Israel constructing new Gaza barriers, displacing families

Families in the Gaza Strip are facing renewed displacement as Israel constructs extensive new land barriers, pushing the de facto border further into Palestinian territories. Residents of al-Tuffah in northern Gaza woke to find yellow concrete blocks, markers of Israeli-controlled zones, moved westward, encroaching on a key north-south road. Adjacent to these markers, an Israeli flag was seen flying atop a new earth barrier approximately three meters high.

These developments follow a pattern of displacement. The al-Shawish family, whose home was destroyed in the conflict, was forced to flee again after an Israeli warning of an attack on a nearby building. Their tent, their only shelter, was torn apart by the strike, leaving them with “nowhere left to go.”

The current actions are seen by some as a violation of the October ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States. This deal stipulated Israel’s withdrawal to a designated demarcation line, the “Yellow Line,” leaving Israel in temporary control of about 53% of Gaza. However, reports suggest Israel now controls over 60% of the territory, with stated intentions to increase this further.

Experts analyzing satellite imagery suggest these extensive earthworks, stretching over 42 km and covering 85% of the initial Yellow Line, indicate a plan for a long-term occupation. In some areas, the barriers have effectively moved the de facto border deeper into Gaza, creating a larger no-go zone for Gazans. Incidents in Zeitoun and Deir al-Balah, among other areas, describe families being given short notice before their makeshift shelters and farmland were bulldozed to make way for these new barriers and Israeli military bases.

While the Israeli military states these measures are operational necessities for security and to prevent Hamas from rebuilding, and that their purpose is to “clearly and visually mark the location of the Yellow Line on the ground” to “reduce friction,” the observed expansion and destruction of civilian areas suggest a more permanent shift in control. Security analysts suggest this is transforming the Yellow Line from a temporary withdrawal boundary into a de facto internal border, squeezing the population into ever-smaller areas amid dire humanitarian conditions.

Source: Nile Post