DaysofPal — New data and analysis indicate that the Israeli occupation is steadily consolidating control over large parts of the Gaza Strip through the Yellow Line. This military demarcation, analysts say, is evolving into a de facto border inside the enclave.
According to a report by Haaretz, based on satellite imagery and security sources, Israeli occupation forces have significantly expanded their presence along the line in recent months.
This includes the construction of new military sites, extensive infrastructure works, and the deployment of equipment, alongside the establishment of long earthen barriers stretching for tens of kilometers.
The “Yellow Line,” first announced following a ceasefire in October 2025, now places approximately 54% of Gaza under Israeli control.
Reports indicate that the army has gone beyond the originally declared boundaries, installing concrete blocks, demolishing buildings, and displacing residents from additional areas.
As a result, around 2.1 million Palestinians are now confined to less than half the territory they inhabited before the war that began in October 2023, amid worsening humanitarian conditions.
Hundreds of thousands are living in tents or damaged buildings, while the flow of aid into the enclave continues to decline.
Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir previously described the “Yellow Line” as “the new border line,” calling it both a forward defense and offensive line.
On the ground, this has translated into the establishment of at least seven new military positions since the ceasefire, some of which are equipped for long-term deployment.
Satellite imagery reveals at least 32 military sites spread across the enclave, including positions near the line and deeper inside Gaza.
Several of these sites are equipped with electricity networks, lighting systems, communication towers, and engineering equipment.
Strategic locations include areas in Jabalia and Beit Hanoun, as well as zones surrounding civilian infrastructure such as the Hamad bin Jassim Hospital in Rafah.
Some positions have reportedly been built on agricultural land, residential areas, and even atop the ruins of mosques and cemeteries destroyed during the Israeli genocidal war.
In parallel, construction has advanced on earthen barriers extending more than 17 kilometers, around 40% of the line’s total 45-kilometer length, with work continuing to expand them in recent weeks.
According to the United Nations, at least 224 Palestinians had been killed near or east of the line by the end of February, including women and children.
The organization described a recurrent pattern of civilians being targeted when approaching areas of Israeli deployment, warning that such actions may amount to war crimes.
Some victims were reportedly attempting to return to their homes amid the lack of clear marking of the line and its shifting nature on the ground.
The medical organization Médecins Sans Frontières said it has treated large numbers of casualties in areas surrounding the line, noting that many were engaged in daily activities such as collecting water or firewood, or trying to return to their homes.
It added that the westward expansion of the line has placed essential facilities, including water points and health services, within high-risk zones, depriving civilians of access to basic needs.
Despite earlier U.S.-backed proposals to end the Israeli war, including plans to deploy an international stabilization force, there has been little progress on implementation.
Participation in such initiatives has reportedly faltered, with Indonesia suspending its involvement amid broader regional tensions linked to Iran.
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