks, some of which have been moved hundreds of meters further into Gaza, effectively annexing additional land.
In areas such as Jabaliya and Beit Lahia in northern Gaza, satellite images reveal berms stretching over two kilometers. Some have been built directly across roads, cutting them in half and blocking Palestinian movement.
In Jabaliya, the berms follow the path of yellow blocks that extend beyond the boundaries indicated on Israel’s own maps, signaling a gradual expansion of military control.
Forensic Architecture concluded that the construction of these berms, which began last month, is physically cutting Palestinians off from both the Israeli-controlled zone and other parts of Gaza, further fragmenting the territory.
The findings raise concerns that the yellow line is no longer a temporary military demarcation but is being converted into a de facto border with long-term implications for Gaza’s geography and population.
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